Svetlana Kuznetsova

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Svetlana Kuznetsova
Country Flag of Russia Russia
Residence St. Petersburg, Russia
Date of birth June 27, 1985
Place of birth St. Petersburg, Russia
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 8½ in)
Weight 73 kg (161 lb)
Turned Pro 2000
Plays Right; Two-handed backhand
Career Prize Money US$5,469,049
Singles
Career record: 220-94
Career titles: 8
Highest ranking: 4 (October 18, 2004)
Grand Slam results
Australian Open QF (2005)
French Open F (2006)
Wimbledon QF (2003, 2005)
U.S. Open W (2004)
Doubles
Career record: 157-56
Career titles: 12
Highest ranking: 3 (June 7, 2004)

Infobox last updated on: June 12, 2006.

Svetlana Aleksandrovna Kuznetsova (svit-LAH-nah kooz-nit-SO-vuh; Russian: Светлана Александровна Кузнецова (listen ); born June 27, 1985) is a Russian professional tennis player.

Kuznetsova was born in Leningrad, Russia (now St. Petersburg, Russia). Her father Alexandr Kuznetsov has coached five Olympic and world cycling champions. Her father's protégés include her mother, Galina Tsareva, a six-time world champion and holder of 20 world records, and Svetlana’s brother, Nikolai Kuznetsov, a silver medalist at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Kuznetsova also tried out cycling in her early years, but it bored her. She focused on tennis instead and was sent to Spain when she was 15 years old for better training and coaching.

Kuznetsova is a very good mover on court and plays mainly from the baseline. Her strongest shot is her heavy forehand.

Kuznetsova won her only Grand Slam singles title at the 2004 U.S. Open, where she defeated countrywoman Elena Dementieva in straight sets in an all-Russian final (the second in history after the Anastasia Myskina-Dementieva final at the French Open of the same year).

Kuznetsova is a frequent doubles player and has been ranked as high as third in the world (January 2005). Kuznetsova teamed with Australia's Alicia Molik to win the 2005 Australian Open, defeating Americans Lindsay Davenport and Corina Morariu in the final. Kuznetsova has reached five other Grand Slam doubles finals, with Martina Navratilova, Elena Likhovtseva, and Amélie Mauresmo as her partners.

A year after winning the 2004 U.S. Open, Kuznetsova became the first female defending champion during the open era to lose in the first round. She lost to Ekaterina Bychkova.

After an 18-month title drought, Kuznetsova won the Tier I Tournament in Miami on April 1, 2006, beating Maria Sharapova 6-4, 6-3. At the French Open, Kuznetsova defeated 17 year old Czech Nicole Vaidisova in a semifinal 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-2 but lost in the final to Justine Henin-Hardenne 6-4, 6-4.

Kuznetsova survived a first round match against Czech Kveta Peschke at Wimbledon in 2006, but lost in the third round to Na Li.

After a month lay off because of an abdominal injury, Kuznetsova returned to the tour at the Tier I event in Montreal. She lost a close two set match to Martina Hingis in a quarterfinal. At her next tournament in New Haven, Connecticut, Kuznetsova lost in a semifinal to eventual champion Henin-Hardenne.

At the 2006 U.S. Open, Kuznetsova reached the fourth round where she lost to Jelena Jankovic.

Since then, Kuznetsova has won titles at the Tier III event in Bali, beating Marion Bartoli in the final, and the Tier II China Open in Beijing, defeating Mauresmo in the final.

Contents

[edit] Grand Slam finals

[edit] Singles

[edit] Wins (1)

Year Championship Opponent in Final Score in Final
2004 U.S. Open Russia Elena Dementieva 6-3, 7-5

[edit] Runner-ups (1)

Year Championship Opponent in Final Score in Final
2006 French Open Belgium Justine Henin-Hardenne 6-4, 6-4

[edit] Women's doubles

[edit] Wins (1)

2005: Australian Open (with Alicia Molik)

[edit] Runner-ups (5)

2003: U.S. Open (with Martina Navratilova)

2004: Australian Open, French Open, U.S. Open (with Elena Likhovtseva)

2005: Wimbledon (with Amelie Mauresmo)

[edit] Other finals

[edit] Singles wins (7)

Legend (Singles)
Tour Championships (0)
Tier I Event (1)
WTA Tour (6)
No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent in the final Score
1. 8 May 2002 Helsinki, Finland Clay Czech RepublicDenisa Chladkova (Czech Republic) 0-6, 6-3, 7-6
2. 23 September 2002 Bali, Indonesia Hard SpainConchita Martinez (Spain) 3-6, 7-6, 7-5
3. 14 June 2004 Eastbourne, United Kingdom Grass SlovakiaDaniela Hantuchová (Slovakia) 2-6, 7-6, 6-4
4. 13 September 2004 Bali, Indonesia Hard GermanyMarlene Weingartner (Germany) 6-1, 6-4
5. 1 April 2006 Miami, United States Hard RussiaMaria Sharapova (Russia) 6-4, 6-3
6. 11 September 2006 Bali, Indonesia Hard FranceMarion Bartoli (France) 7-5, 6-2
7. 24 September 2006 Beijing, China Hard FranceAmélie Mauresmo (France) 6-4, 6-0

[edit] Singles runner-ups (6)

  1. 2004: Dubai (lost to Justine Henin-Hardenne)
  2. 2004: Doha (lost to Anastasia Myskina)
  3. 2004: Warsaw (lost to Venus Williams)
  4. 2004: Beijing (lost to Serena Williams)
  5. 2005: Warsaw (lost to Justine Henin-Hardenne)
  6. 2006: Warsaw (lost to Kim Clijsters)

[edit] Doubles wins (12)

  1. 2002: Sopot (with Arantxa Sánchez Vicario)
  2. 2002: Helsinki (with Arantxa Sánchez Vicario)
  3. 2002: Tokyo [Princess Cup] (with Arantxa Sánchez Vicario)
  4. 2003: Gold Coast (with Martina Navratilova)
  5. 2003: Dubai (with Martina Navratilova)
  6. 2003: Rome (with Martina Navratilova)
  7. 2003: Toronto (with Martina Navratilova)
  8. 2003: Leipzig (with Martina Navratilova)
  9. 2004: Gold Coast (with Elena Likhovtseva)
  10. 2004: Doha (with Elena Likhovtseva)
  11. 2005: Miami (with Alicia Molik)
  12. 2006: Eastbourne (with Amelie Mauresmo)

[edit] Doubles runner-ups (0)

[edit] Singles performance timeline

Tournament 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Career SR Career Win-Loss
Australian Open 2R 1R 3R QF 4R 0 / 5 10-5
French Open A 1R 4R 4R F 0 / 4 12-4
Wimbledon A QF 1R QF 3R 0 / 4 10-4
U.S. Open 3R 3R W 1R 4R 1 / 5 14-4
Grand Slam SR 0 / 2 0 / 4 1 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 0 1 / 18 N/A
Grand Slam Win-Loss 3-2 6-4 12-3 11-4 14-4 0-0 N/A 46-17
WTA Tour Championships A A RR A RR 0 / 2 2-4

A = did not participate in the tournament.

SR = the ratio of the number of singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


Women's Tennis Association | Top ten female tennis players as of November 20, 2006
1. Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) | 2. Maria Sharapova (Russia) | 3. Amélie Mauresmo (France) | 4. Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) | 5. Kim Clijsters (Belgium) | 6. Nadia Petrova (Russia) | 7. Martina Hingis (Switzerland) | 8. Elena Dementieva (Russia) | 9. Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) | 10. Nicole Vaidisova (Czech Republic)