Tennis at the Height of 365 Meters
Diana Shnaider, Anastasia Potapova, Yulia Putintseva, Viktoriya Tomova, and Mikhail Youzhny visited the observation deck of the Lakhta Center.
The organizers of the North Palmyra Trophies tournament always prepare a rich cultural program for the athletes and their guests, so tennis players, already in love with St. Petersburg, can learn more about the city and immerse themselves in its atmosphere.
This year, at the invitation of Alexander Medvedev, Chairman of the Board of PJSC «FC Zenit», Advisor to the CEO of Gazprom Export LLC, and General Director of the tournament, the players were among the first to visit the stunning architectural masterpiece — the multifunctional complex «Lakhta Centre» on the shores of the Gulf of Finland. This building being the tallest in Europe has long become a prominent feature of the Northern capital, shaping the modern landscape of St. Petersburg and offering picturesque views of the city's sports heart (a beautiful panorama of the «Gazprom Arena» stadium) and the water expanses.
As the players made their way to Lakhta, the city was shrouded in a misty fog, and it seemed like all they would see from the observation deck were clouds. But, as always, St. Petersburg showed its warm hospitality— the clouds parted, and the city revealed itself. "Oh, I see a little bird," said Diana Schneider, the silver medalist of the Paris Olympic Games, as she looked through binoculars at the observation deck.
Lakhta is a special place for tennis, historically, too, as it is here that the first tennis club in Russia was founded in 1888. Therefore, it would have been a missed opportunity not to play tennis at a height of 365 meters with such a scenic view.
Mikhail Youzhny, former world No. 8 and 19-time ATP tournament winner in singles and doubles, and the captain of the Lions team at the third International Team Tennis Tournament North Palmyra Trophies, tried out the observation deck for tennis. As he admitted himself: "Yes, this is probably the highest point I have ever played tennis at."
All the athletes were in great spirits, discussing everyday matters, joking around, and looking for familiar city landmarks from the observation deck: St. Isaac's Cathedral, the spire of the Peter and Paul Fortress. The Gulf of Finland, especially, was magnificent, fading into the sky with a gradient. The panorama was spectacular indeed. At the end of the tour, Mikhail Youzhny jokingly asked: "So, on which floor will the tennis tournament organizers’ office be?"
Everyone enjoyed the experience so much that they didn’t want to leave.
The organizers of the North Palmyra Trophies tournament always prepare a rich cultural program for the athletes and their guests, so tennis players, already in love with St. Petersburg, can learn more about the city and immerse themselves in its atmosphere.
This year, at the invitation of Alexander Medvedev, Chairman of the Board of PJSC «FC Zenit», Advisor to the CEO of Gazprom Export LLC, and General Director of the tournament, the players were among the first to visit the stunning architectural masterpiece — the multifunctional complex «Lakhta Centre» on the shores of the Gulf of Finland. This building being the tallest in Europe has long become a prominent feature of the Northern capital, shaping the modern landscape of St. Petersburg and offering picturesque views of the city's sports heart (a beautiful panorama of the «Gazprom Arena» stadium) and the water expanses.
As the players made their way to Lakhta, the city was shrouded in a misty fog, and it seemed like all they would see from the observation deck were clouds. But, as always, St. Petersburg showed its warm hospitality— the clouds parted, and the city revealed itself. "Oh, I see a little bird," said Diana Schneider, the silver medalist of the Paris Olympic Games, as she looked through binoculars at the observation deck.
Lakhta is a special place for tennis, historically, too, as it is here that the first tennis club in Russia was founded in 1888. Therefore, it would have been a missed opportunity not to play tennis at a height of 365 meters with such a scenic view.
Mikhail Youzhny, former world No. 8 and 19-time ATP tournament winner in singles and doubles, and the captain of the Lions team at the third International Team Tennis Tournament North Palmyra Trophies, tried out the observation deck for tennis. As he admitted himself: "Yes, this is probably the highest point I have ever played tennis at."
All the athletes were in great spirits, discussing everyday matters, joking around, and looking for familiar city landmarks from the observation deck: St. Isaac's Cathedral, the spire of the Peter and Paul Fortress. The Gulf of Finland, especially, was magnificent, fading into the sky with a gradient. The panorama was spectacular indeed. At the end of the tour, Mikhail Youzhny jokingly asked: "So, on which floor will the tennis tournament organizers’ office be?"
Everyone enjoyed the experience so much that they didn’t want to leave.
