4 - FIFA/CIES International University Network

SONY ERICSSON WTA TOUR
UP anD coming
Agnieszka Radwanska
Agnieszka Radwanska is Poland’s top female tennis
player. Born in Krakow in 1989, she is coached by her
father and turned professional in 2005 - the same
year she won the Junior Wimbledon title. In 2007,
she received the Tour Newcomer of the Year Award.
Agnieszka began playing at age four when her father,
Victoria Azarenka
Victoria Azarenka, 21-years-old, is destined for great
things. Born in Belarus, she trains in Scottsdale,
Arizona, with coach Sam Sumyk. Victoria started
playing aged seven and turned professional at 14.
Now ranked 18, she showed great promise as a
youngster - winning Junior Grand Slam singles
a club pro in Germany, introduced her to the sport.
She is a baseliner whose favourite shot is the
forehand and favourite surface is clay. She has won
four singles titles - most recently in 2008 (Pattaya
City, Istanbul, Eastbourne) - and one doubles title.
Consistent performances have kept her ranking high.
titles at the 2005 Australian Open and 2005 US Open.
In terms of the WTA, 2009 was an exceptional year -
with Tour title wins in Brisbane, Memphis
and Miami propelling her to a top 10 ranking finish.
In Memphis, she also won the Doubles title with
Danish player Caroline Wozniacki.
Yanina Wickmayer
Belgian star Yanina Wickmayer is 21-years-old. She is
coached by father, Marc, and does off-court training
with Marc Frey. She trains at Mouratoglou Academy
in Paris. Yanina started playing tennis at the age of
nine and cites Kim Clijsters as the person she most
admires. Ranked 17th, she turned professional in 2004
and was last year named the WTA’s Most Improved
Player - the result of winning two singles titles and
reaching the semi-final of the US Open. Her good
form continued with a title in January 2010 - this time
in Auckland. Success on the court has won Yanina a
sponsorship deal with with Belgian telco Telenet.
Andrea Petkovic
Brought up in Germany, 23-year-old Andrea Petkovic
was born in Bosnia in 1987. She turned professional
in 2006, played Roland Garros in 2007 and is now a
top 40-ranked player. A baseliner who prefers clay,
Andrea started playing at the age of six. Today she is
coached by Glen Schaap. At the Australian Open in
Alexandra Dulgheru
Romanian star Alexandra Dulgheru was born in 1989
and introduced to tennis by her parents at the tender
age of four. Having turned professional in 2005, she
won two WTA titles at her favourite tournament,
Warsaw, in 2009 and 2010. Ranked 28, Alexandra is a
baseliner whose favourite shot is a high backhand.
2008, she suffered a cruciate ligament rupture which
kept her out for eight months. But 2009 saw Andrea
bounce back with a WTA win in Bad Gastein, Austria, a
result which propelled her up the rankings. Her most
admired people are Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and
Argentinean revolutionary Che Guevara.
There is also more to Alexandra than tennis ability.
After her professional sport, she would like to be
a designer or architect. Romania is very proud
of Alexandra’s achievements and has given her
numerous awards - including one from Romanian
Tennis Federation president Ruxandra Dragomir.
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