Elena Vesnina Played Her Last Match in St. Petersburg
The Olympic champion in Rio de Janeiro in women's doubles, Grand Slam winner, and former world No. 1 in doubles, Elena Vesnina has officially retired from her professional tennis career. To bid farewell, she played a legends’ match on the courts of St. Petersburg, accompanied by Anastasia Myskina, Nikolay Davydenko, and Mansour Bahrami.
In her farewell match, Vesnina, paired with Barami, lost 5-9 (2:6, 3:3), but as Alexander Medvedev, Chairman of the Board of PJSC "FC Zenit," Advisor to the CEO of Gazprom Export LLC, and General Director of the The North Palmyra Trophies tournament, mentioned in his speech on the court: “It’s because Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer asked her to, as they also lost in their final matches.”
Touching video messages with kind words to Elena were recorded by Andrey Rublev, Daniil Medvedev, Maria Sharapova, Sania Mirza, Aryna Sabalenka, Victoria Azarenka, Svetlana Kuznetsova, and many others. The entire stadium in St. Petersburg metaphorically embraced the legendary athlete as she said her goodbyes. Alexander Medvedev presented Vesnina with The North Palmyra Trophies cup, completing her collection of sports awards.
- Can we congratulate you or feel sad with you about the end of your career? What are your plans for the future? Do you have any specific plans?
- Definetly congratulate! I understand that this stage of my life is already behind me. I was ready for this decision. I have many plans and projects. One of the most important is the tennis academy in Sochi. I have long dreamed of opening an academy in my hometown. Where better than in this city to create a base for tournament preparation and training for the seasons? We all know the weather conditions in Sochi. For example, right now it's +18°C, and you can train outdoors. This is important for tennis players, as most tournaments are played outdoors. I’m also working for a tennis channel, both as a commentator and a TV host. My tennis career may be over, but tennis will never leave my life; it will always be with me. Of course, my priority now is my family and my children. I want to give them a lot of attention.
- Would you like to pursue a coaching career? Would you like to train some adult tennis players? Or maybe follow in Anastasia Myskina’s footsteps and join the Russian Tennis Federation, for example?
- I haven’t really thought about it, but I’m quite sure I could help young players or juniors. I’m always open and can offer advice from the outside. Coaching requires a lot of time. And if you want to be a good coach, you have to give yourself completely—from start to finish—to grow a champion from a young child. It takes not just one year, but many, many years. Working with the Federation in this regard could be interesting, but I’m not sure how to bring that idea to life. I hope that the construction of the Sochi Academy will begin soon, and of course, I don’t rule out the possibility that I will also work there and coach, or help the younger generation.
- You must have received many kind words and congratulations. Were any of them particularly memorable? Could you share any?
- Every word, from colleagues, from the girls we competed against on the court, from other players with whom we’ve gone through a long journey in our careers — like Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova, and Svetlana Kuznetsova. I’ve known Svetlana since junior tournaments. She recorded a very warm message for me, reminding me how we started at junior tournaments where the prize for winning was a tea set. Later, we played at bigger tournaments. We had healthy competition. We motivated and pushed each other. Many of the girls will always be an example for me, people I looked up to and relied on. All the words from all the girls we’ve communicated with and played against touched me deeply. It was very pleasant to hear congratulations from Karen Khachanov, Daniil Medvedev, and Andrey Rublev as well. It was so nice to see these congratulations on the screen. I’m very grateful to them for recording these messages, knowing how crazy their schedules are. When I watched it, I was close to tears and barely managed to hold back.
- You’re here with your family. What does the end of your career mean for them? Being used to your mom being an athlete, and now something new is happening...
- First and foremost, for my children, I’m, of course, a mom. My youngest daughter is only 1.5 years old, but my older daughter, Elizaveta, understands that I played tennis. She knows and understands that I’m an Olympic champion, and she tries to tell everyone this at the first opportunity—even in the store. She’s proud of her mom, just like all kids are proud of their parents and are trying to highlight that. But for me, first and foremost, I’m a mom, and I try to make sure that my child is healthy and happy. If she enjoys what I do, maybe she’ll try tennis herself.
- You’ve participated in many Olympic Games. Can you tell us if anything has changed over such a long period of time? Have you had any role in those changes?
- As for Russian tennis, our players have always held the Olympics in special regard. Since the Sydney Olympics, we’ve had at least one medal in every Games. Even though some of our tennis players train or live abroad, the Olympic Games always stand apart. For me, as well. I’ve always dreamed of winning Olympic gold. When I first started in tennis, I didn’t even know the names of the Grand Slam tournaments. But I knew about the Olympic Games and that you could win a gold medal there. That was my dream. Each Olympic Games has left a lasting impression on me, and there’s no need to compare them. But the most special one was the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, because that’s where we won the gold medal. Although the Tokyo Olympics were also memorable. I can also mention the Beijing Olympics, where our girls took the entire podium in women’s singles. For me, that was an incredible boost. Elena Dementieva has always been my role model. I looked up to her and tried to be like her. After the Beijing Olympics, where it was Elena who won, the gold medal became even more desirable to me. It became the dream of my life, and I decided I would definitely achieve it. My attitude toward the Olympics hasn’t changed. Although this year’s Olympic Games in Paris were very ambiguous and challenging, you should have seen how Mirra Andreeva and Diana Schnaider's eyes were sparkling. Despite what was said and written in the press, the girls dreamed of winning a medal. I’ve said many times that the Olympic Games are about sports and people. It’s about competition, about the best athletes. “We are firm believers in sportsmanship!”
- Has the attitude toward the Olympics changed for other athletes?
- It’s different for everyone. There are athletes like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer, for whom the Olympics were something special. The Olympic gold medal was as much of a dream for them as a Grand Slam title. Novak’s victory at the Olympics showed that. For athletes who didn’t particularly dream of winning the Olympics, they could afford to skip the tournament. But those who felt they could win a medal for their country, of course, came. And when you look at the line-ups of athletes from different countries, it seems to me that the attitude has even improved. At the Rio Olympics, everyone was afraid of the Zika virus. We received emails saying it was deadly, but more dangerous for pregnant women. When I saw in the news that Stan Wawrinka withdrew, I thought he overreacted. In different Olympic cycles, athletes reacted differently to various things. In Rio, because of the virus, many were afraid to go. At other Olympics, where tennis was played on grass, it was understandable to see Spanish or Argentine players withdraw, as they didn’t see a chance of winning and stayed to train for upcoming Grand Slam tournaments. But for top athletes, those who set great goals for themselves, they never skip the Olympics.
- At what stage is the academy right now?
- Due to the need to make some changes to the project, the process has been delayed. There are certain nuances that are beyond my control, so the building had to be slightly altered. Our academy will include a hotel and a boarding school. We're thinking all of this through, which also takes some time. But we plan to begin construction at the beginning of next year. Many people are eagerly waiting for the opening and are also concerned. In Sochi, you can play tennis in December. I was preparing for Australia every year at the beginning of December. In Sochi, we also have the opportunity to go up to Krasnaya Polyana in the mountains, where you can do amazing sports and enjoy the fresh mountain air. Sochi is a very advantageous location for opening the academy. There are a lot of tennis enthusiasts in Sochi and the Krasnodar region. There are plans to build gyms, outdoor courts, indoor courts, and padel courts at the academy. This will allow all tennis enthusiasts, and of course, our beloved young athletes and juniors, to train in a fully equipped tennis academy. Russia has always had talented children. I would be very happy if we could gather all the stars and young champions in our academy and help them achieve their best. Help them find their dreams and fulfill them. Sochi is the mecca of champions. Everyone knows that Yevgeny Kafelnikov is from Sochi, Maria Sharapova started her journey in this city, and we had the same coach. There are many children who look up to us and want to be like us. But we lack indoor courts, and there aren't enough outdoor courts. I really want these children to have the opportunity to practice.
- The format of this tournament is new. Can you tell us what it’s like for a professional tennis player to play a time-limited set, like 20 minutes?
- It’s very unusual, but it’s very intense. It’s not common to focus on the time, because we’re used to checking the score, and not the clock. This format is more interesting for the audience and TV because there’s a clear time limit.
In her farewell match, Vesnina, paired with Barami, lost 5-9 (2:6, 3:3), but as Alexander Medvedev, Chairman of the Board of PJSC "FC Zenit," Advisor to the CEO of Gazprom Export LLC, and General Director of the The North Palmyra Trophies tournament, mentioned in his speech on the court: “It’s because Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer asked her to, as they also lost in their final matches.”
Touching video messages with kind words to Elena were recorded by Andrey Rublev, Daniil Medvedev, Maria Sharapova, Sania Mirza, Aryna Sabalenka, Victoria Azarenka, Svetlana Kuznetsova, and many others. The entire stadium in St. Petersburg metaphorically embraced the legendary athlete as she said her goodbyes. Alexander Medvedev presented Vesnina with The North Palmyra Trophies cup, completing her collection of sports awards.
- Can we congratulate you or feel sad with you about the end of your career? What are your plans for the future? Do you have any specific plans?
- Definetly congratulate! I understand that this stage of my life is already behind me. I was ready for this decision. I have many plans and projects. One of the most important is the tennis academy in Sochi. I have long dreamed of opening an academy in my hometown. Where better than in this city to create a base for tournament preparation and training for the seasons? We all know the weather conditions in Sochi. For example, right now it's +18°C, and you can train outdoors. This is important for tennis players, as most tournaments are played outdoors. I’m also working for a tennis channel, both as a commentator and a TV host. My tennis career may be over, but tennis will never leave my life; it will always be with me. Of course, my priority now is my family and my children. I want to give them a lot of attention.
- Would you like to pursue a coaching career? Would you like to train some adult tennis players? Or maybe follow in Anastasia Myskina’s footsteps and join the Russian Tennis Federation, for example?
- I haven’t really thought about it, but I’m quite sure I could help young players or juniors. I’m always open and can offer advice from the outside. Coaching requires a lot of time. And if you want to be a good coach, you have to give yourself completely—from start to finish—to grow a champion from a young child. It takes not just one year, but many, many years. Working with the Federation in this regard could be interesting, but I’m not sure how to bring that idea to life. I hope that the construction of the Sochi Academy will begin soon, and of course, I don’t rule out the possibility that I will also work there and coach, or help the younger generation.
- You must have received many kind words and congratulations. Were any of them particularly memorable? Could you share any?
- Every word, from colleagues, from the girls we competed against on the court, from other players with whom we’ve gone through a long journey in our careers — like Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova, and Svetlana Kuznetsova. I’ve known Svetlana since junior tournaments. She recorded a very warm message for me, reminding me how we started at junior tournaments where the prize for winning was a tea set. Later, we played at bigger tournaments. We had healthy competition. We motivated and pushed each other. Many of the girls will always be an example for me, people I looked up to and relied on. All the words from all the girls we’ve communicated with and played against touched me deeply. It was very pleasant to hear congratulations from Karen Khachanov, Daniil Medvedev, and Andrey Rublev as well. It was so nice to see these congratulations on the screen. I’m very grateful to them for recording these messages, knowing how crazy their schedules are. When I watched it, I was close to tears and barely managed to hold back.
- You’re here with your family. What does the end of your career mean for them? Being used to your mom being an athlete, and now something new is happening...
- First and foremost, for my children, I’m, of course, a mom. My youngest daughter is only 1.5 years old, but my older daughter, Elizaveta, understands that I played tennis. She knows and understands that I’m an Olympic champion, and she tries to tell everyone this at the first opportunity—even in the store. She’s proud of her mom, just like all kids are proud of their parents and are trying to highlight that. But for me, first and foremost, I’m a mom, and I try to make sure that my child is healthy and happy. If she enjoys what I do, maybe she’ll try tennis herself.
- You’ve participated in many Olympic Games. Can you tell us if anything has changed over such a long period of time? Have you had any role in those changes?
- As for Russian tennis, our players have always held the Olympics in special regard. Since the Sydney Olympics, we’ve had at least one medal in every Games. Even though some of our tennis players train or live abroad, the Olympic Games always stand apart. For me, as well. I’ve always dreamed of winning Olympic gold. When I first started in tennis, I didn’t even know the names of the Grand Slam tournaments. But I knew about the Olympic Games and that you could win a gold medal there. That was my dream. Each Olympic Games has left a lasting impression on me, and there’s no need to compare them. But the most special one was the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, because that’s where we won the gold medal. Although the Tokyo Olympics were also memorable. I can also mention the Beijing Olympics, where our girls took the entire podium in women’s singles. For me, that was an incredible boost. Elena Dementieva has always been my role model. I looked up to her and tried to be like her. After the Beijing Olympics, where it was Elena who won, the gold medal became even more desirable to me. It became the dream of my life, and I decided I would definitely achieve it. My attitude toward the Olympics hasn’t changed. Although this year’s Olympic Games in Paris were very ambiguous and challenging, you should have seen how Mirra Andreeva and Diana Schnaider's eyes were sparkling. Despite what was said and written in the press, the girls dreamed of winning a medal. I’ve said many times that the Olympic Games are about sports and people. It’s about competition, about the best athletes. “We are firm believers in sportsmanship!”
- Has the attitude toward the Olympics changed for other athletes?
- It’s different for everyone. There are athletes like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer, for whom the Olympics were something special. The Olympic gold medal was as much of a dream for them as a Grand Slam title. Novak’s victory at the Olympics showed that. For athletes who didn’t particularly dream of winning the Olympics, they could afford to skip the tournament. But those who felt they could win a medal for their country, of course, came. And when you look at the line-ups of athletes from different countries, it seems to me that the attitude has even improved. At the Rio Olympics, everyone was afraid of the Zika virus. We received emails saying it was deadly, but more dangerous for pregnant women. When I saw in the news that Stan Wawrinka withdrew, I thought he overreacted. In different Olympic cycles, athletes reacted differently to various things. In Rio, because of the virus, many were afraid to go. At other Olympics, where tennis was played on grass, it was understandable to see Spanish or Argentine players withdraw, as they didn’t see a chance of winning and stayed to train for upcoming Grand Slam tournaments. But for top athletes, those who set great goals for themselves, they never skip the Olympics.
- At what stage is the academy right now?
- Due to the need to make some changes to the project, the process has been delayed. There are certain nuances that are beyond my control, so the building had to be slightly altered. Our academy will include a hotel and a boarding school. We're thinking all of this through, which also takes some time. But we plan to begin construction at the beginning of next year. Many people are eagerly waiting for the opening and are also concerned. In Sochi, you can play tennis in December. I was preparing for Australia every year at the beginning of December. In Sochi, we also have the opportunity to go up to Krasnaya Polyana in the mountains, where you can do amazing sports and enjoy the fresh mountain air. Sochi is a very advantageous location for opening the academy. There are a lot of tennis enthusiasts in Sochi and the Krasnodar region. There are plans to build gyms, outdoor courts, indoor courts, and padel courts at the academy. This will allow all tennis enthusiasts, and of course, our beloved young athletes and juniors, to train in a fully equipped tennis academy. Russia has always had talented children. I would be very happy if we could gather all the stars and young champions in our academy and help them achieve their best. Help them find their dreams and fulfill them. Sochi is the mecca of champions. Everyone knows that Yevgeny Kafelnikov is from Sochi, Maria Sharapova started her journey in this city, and we had the same coach. There are many children who look up to us and want to be like us. But we lack indoor courts, and there aren't enough outdoor courts. I really want these children to have the opportunity to practice.
- The format of this tournament is new. Can you tell us what it’s like for a professional tennis player to play a time-limited set, like 20 minutes?
- It’s very unusual, but it’s very intense. It’s not common to focus on the time, because we’re used to checking the score, and not the clock. This format is more interesting for the audience and TV because there’s a clear time limit.
