Player of the week: Elena Vesnina

22 years old Russian Elena Vesnina enjoyed in Auckland the best WTA tournament in her career, reaching a WTA final for the first time. Vesnina, who is a solid doubles player and the only constant member of the Russian Fed Cup team in the last two years, is still looking for her breakthrough in singles, where she has finished in the Top-80 the last three years, but unable to break into the Top-40.


Vesnina started the tournament in the best possible way, trashing Japanese Aiko Nakamura by 6/1 6/0. In the 2nd round she upsetted 6th seed and former Top-10 Nicole Vaidisova in straight sets, which gave her confidence to face her major challenge in the quarters, 2nd seed and WTA #12 Caroline Wozniacki, one of the most solid players last season. Vesnina took the first set 6/3 but was swept in the second by Wozniacki 6/0. But she didn't lose her head and fight back to take the third by 6/3. After this great victory, Vesnina felt the pressure of facing a theorically easier match against unseeded Anne Keothavong for a place in the final. Keothavong took the first set, but Vesnina came back to win the match in the third and book her place in the final. There, Vesnina could do nothing against country mate and WTA #4 Elena Dementieva, who defeated her by 6/4 6/1. With this runner-up place, Vesnina climbs 13 places in WTA rankings to #63.

Elena Vesnina is also well-known among fans for being one of the sexiest and most fashionable players on the WTA Tour. You can look at her photo gallery here