Varvara Lepchenko

Varvara Lepchenko

Full name Varvara Lepchenko
Country (sports)  Uzbekistan (2001–2006)
 United States (2007–present)
Residence Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States
Born (1986-05-21) May 21, 1986
Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Turned pro 2001
Plays Left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money US$ 3,348,124
Singles
Career record 435–317 (57.85%)
Career titles 0 WTA, 11 ITF
Highest ranking No. 19 (1 October 2012)
Current ranking No. 51 ( 29 February 2016)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open 3R (2015, 2016)
French Open 4R (2012)
Wimbledon 3R (2012)
US Open 4R (2015)
Doubles
Career record 102–131
Career titles 0 WTA, 1 ITF
Highest ranking No. 40 (17 June 2013)
Current ranking No. 234 (8 February 2016)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian Open SF (2013)
French Open QF (2013)
Wimbledon 2R (2012, 2013)
US Open 2R (2013)
Last updated on: 8 February 2016.

Varvara Lepchenko (ukr. Варвара Петрiвна Лепченко); born May 21, 1986, Tashkent, Uzbekistan) is an American professional tennis player of Ukrainian descent. As of February 29, 2016, she is ranked No. 51 in the world.[1] She has won eleven ITF singles titles during her career.[2]

Early life and junior career

Lepchenko was born into a Ukrainian family residing in Tashkent in 1986 and started playing tennis at age seven; her father Petr became her coach.[3] She reached a junior career high of no. 244 on January 5, 2004.[4] She turned pro in 2001.[3]

Professional career

2006–2011

In 2006, she reached the second round of the US Open, and later that year she reached her career high of no. 84 on October 2, 2006.[2] She has won eleven ITF titles in her career, all in the United States. Her most recent title came in 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri.[2]

In the 2009 MPS Group Championships, as a lucky loser, she upset the 4th seed Patty Schnyder in the first round.[5] She also reached the final of an ITF tournament in Cuneo this year.[5]

Lepchenko reached the second rounds of the French Open and Wimbledon in 2010. She lost to Dominika Cibulková and Alona Bondarenko respectively. In 2011, Lepchenko recorded the biggest win of her career by defeating 18th seed Flavia Pennetta in the first round of the French Open.

2012

Lepchenko serving at the 2012 Australian Open

Varvara started the year failing to qualify at Auckland and Sydney. She lost in the first round of the 2012 Australian Open to 20th seed Daniela Hantuchová 6–4, 3–6, 2–6. At the Qatar Total Open, Lepchenko advanced to the 3rd round where she lost to World Number 6 Agnieszka Radwańska 7–5, 6–1, after holding set points in the first set. Her next tournament was the Memphis International where she made the quarterfinals and lost to Italian Alberta Brianti 7–5, 6–3. After qualifying for the main draw at the Mutua Madrid Open she beat 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone in three sets 6–4, 6–7, 6–3 in the first round. She then defeated Shahar Pe'er 7–6, 6–4 and Anabel Medina 6–1, 6–7, 6–3. Lepchenko's run was ended by Agnieszka Radwańska 6–4, 6–4. After the tournament she rose to a career high number 59.

French Open breakthrough: Varvara started her 2012 French Open with a 6–2, 6–7, 6–4 win over the also unseeded Ksenia Pervak. In round 2 she upset 19 seed and former world number one Jelena Janković 7–6, 4–6, 6–4. In round 3 she defeated 14th seed 2010 French Open champion and defending finalist Francesca Schiavone 3–6, 6–3, 8–6. In round 4, she lost to 4th seed and 2011 Wimbledon Champion Petra Kvitová, 6–2, 6–1, however it was a breakthrough tournament for Lepchenko as she had never advanced further than the 2nd round of a Grand Slam tournament previously.

Her next tournament was the 2012 Wimbledon Championships, where in the first round she defeated Austrian Patricia Mayr-Achleitner 6–2 6–3. In the second round she defeated 31 seed and former top twenty player Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7–6 6–4. Lepchenko's next match was against defending champion Petra Kvitová, where she lost in straight sets, 6–1, 6–0. Varvara Lepchenko advanced to the second round of the Mercury Insurance Open after defeating Nicole Gibbs ( 6–3, 6–1 ).[6] She lost in the quarterfinals to Nadia Petrova, 4–6 6–2 6–7(5).[7]

Lepchenko then advanced to the third round of the 2012 U.S. Open, where she was defeated in straight sets by defending champion Samantha Stosur.

2013

Lepchenko began 2013 by playing at the 2013 Brisbane International where she lost in the 1st round to Serena Williams 6-2,6-1; who went on to win the tournament without dropping a set. In the 2013 Australian Open Vavara defeated Slovenian Polona Hercog in the first round and lost to Elena Vesnina from Russia in the second. However she reached the semifinal of the women's doubles competition with Chinese partner Zheng Saisai. At the French Open she won the first and second rounds in straight sets to Mirjana Lučić-Baroni and Elina Svitolina. Lepchenko lost in a tough three set match to world number 8 Angelique Kerber in the third round.

At Wimbledon 2013, she lost in the first round to qualifier Eva Birnerová 6–2, 4–6, 6–4.

Personal life

In September 2007, it was revealed that Lepchenko had become a U.S. citizen and that she would represent the United States in WTA and ITF tournaments. Lepchenko and her family, whose Russian–Ukrainian heritage allegedly made them a target of persecution in their homeland,[8][9] were granted political asylum by the United States. They had lived in the U.S. for more than five years when Lepchenko began representing the United States.[8] Lepchenko represented the United States at the 2012 Summer Olympics.[10] Lepchenko currently resides in Allentown, Pennsylvania and trains with the USTA in New York City.

WTA career finals

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Premier Mandatory & Premier 5 (0–0)
Premier (0–0)
International (0–1)
Finals by surface
Hard (0–1)
Clay (0–0)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Runner-up 1. 21 September 2014 Kia Korea Open, Seoul, South Korea Hard Czech Republic Karolína Plíšková 3–6, 7–6(7–5), 2–6

ITF Circuit Finals

Singles: 22 (11–11)

$100,000 tournaments
$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Runner-up 1. 29 July 2002 Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States Hard Puerto Rico Vilmarie Castellvi 2–6 0–6
Runner-up 2. 24 May 2004 Houston, Texas, United States Hard Cory-Ann Avants 1–6 4–6
Runner-up 3. 7 June 2004 Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States Hard Diana Ospina 4–6 2–6
Runner-up 4. 5 April 2005 Tunica Resorts, Mississippi, United States Hard Romania Edina Gallovits 3–6 6–4 3–6
Winner 1. 12 April 2005 Jackson, Mississippi, United States Clay Ahsha Rolle 6–3 6–2
Runner-up 5. 19 April 2005 Dothan, Alabama, United States Clay Venezuela Milagros Sequera 6–2 2–6 4–6
Runner-up 6. 10 May 2005 Charlottesville, Virginia, United States Clay Carly Gullickson 6–4 6–4
Winner 2. 7 June 2005 Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States Hard Lindsay Lee-Waters 7–6 (7–3) 6–4
Runner-up 7. 18 April 2006 Dothan, Alabama, United States Clay Ukraine Yuliana Fedak 6–4 4–6 2–6
Winner 3. 13 June 2006 Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States Hard Carly Gullickson 6–1 6–4
Winner 4. 4 July 2006 College Park, Maryland, United States Hard France Camille Pin 6–3 7–5
Winner 5. 10 July 2007 Boston, United States Hard Republic of Ireland Kelly Liggan 6–2 5–7 5–0 ret.
Runner-up 8. 25 September 2007 Ashland, Kentucky, United States Hard Hungary Melinda Czink 1–6 6–2 4–6
Runner-up 9. 22 April 2008 Dothan, Alabama, United States Clay Bethanie Mattek 2–6 6–7 (3–7)
Winner 6. 23 September 2008 Ashland, Kentucky, United States Hard Carly Gullickson 5–7 6–0 6–2
Runner-up 10. 7 October 2008 Pittsburgh, United States Hard Hungary Melinda Czink 2–6 6–3 1–6
Runner-up 11. 30 June 2009 Italy Cuneo, Italy Clay Slovenia Polona Hercog 1–6 2–6
Winner 7. 10 November 2009 Phoenix, Arizona, United States Hard New Zealand Sacha Jones 6–0 6–0
Winner 8. 28 September 2010 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Hard Romania Sorana Cîrstea 6–2 6–2
Winner 9. 2 November 2010 Grapevine, Texas, United States Hard Jamie Hampton 7–6 (7–1) 6–4
Winner 10. 9 November 2010 Phoenix, Arizona, United States Hard Melanie Oudin 6–3 7–6 (7–5)
Winner 11. 4 October 2011 Kansas City, Missouri, United States Hard Italy Romina Oprandi 6–4 6–1
Runner-up 11. 11 October 2011 Troy, Alabama, United States Hard Italy Romina Oprandi 1–6 2–6

Doubles: 11 (1–10)

Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Runner-up 1. 21 April 2003 Dothan, Alabama, United States Clay Julie Ditty Venezuela Milagros Sequera
Australia Christina Wheeler		 7–5 1–6 2–6
Winner 1. 31 May 2004 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States Hard Cory-Ann Avants Tanner Cochran
Australia Jaslyn Hewitt		 6–2 3–6 6–3
Runner-up 2. 7 June 2004 Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States Hard Cory-Ann Avants Angela Haynes
United States Diana Ospina		 0–6 2–6
Runner-up 3. 5 April 2005 Tunica Resorts, Mississippi, United States Clay Romania Edina Gallovits Belarus Tatiana Poutchek
Russia Anastasia Rodionova		 2–6 4–6
Runner-up 4. 18 April 2006 Dothan, Alabama, United States Clay Romania Edina Gallovits Australia Monique Adamczak
Argentina Soledad Esperón		 4–6 6–3 4–6
Runner-up 5. 25 July 2006 Lexington, Kentucky, United States Hard Uzbekistan Akgul Amanmuradova Chinese Taipei Chin-Wei Chan
Abigail Spears		 1–6 1–6
Runner-up 6. 31 July 2006 Washington, D.C., United States Hard Uzbekistan Akgul Amanmuradova Chinese Taipei Chin-Wei Chan
Ukraine Tetiana Luzhanska		 2–6 6–1 0–6
Runner-up 7. 18 September 2007 Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States Hard Latvia Līga Dekmeijere Hungary Melinda Czink
Angela Haynes		 5–7 4–6
Runner-up 8. 1 July 2008 Boston, United States Hard France Yulia Fedossova Chinese Taipei Chin-Wei Chan
South Africa Natalie Grandin		 4–6 3–6
Runner-up 9. 27 September 2011 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Hard Melanie Oudin Alexa Glatch
United States Mashona Washington		 4–6 2–6
Runner-up 10. 11 October 2011 Troy, Alabama, United States Hard Mashona Washington Russia Elena Bovina
Russia Valeria Savinykh		 6–7 (6–8) 3–6

Singles performance timeline

Tournament20062007200820092010201120122013201420152016W–L
Grand Slam Tournaments
Australian Open LQ 1R LQ LQ 1R 1R 1R 2R 2R 3R 3R 6–8
French Open LQ 1R LQ 1R 2R 2R 4R 3R 2R 1R 1R 8–9
Wimbledon LQ 1R LQ LQ 2R 1R 3R 1R 2R 1R 2R 5–8
US Open 2R LQ LQ 1R LQ 1R 3R 1R 3R 4R 8–7
Win–Loss 1–1 0–3 0–0 0–2 2–3 1–4 7–4 3–4 5–4 5–4 3-3 27–32

Doubles performance timeline

Tournament200720112012201320142015W–L
Grand Slam Tournaments
Australian Open 1R 1R A SF 2R 1R 6–5
French Open A 1R 1R QF 1R 3–4
Wimbledon A 1R 2R 2R 1R 2–4
US Open A 1R 1R 2R 2R 2–4
Win–Loss 0–1 0–4 1–3 9–4 2–4 1–1 13–17

References

  1. ↑ "Player Overview – Varvara Lepchenko".
  2. 1 2 3 Profile at itftennis.com
  3. 1 2 , sonyericssonwtatour.com; retrieved September 17, 2009.
  4. ↑ Junior profile at itftennis.com Retrieved September 17, 2009
  5. 1 2 Results at itftennis.com Retrieved September 17, 2009
  6. ↑ "Radwańska upsets Hantuchova at Carlsbad". 17 July 2012.
  7. ↑ "Petrova Reaches SFs, Chan Upsets Jankovic". Retrieved 2012-07-22.
  8. 1 2 Lepchenko Adjusts Well to Life in the U.S. Retrieved September 19, 2007
  9. ↑ Although Amnesty International is very critical about the Human rights in Uzbekistan it has never reported that a Russian–Ukrainian heritage was a reason for persecution there (Source: Amnesty International Report on Uzbekistan)
  10. ↑ Associated Press (July 31, 2012). "American Lepchenko loses in Olympic tennis". The Seattle Times. Retrieved April 5, 2013.

External links

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