Russian Tennis Federation

Russian Tennis Federation
Sport Tennis
Jurisdiction National
Abbreviation (RTF)
Founded 15 April 2002 (2002-04-15)[1]
Affiliation International Tennis Federation
Regional affiliation Tennis Europe
Headquarters Luznetskaya Naberezhnaya, Moscow
President Shamil Tarpishchev
Replaced All-Russia Tennis Association
(founded) 1989
Official website
www.tennis-russia.ru
Russia

Russian Tennis Federation (Russian: Федерация тенниса России) is a national governing body of tennis in Russia. It is the successor of the All-Russia Tennis Association (1989–2001) and the Tennis Federation of the USSR (1959–93). After the dissolution of All-Russia Tennis Association in 2001, it was organized and registered as supreme governing body of tennis sport in Russia in 2002.[2]

Tennis in Russia

Despite his Scottish surname and ancestry, Arthur Davidovich McPherson (1870–1919) was a native of Petersburg and lived his entire life in Russia. He was the founder and president of the first All-Russian Union of Lawn Tennis Clubs, the forerunner of today's Russian Tennis Federation, and also helped establish the country's first Olympic Committee.

In 1903 he organized the first St. Petersburg tennis championship, and four years later he set up the first national tournament. By 1913 the Russian championship was on the international tour and the game was thriving.

Since the end of the Soviet era tennis has grown in popularity and Russia has produced a number of famous tennis players. In recent years, the number of top Russian women players has been considerable, with both Maria Sharapova and Dinara Safina reaching number one in the WTA rankings. Other Russian women to achieve international success include Anna Chakvetadze, Elena Dementieva, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Anastasia Myskina, Nadia Petrova, Vera Zvonareva and Anna Kournikova. The Russian Federation has won the Fed Cup 4 times, in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Russia swept the women's tennis podium with Elena Dementieva winning the gold, Dinara Safina and Vera Zvonareva the silver and bronze, respectively. As of 5 October 2009, four Russian women were ranked in the WTA tour's top 10.

Russia also boasts two former number 1 men's players—Safina's older brother Marat Safin and Yevgeny Kafelnikov. Russian men currently in the top 50 include Nikolay Davydenko and Mikhail Youzhny.[3] The Russian men won the Davis Cup in 2002 and 2006.

Accolades

The association has been praised worldwide for of the development of tennis in Russia which resulted top class tennis players, specially women players. According to latest WTA rankings; 10 Russian women are in top 50 players of the world.[4]

The association has been honored with the highest award of the European association of Tennis "Tennis Europe" – European Tennis Trophy, five consecutively years from 2005 to 2009 on the set of victories in the professional, junior, veteran tennis and wheelchair tennis. Similarly Russia is recognized as the best tennis power in Europe and in certain categories by full twelve times.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Charter". Retrieved 2011-02-08.
  2. ↑ "Russian Tennis Federation". Retrieved 2011-02-08.
  3. ↑ "ATP Singles Rankings". Retrieved 2011-02-08.
  4. ↑ "WTA Singles Rankings". Retrieved 2011-02-08.
  5. ↑ "European Tennis Trophy Winners 1991–2010". Retrieved 2011-02-08.
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