The reigning champion on the WTA Finals in doubles Vera Zvonareva will come to St. Petersburg. She will replace the Italian Jasmine Paolini who was injured prior the event. The Russian will bump the team Lions led by Svetlana Kuznetsova and Janko Tipsarevic up.

Vera is the two-time semifinalist of St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy (2019 and 2021) in singles and the doubles champion of 2018. That year together with the Swiss Timea Bascinszky they beat Alla Kudryavtseva (Russia)/Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) vying for the title– 2/6, 6/1, 10-3.

This season Zvonareva came back to her best career position in the world’s doubles ranking (№9) by winning 5 titles and playing US Open final.