Anna Chakvetadze is Out of Politics and In Tennis

Written by: Staff on 9th January 2012

Anna Chakvetadze is Out of Politics and In Tennis

Anna Chakvetadze of Russia in action against compatriot Maria Sharapova during their first round match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 21 June 2011. EPA/KERIM OKTEN |

Russian Anna Chakvetadze is re-directing her energies to tennis after a brief and disastrous fling with politics in her native Russia.

The former No. 5 whose life was changed by a brutal home invasion five years ago which still gives her nightmares, was out of the game frequently in 2011, suffering from an inner ear infection which provoked dizzy spells.

With time on her hands, the impressionable Moscow player somehow got involved in the murky political world and went so far as to run for office – an election which her hard right-wing party lost, denying her a seat.

The outcome was likely all for the better, with Chakvetadze, a current 235, now back in the game and playing her first event since Wimbledon this week in Tasmania. “It actually happened by accident,” she said of her run for office.

The player now looks back on her futile change of career with reflection: “I was always interested in politics but if you told me I will do that I would never believe you,” she told Australian media.

“But it was very interesting for me … it was a different world and I think for my mind it was good to see something else besides sport. Unfortunately we lost the election.”

The fringe part polled just one percent of the vote in the same balloting which sent charismatic Marat Safin into the Duma, or Russian lower house. But he was fielded by the powerful part of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Chakvetadze said that as she is back to tennis, she will make the most of it. But her regime includes playing a lesser schedule. “I was working pretty hard during the off-season and I’m feeling the ball well so I hope so. I don’t want to look too far, I just love that I’m here.”

Topics: Anna Chakvetadze