Vera Zvonareva facts for kids

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In this article, the patronymic is Igorevna and the family name is Zvonareva.

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Vera Zvonareva

Zvonareva at the 2010 US Open

Full name

Vera Igorevna Zvonareva

Native name

Вера Игоревна Звонарёва

Country (sports)

Russia

Residence

Moscow, Russia

Born

7 September 1984 (age 40)
Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union

Height

1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)

Turned pro

September 2000

Plays

Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Prize money

US$16,549,599

34th in all-time rankings

Singles

Career record

597–325

Career titles

Highest ranking

No. 2 (25 October 2010)

Grand Slam singles results

SF (2009, 2011)

QF (2003)

F (2010)

F (2010)

Other tournaments

Tour Finals

F (2008)

Doubles

Career record

314–193

Career titles

Highest ranking

No. 7 (19 February 2024)

Current ranking

No. 77 (4 November 2024)

Grand Slam doubles results

W (2012)

QF (2006, 2024)

F (2010)

W (2006, 2020)

Other doubles tournaments

Tour Finals

W (2023)

Mixed doubles

Career titles

Grand Slam mixed doubles results

QF (2005, 2006)

SF (2006)

W (2006)

W (2004)

Team competitions

Fed Cup

W (2004, 2008), record 8–2

Medal record

Olympic Games

Bronze	2008 Beijing	Singles

Vera Igorevna Zvonareva (born on September 7, 1984) is a Russian tennis player. She used to play professionally and was ranked as high as No. 2 in the world for singles. In doubles, she reached world No. 7.

Vera has won 12 singles titles in her career. She also reached the finals of big tournaments like the Wimbledon Championships and the US Open in 2010. She also won a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

In doubles, Vera has won five major titles, which are called Grand Slams. She won three women's doubles titles: the 2006 US Open, the 2012 Australian Open, and the 2020 US Open. She also won two mixed doubles titles: the 2004 US Open and the 2006 Wimbledon Championships. Vera also won the doubles title at the 2023 WTA Finals.

Early Life and Family Background
Vera Zvonareva's Tennis Career
Tennis Rivalries
Personal Life
Career Statistics
- Performance Timelines
  - Singles
  - Doubles
- Mixed doubles
Grand Slam Tournament Finals
Other Important Finals
- Year-End Championships
  - Singles: 1 (Runner–up)
  - Doubles: 1 (Title)
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Family Background

Vera Zvonareva was born in 1984 in Moscow, Russia. Her parents were both athletes. Her father, Igor Zvonarev, played Bandy, which is a type of ice hockey. Her mother, Natalia Bykova, played field hockey and won a bronze medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Vera started playing tennis when she was six years old, introduced to the sport by her mother.

Vera Zvonareva's Tennis Career

Starting Out: 1999–2002

Vera began playing in professional tennis tournaments in 1999. In 2000, she became a professional player and won her first tournament in Moscow without losing a single set. Soon after, she played in her first big WTA tournament.

In 2002, Vera won another smaller tournament. She reached her first singles final on the WTA Tour in Palermo, Italy. She also made it to the fourth round of the French Open, a major tournament, where she played against the famous Serena Williams. After these matches, her ranking quickly rose into the top 50 players in the world.

Rising Through the Ranks: 2003–2004

In 2003, Vera won her first WTA title in Bol, Croatia. She also beat a top-10 player for the first time. At the French Open, she surprised everyone by beating Venus Williams and reaching the quarterfinals. This helped her ranking climb into the top 20. She also played for Russia in the Fed Cup, a team tennis competition.

In 2004, Vera won her first Grand Slam title in mixed doubles at the US Open with her partner Bob Bryan. She also won a singles title in Memphis. Vera and her partner Anastasia Myskina helped Russia win its first ever Fed Cup title. By August 2004, she reached her highest ranking yet, world No. 9.

Injuries and Comebacks: 2005–2007

Vera faced some challenges with injuries. In 2005, she was injured in the second half of the year, which caused her ranking to drop.

However, she bounced back in 2006. She won her first women's doubles Grand Slam title at the US Open with Nathalie Dechy. She also won her second mixed doubles Grand Slam title at Wimbledon with Andy Ram. In singles, she won two titles, including her first win on grass courts.

The 2007 season was also mixed due to another injury. She beat the world No. 1, Maria Sharapova, at Indian Wells. But a wrist injury kept her out of many tournaments.

Back to the Top 10: 2008 Season Highlights

Vera had a great year in 2008. She reached several finals, including a big one at the Qatar Open. At the Beijing Olympics, she won a bronze medal in singles, which was a huge achievement. This helped her ranking return to world No. 9.

She also helped Russia win the Fed Cup again. Vera finished the year by reaching the final of the WTA Finals, a tournament for the top eight players.

Major Semifinals and Titles: 2009 Season

In 2009, Vera reached her first major singles semifinal at the Australian Open. This pushed her ranking even higher to world No. 5. She won the Pattaya Open in Thailand.

Her biggest win of the year came at the Indian Wells Open, a very important tournament. She won both the singles and doubles titles there. However, another ankle injury forced her to miss the French Open and part of Wimbledon.

Grand Slam Finals and World No. 2: 2010 Season

The year 2010 was a standout for Vera. She successfully defended her title at the Pattaya Open.

She reached her first Grand Slam singles final at Wimbledon. She played against the world No. 1, Serena Williams, but lost. Later that day, she also reached the women's doubles final at Wimbledon.

Vera then reached her second straight Grand Slam final at the US Open. She played against Kim Clijsters but lost again. After the US Open, Vera reached her highest career ranking of world No. 2. She finished the year ranked No. 2 in the world.

Mixed Results and Injuries Continue: 2011–2015

In 2011, Vera started strong by reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open. She also won the Qatar Ladies Open, beating the world No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki, in the final. However, more injuries, including ankle and shoulder problems, affected her performance throughout the year.

The 2012 season saw Vera win her fourth Grand Slam doubles title at the Australian Open with Svetlana Kuznetsova. But she continued to struggle with injuries, including a hip and shoulder injury, which caused her to miss many tournaments. She ended 2012 ranked No. 98.

In 2013, Vera had shoulder surgery and missed the entire season. She tried to make a comeback in 2014 and 2015, but injuries continued to limit her play.

Returning to Tennis: 2017–2020

After a two-year break, Vera returned to tennis in 2017. She won her first smaller ITF title since 2002. She also reached her first WTA Tour semifinal in almost six years at the Tashkent Open.

In 2018, Vera won her first WTA doubles title in six years at the St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy. She also won another doubles title at the Moscow River Cup. She made it back into the main draw of Wimbledon and the US Open.

In 2019, she returned to the top 100 in singles but faced another wrist injury.

In 2020, Vera won her third women's doubles Grand Slam title at the US Open with Laura Siegemund. This was her first major title in eight years.

Continuing Success in Doubles: 2021–Present

In 2021, Vera returned to the top 100 in singles and top 50 in doubles. She continued to play well in doubles.

In 2022, she won two more doubles titles with Laura Siegemund.

In 2023, Vera reached the doubles final at the US Open with Laura Siegemund. She also won two more doubles titles with Siegemund. The pair then won the prestigious WTA Finals doubles title, which is a big achievement for the top doubles teams of the year. She finished 2023 ranked No. 9 in doubles.

Tennis Rivalries

Vera Zvonareva vs. Caroline Wozniacki

Vera Zvonareva and Caroline Wozniacki played each other nine times. Vera won five of these matches, and Caroline won four. They met in three finals, with Caroline winning two of them. They also played in important semifinals, including at the US Open and the 2010 WTA Tour Championships.

Vera Zvonareva vs. Agnieszka Radwańska

Vera also had a rivalry with Polish player Agnieszka Radwańska. Radwańska won four of their six matches. Their matches were often close, with Vera known for her power and Radwańska for her smart play. Their last match in 2011 at the WTA Championships was very exciting, with Radwańska saving three match points to win.

Vera Zvonareva vs. Kim Clijsters

Vera played against Kim Clijsters ten times, with Kim winning seven matches and Vera winning three. Kim won their first five matches. When Kim returned to tennis in 2010, Vera won three matches in a row against her. However, Kim then beat Vera in the US Open final.

Vera Zvonareva vs. Samantha Stosur

Vera has played against Samantha Stosur eleven times. Samantha has won eight of these matches, and Vera has won three. Samantha's playing style, which uses a lot of spin on the ball, has often made it difficult for Vera to play her best.

Personal Life

In 2007, Vera graduated from the Russian State University of Physical Education. She studied to become a physical education teacher. She also studied international economic relations at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow.

Vera got married on August 23, 2016. Her husband is Alexander Kucher. They have a daughter named Evelina, who was born in 2016.

Career Statistics

Performance Timelines

**Key**
W	F	SF	QF	#R	RR	Q#	A	NH

(W) Won; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (A) absent; (NH) not held. SR=strike rate (events won/competed)

To avoid confusion and double counting, these charts are updated at the conclusion of a tournament or when the player's participation has ended.

Singles

Tournament	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	SR	W–L
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open	A	1R	4R	2R	1R	4R	1R	SF	4R	SF	3R	A	1R	2R	A	A	Q1	Q1	A	1R	1R	A	0 / 14	23–14
French Open	4R	QF	3R	3R	1R	A	4R	A	2R	4R	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	1R	Q3	Q3	A	A	0 / 9	18–9
Wimbledon	2R	4R	4R	2R	1R	A	2R	3R	F	3R	3R	A	3R	A	A	A	1R	A	NH	2R	A	Q2	0 / 13	24–13
US Open	3R	3R	4R	A	3R	3R	2R	4R	F	QF	A	A	A	A	A	Q2	2R	A	1R	1R	A	1R	0 / 13	26–13
Win–loss	6–3	9–4	11–4	4–3	2–4	5–2	5–4	10–3	16–4	14–4	4–2	0–0	2–2	1–1	0–0	0–0	1–2	0–1	0–1	1–3	0–1	0–1	0 / 49	91–49
Year-end championships
WTA Finals	DNQ		RR	DNQ			F	RR	SF	SF	DNQ								NH	DNQ			0 / 5	9–10
Career statistics
Titles	0	1	1	1	2	0	2	2	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Career total: 12
Finals	1	1	3	1	3	1	8	2	6	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Career total: 30
Year-end ranking	45	13	11	42	24	23	7	9	2	7	98	N/A	251	182	N/A	204	123	141	163	87	273	256

Doubles

Tournament	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	...	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	SR	W–L
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open	A	1R	SF	QF	3R	A	3R	A	2R	W	A	1R	A		A	1R	A	3R	3R	A	A	1 / 11	22–10
French Open	A	3R	3R	QF	A	2R	A	2R	2R	A	A	A	A		A	2R	2R	1R	A	1R	QF	0 / 11	15–10
Wimbledon	A	2R	QF	2R	A	2R	1R	F	A	A	A	1R	A		2R	A	NH	3R	A	QF	A	0 / 10	17–10
US Open	A	A	A	W	2R	2R	2R	QF	2R	A	A	A	A	A	3R	A	W	A	A	F	A	2 / 9	26–7
Win–loss	0–0	3–3	9–3	13–3	3–2	3–3	3–3	8–3	3–2	6–0	0–0	0–2	0–0		3–2	1–2	7–1	4–3	2–1	9–3	3–1	3 / 41	80–37
Year-end championships
WTA Finals	DNQ				SF	DNQ											NH	DNQ		W	DNQ	1 / 2	4–2
Career statistics
Titles	0	1	1	2	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0		2	1	1	0	2	4	0	Career total: 16
Finals	1	2	3	2	0	1	1	1	0	1	0	0	0		2	1	1	0	2	5	0	Career total: 23
Year-end ranking	73	15	10	18	72	48	58	33	83	33	N/A	345	174		56	71	40	53	31	9

Mixed doubles

Tournament	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2010	2012	2021	2023	2024	SR	W–L	Win %
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open	A	A	QF	QF	1R	A	A	2R	A	A	0 / 4	5–4	56%
French Open	A	A	A	SF	A	A	A	A	1R	1R	0 / 3	3–3	50%
Wimbledon	A	A	A	W	A	2R	2R	2R	A	A	1 / 4	8–2	80%
US Open	1R	W	A	1R	A	A	A	A	1R	A	1 / 4	5–3	63%
Win–loss	0–1	5–0	2–1	10–3	0–1	1–1	1–0	2–2	0–2	0–1	2 / 15	21–12	64%

Grand Slam Tournament Finals

Singles: 2 (2 Runner–ups)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	2010	Wimbledon	Grass	Serena Williams	3–6, 2–6
Loss	2010	US Open	Hard	Kim Clijsters	2–6, 1–6

Women's Doubles: 5 (3 Titles, 2 Runner–ups)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	2006	US Open	Hard	Nathalie Dechy	Dinara Safina Katarina Srebotnik	7–6^(7–5), 7–5
Loss	2010	Wimbledon	Grass	Elena Vesnina	Vania King Yaroslava Shvedova	6–7^(6–8), 2–6
Win	2012	Australian Open	Hard	Svetlana Kuznetsova	Sara Errani Roberta Vinci	5–7, 6–4, 6–3
Win	2020	US Open	Hard	Laura Siegemund	Nicole Melichar Xu Yifan	6–4, 6–4
Loss	2023	US Open	Hard	Laura Siegemund	Gabriela Dabrowski Erin Routliffe	6–7^(9–11), 3–6