Irina Vladimirovna Zvereva (née Fateeva; Russian: Ирина Владимировна Зверева; born 11 April 1967) is a former professional tennis player who represented the Soviet Union and the Commonwealth of Independent States. She competed in the doubles event at the 1990 Moscow Open, a tournament on the WTA Tour, losing her opening match to Denisa Krajčovičová and Alice Noháčová while partnering with compatriot Elena Pogorelova.[2] Zvereva was ranked as high as No. 4 in her country, and was known for her one-handed backhand.[3]

Irina Zvereva
Full nameIrina Vladimirovna Zvereva (née Fateeva)
Native nameИрина Владимировна Зверева (Фатеева)
Country (sports)Soviet Union Soviet Union
Commonwealth of Independent States Commonwealth of Independent States
ResidenceHamburg, Germany
Born (1967-04-11) 11 April 1967 (age 57)[1]
Sochi, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize money$10,605
Singles
Career record47–25
Career titles0 WTA, 1 ITF
Highest rankingNo. 380 (13 September 1993)
Doubles
Career record10–12
Career titles0 WTA, 1 ITF
Highest rankingNo. 466 (19 April 1993)

Zvereva has German citizenship. Her husband Alexander Mikhailovich Zverev is a former Soviet professional tennis player. Her sons Mischa Zverev and Alexander Zverev are both German professional tennis players.[3]

Tennis career

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Zvereva's career was limited while living in the Soviet Union. The government restricted when Zvereva and her husband could leave the country to compete in international tournaments. In particular, they were not allowed to leave the country at the same time.[3] After leaving the Soviet Union to go to Germany in 1991, Zvereva began representing the Commonwealth of Independent States and had more opportunity to enter events on the ITF Women's Circuit. She reached five singles finals on the circuit, winning one title against German Anja Franken in Germany. Three of the five singles finals were in Germany, while the other two were in Greece. Her last runner-up came against Julia Apostoli, a fellow Soviet emigrant as well as the mother of Stefanos Tsitsipas, a rival of her son Alexander Zverev.[4]

ITF finals

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Singles: 5 (1 title, 4 runner-ups)

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Result W–L    Date    Tournament Tier Surface Opponent Score
Loss 0–1 Aug 1991 ITF Munich, Germany 10,000 Clay   Eva-Maria Schürhoff 4–6, 2–6
Loss 0–2 Apr 1993 ITF Athens, Greece 10,000 Clay   Claudia Chabalgoity 6–2, 4–6, 6–3
Loss 0–3 Aug 1993 ITF Paderborn, Germany 10,000 Clay   Olga Hostáková 0–6, 0–6
Win 1–3 Aug 1993 ITF Bergisch Gladbach, Germany 10,000 Clay   Anja Franken 6–1, 5–7, 6–4
Loss 1–4 Apr 1994 ITF Athens, Greece 10,000 Clay   Julia Apostoli 0–6, 3–6

Doubles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up)

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Result W–L    Date    Tournament Tier Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1–0 Aug 1991 Munich, Germany 10,000 Clay   Janette Husárová   Ivana Havrlíková
  Pavlína Rajzlová
7–5, 6–2
Loss 1–1 Aug 1992 Bad Nauheim, Germany 10,000 Clay   Agata Werblinksa   Heike Roloff
  Michaela Seibold
2–6, 4–6

National championships finals

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Doubles (0–1)

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Result No. Year Tournament Location Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1. 1990 USSR Tennis National Championship Kiev, Ukrainian SSR   Elena Pogorelova   Svetlana Komleva
  Maria Chirikova
3–6, 2–6

References

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  1. ^ "Irina Zvereva". ITF Tennis. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  2. ^ "Moscow 1990". ITF Tennis. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Can Alexander Zverev become the world's best tennis player?". The Economist. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  4. ^ "Irina Zvereva Matches". WTA Tennis. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
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