Feature Article

Anna Chakvetadze Joins Field for Charleston’s Family Circle Cup

Posted by Aaress Lawless on Jan 21, 2008 | Print | Email | Bookmark | Free Subscription

The stellar player field in Charleston continues to strengthen as the Family Circle Cup’s 35th anniversary celebration draws near.

World No. 6 Anna Chakvetadze has officially entered the tournament where she will make her Charleston debut and join four other Top 10 players to headline the 2008 event.

The Family Circle Cup player field also includes World No. 1 Justine Henin, World No. 4 and defending Family Circle Cup Champion Jelena Jankovic, World No. 7 Serena Williams, and World No. 8 Venus Williams as it celebrates its 35th anniversary April 12th - 20th at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, South Carolina.

“The Family Circle Cup has always been about showcasing the best in women’s tennis and over the years so many of the sport’s brightest stars have made their mark here at this event,” commented Robin Reynolds, Family Circle Cup Tournament Director.

“Women’s professional tennis is fortunate right now to have such a talented roster of up and coming players. Anna is certainly at the top of that list and I know our fans will enjoy watching her this spring when she competes in the Family Circle Cup for the first time.”

Over a brief four-year period since her Sony Ericsson WTA Tour debut in October of 2003, 20-year-old Russian phenom Anna Chakvetadze has rapidly improved her ranking. Consistent results launched her into the Top 100 in 2004, Top 50 in 2005, and the Top 20 in 2006 where she notched the first two victories of her career with titles at Guangzhou and a Tier I victory at Moscow.

Chakvetadze enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2007 reaching her first Grand Slam semifinal at the US Open and adding four singles titles to her career accolades including Hobart, ’s-Hertogenbosch, Stanford, and Cincinnati en route to a career-high ranking of No. 5 in September, and her first appearance at the WTA Tour Championships.

With nearly $2.4 million in career earnings, and just under 200 singles wins to her credit, Anna Chakvetadze is a promising young star with a very bright future.

The 2008 Family Circle Cup will be held April 12th - 20th at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, South Carolina. For more information on the Family Circle Cup, visit www.familycirclecup.com.