Yaroslava Shvedova facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Yaroslava Shvedova

Shvedova at the 2016 US Open
Country (sports)	Russia (2002–2008)  Kazakhstan (2008–2021)
Residence	Astana, Kazakhstan
Born	(1987-09-12) 12 September 1987 (age 37) Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Turned pro	September 2005
Retired	1 October 2021
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	US$ 6,717,223
Singles
Career record	357–278 (56.22%)
Career titles	1
Highest ranking	No. 25 (29 October 2012)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	3R (2015)
French Open	QF (2010, 2012)
Wimbledon	QF (2016)
US Open	4R (2016)
Other tournaments
Olympic Games	1R (2021)
Doubles
Career record	286–187 (60.47%)
Career titles	13
Highest ranking	No. 3 (22 February 2016)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	QF (2012)
French Open	F (2015)
Wimbledon	W (2010)
US Open	W (2010)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open	SF (2013)
French Open	F (2010)
Wimbledon	SF (2016)
US Open	QF (2015, 2016, 2021)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	25–18
Medal record Women's tennis Representing  Kazakhstan Asian Games Bronze 2014 Incheon Team event

Yaroslava Shvedova (born September 12, 1987) is a former professional tennis player from Kazakhstan. Before 2008, she played for her birth country, Russia.

She won one singles title and 13 doubles titles on the WTA Tour. She also won one singles and one doubles title at WTA 125 tournaments, plus four singles and three doubles titles on the ITF Circuit. Shvedova reached her highest singles ranking of world No. 25 in October 2012. In doubles, she reached No. 3 in the world in February 2016.

Shvedova reached the quarterfinals in singles at three major tournaments: the French Open in 2010 and 2012, and Wimbledon in 2016. She won two Grand Slam women's doubles titles in 2010, both with her American partner Vania King. These wins were at the Wimbledon Championships and the US Open. Shvedova is also one of only seven players to achieve a "golden set" in the Open era. A golden set means winning every single point in a set. She did this at Wimbledon in 2012 against Sara Errani, which was the only time a golden set happened in a Grand Slam.

Early Career Highlights

Starting Strong: 2006–2008

In February 2007, Yaroslava Shvedova reached the final of the Bangalore Open. She beat the second-seeded player, Sania Mirza, in the quarterfinals. In the final, she won her first WTA Tour title by defeating the top-seeded champion, Mara Santangelo. This victory helped her enter the top 100 players for the first time, reaching No. 78.

At the 2007 Miami Open, she won her qualifying matches. She then achieved her first win against a top 20 player, beating future world No. 1, Ana Ivanovic. She won that match in two sets.

In August 2008, she won an ITF Circuit title in Monterrey, Mexico. She beat Magdaléna Rybáriková in the final. Soon after, she qualified for the US Open main draw.

Grand Slam Progress: 2009

Shvedova after her match against Maria Sharapova at the 2009 French Open

In 2009, Shvedova qualified for the main tournament at the French Open. She won several matches to reach the third round. There, she played a close three-set match against former world No. 1, Maria Sharapova.

At the US Open, Shvedova achieved a big win. She defeated then-world No. 5, Jelena Janković, in three sets. She even saved two match points in that exciting game.

Major Achievements

Doubles Success and Singles Quarterfinals: 2010

Shvedova had a great year in 2010. At the Miami Open, she reached the fourth round. She also made it to the semifinals of the Barcelona Open.

Her best singles result came at the 2010 French Open. She reached the quarterfinals, beating eighth seed Agnieszka Radwańska along the way. She was the last unseeded player left in the tournament. In mixed doubles, she reached the final with her partner Julian Knowle.

At the Wimbledon Championships, Shvedova and her partner Vania King were unseeded. They had only started playing together a few weeks before. In a surprising series of wins, they won the tournament. They beat strong teams, including the sisters Serena Williams and Venus Williams in the quarterfinals.

Shvedova and King continued their winning streak at the US Open. As the sixth-seeded team, they reached their second major final in a row. They won the title in three sets, in a match that took two days to finish because of rain.

Injury Challenges and Comeback: 2011–2012

Shvedova faced injuries in 2011. She had a right knee injury that made her miss the Australian Open. She also had a left thigh muscle strain later in the year. Despite these challenges, she and Sania Mirza won the doubles title at the Washington Open. She ended 2011 ranked No. 206 in singles, her lowest since 2005.

Shvedova at the 2012 Wimbledon Championships

In 2012, Shvedova started to recover her form. She reached the quarterfinals at the Copa Colsanitas. She also won a $25,000 event in Poza Rica, Mexico.

At the 2012 French Open, she qualified for the main draw and had an amazing run. She upset seventh seed and defending champion Li Na in the fourth round. This was her biggest singles win ever. She reached her second French Open quarterfinal, which boosted her ranking from 142 to 62.

At the Wimbledon Championships, Shvedova received a special entry into the main tournament. In the third round, she played against tenth seed Sara Errani. Shvedova made history by winning the first set 6–0 without losing a single point. This is called a "Golden Set." She won the match in straight sets, reaching the second week of Wimbledon for the first time. She was then defeated by the eventual champion, Serena Williams.

Shvedova ended 2012 ranked No. 29 in singles and No. 26 in doubles.

Continued Doubles Success: 2013–2015

In 2013, Shvedova and her partner Anabel Medina Garrigues won the doubles title at the Brasil Tennis Cup. She also won another doubles title with Tímea Babos at the Tashkent Open. She reached the third round of the US Open, where she lost to world No. 1 Serena Williams.

In 2014, Shvedova and Medina Garrigues won two more doubles titles: at the Brasil Tennis Cup and the Charleston Open. She also reached the fourth round of Wimbledon.

Shvedova at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships

In 2015, Shvedova reached her first singles final since 2007 at the Copa Colsanitas. In doubles, she and Casey Dellacqua won the title at the Madrid Open. They also reached the finals of the French Open and the US Open. Shvedova won her first WTA 125 title in singles at the Hua Hin Championships.

Wimbledon Quarterfinal and Retirement: 2016–2021

Shvedova at the 2016 French Open

In 2016, Shvedova had another strong year. She and Oksana Kalashnikova won the doubles title at the Rosmalen Open. At the Wimbledon Championships, she reached the singles quarterfinals for the first time in her career. She beat several tough opponents before losing to five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams. In doubles, she and Tímea Babos reached the final, but lost to the Williams sisters.

Shvedova also reached the fourth round of the US Open in singles. She continued to perform well in doubles, reaching the quarterfinals at the China Open.

In 2017, Shvedova faced more injury challenges. She had ankle surgery and missed the rest of the season. This caused her ranking to drop significantly.

After her surgery and becoming a mother to twins in October 2018, Shvedova made a comeback in 2020. She played her first singles match since 2017 at the Doha tournament.

In 2021, Shvedova played in the Summer Olympics. She retired from her first-round match due to heat illness. On October 1, 2021, Yaroslava Shvedova officially announced her retirement from tennis at the Astana Open.

Playing Style

Yaroslava Shvedova was known for her powerful serve and strong groundstrokes. She was also very good at playing close to the net. Her favorite serve was a flat serve hit down the middle of the court. One area she sometimes struggled with was being consistent with her forehand shots.

Personal Life

Yaroslava Shvedova's father, Vyacheslav, is Russian. Her mother, Nurzia, is Bashkir and was a professional runner. Nurzia won the International Association of Ultra Runners 100 km World Championships in 1992. Yaroslava has one brother. She started playing tennis at age 8, introduced to the sport by her father. In 2008, she changed her nationality from Russian to Kazakhstani. This was part of Kazakhstan's effort to improve its sports presence. In October 2018, Shvedova gave birth to twins.

Images for kids

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  Shvedova at the 2011 Washington Open

See also

In Spanish: Yaroslava Shvédova para niños