Tennis player Anna Chakvetadze is hoping to move her workplace from the tennis court to Moscow's Red Square as a newly elected Russian politician.
Tennis player Anna Chakvetadze is hoping to move her workplace from the tennis court to Moscow's Red Square as a newly elected Russian politician.
Chakvetadze's last tournament outing was a first-round loss to fellow Russian Maria Sharapova at the Wimbledon Championships in June. An ankle injury ruled her out of September's U.S. Open.
Chakvetadze's last tournament outing was a first-round loss to fellow Russian Maria Sharapova at the Wimbledon Championships in June. An ankle injury ruled her out of September's U.S. Open.
Chakvetadze collapsed during her match against current world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in Dubai in February. After fainting during an event in Stuttgart in April, she missed the French Open.
Chakvetadze collapsed during her match against current world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in Dubai in February. After fainting during an event in Stuttgart in April, she missed the French Open.
Chakvetadze climbed to a career-high fifth in the world rankings in 2007 after reaching the U.S. Open semifinals, where she lost to compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Chakvetadze climbed to a career-high fifth in the world rankings in 2007 after reaching the U.S. Open semifinals, where she lost to compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Chakvetadze launched herself onto the senior circuit as a 17-year-old in 2004 when she upset world No. 3 Anastasia Myskina, another Russian, in the second round at the U.S. Open.
Chakvetadze launched herself onto the senior circuit as a 17-year-old in 2004 when she upset world No. 3 Anastasia Myskina, another Russian, in the second round at the U.S. Open.
She won her second of eight WTA Tour titles on home soil at the Kremlin Cup, beating compatriot Nadia Petrova in the final. Moscow's longtime mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who presided from 1992-2010, helped them celebrate.
She won her second of eight WTA Tour titles on home soil at the Kremlin Cup, beating compatriot Nadia Petrova in the final. Moscow's longtime mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who presided from 1992-2010, helped them celebrate.
From left: Elena Vesnina, Petrova, Chakvetadze and Kuznetsova helped Russia win the Fed Cup team event for the third time in 2007, beating Italy 4-0 in the final in Moscow. Russia also won the 2008 final, this time without Chakvetadze.
From left: Elena Vesnina, Petrova, Chakvetadze and Kuznetsova helped Russia win the Fed Cup team event for the third time in 2007, beating Italy 4-0 in the final in Moscow. Russia also won the 2008 final, this time without Chakvetadze.
Chakvetadze is running for Russian parliament with the Right Cause party. Billionaire oligarch Mikhail Prokhorov stood down after a short stint as leader in September, accusing it of being a "puppet party" of the Kremlin.
Chakvetadze is running for Russian parliament with the Right Cause party. Billionaire oligarch Mikhail Prokhorov stood down after a short stint as leader in September, accusing it of being a "puppet party" of the Kremlin.
Russia's prime minister Vladimir Putin, right, has announced his intention to seek a return to the role held by his successor as president, Dmitry Medvedev, left.
Russia's prime minister Vladimir Putin, right, has announced his intention to seek a return to the role held by his successor as president, Dmitry Medvedev, left.
Chakvetadze's move from tennis into politics is not the first time the two worlds have mixed. Former Russian president Boris Yeltsin shows off his skills at the net in a match in 1991.
Chakvetadze's move from tennis into politics is not the first time the two worlds have mixed. Former Russian president Boris Yeltsin shows off his skills at the net in a match in 1991.