Anne Keothavong

Infobox Tennis biography
playername = Anne Keothavong


country = GBR
residence = Hackney, London
datebirth = birth date and age|1983|09|16
placebirth = Hackney, London
height = height|meters=1.75
weight = convert|62|kg|lb|abbr=on
turnedpro = September 16 2001
plays = right handed, double handed backhand
careerprizemoney = $475,501
singlesrecord = 288–198
singlestitles = 0 (15 ITF)
highestsinglesranking = No. 71 (September 08 2008)
AustralianOpenresult =
FrenchOpenresult =
Wimbledonresult = 2R (2004, 2008)
USOpenresult = 3R (2008)
doublesrecord = 54–88
doublestitles = 0 (4 ITF)
highestdoublesranking = No. 170 (September 15 2008)
updated = September 19 2008

Anne Keothavong (born 16 September 1983) is an English professional tennis player. She is currently British number 1 and ranked 80 in the world as of 06 October 2008.

Personal Life

Anne was born in Hackney in London, England to parents from Laos. [cite web |title=Anne Keothavong shines in losing battle| work=Telegraph Online |publisher=Daily Telegraph |date=2008-06-27 |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/atptour/2304212/Anne-Keothavong-shines-in-losing-battle.html
accessdate=2008-08-25] She attended Kingsland High School. [cite web |last=Chaudry |first=Ziad |title=Anne's Centre Court exit is no whitewash |work=Hackney Gazette |publisher=Archant Regional Limited |date=2008-07-03 |url=http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/content/hackney/gazette/sport/story.aspx?brand=HKYGOnline&category=sporttennis&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=sporthkyg&itemid=WeED02%20Jul%202008%2015%3A51%3A46%3A240 |accessdate=2008-08-27]

Keothavong grew up playing park tennis on Hackney Downs and Highbury Fields. She also enjoys kickboxing and has shown an interest in training to compete in tournaments when she is finished with her tennis career. Her preferred surface is hard and she is coached by Colin Beecher, with whom she trains at The Queens club in London.

Career

Keothavong turned professional in 2001. Her first professional title came at the ITF tournament in Jersey in 2001 and made her debut on the WTA Tour at Wimbledon in the same year, where she was given a wild card. After unsuccessfully attempting to qualify for the Birmingham and Eastbourne tournaments and the three Grand Slam tournaments held outside the UK, she made her first non-wild card appearance in the main draw of a WTA Tour event at the tournament in Hobart in 2004. In the same year she won her first match in a Grand Slam at Wimbledon before going out to the eventual champion Maria Sharapova. In 2006 she played in seven main Tour events but lost in the first round each time.

2007

Keothavong's performance at the start of the season was solid. After winning an ITF doubles tournament in February in Sutton, she reached the semi-finals of the ITF Saint Paul, Minnesota USA $50,000 tournament, the $25,000 ITF tournament in Tipton, and the $25,000 ITF in Antalya, Turkey.

However in the grass court season Keothavong only won one match and was beaten in the "Battle of the Brits" in the first round of the International Women's Open in Eastbourne by Elena Baltacha 2–6, 6–2, 7–6(5). She was demolished 6–2, 6–0 by Jelena Janković in the first round of Wimbledon.

This drought of bad performances recently came to an end in Lexington at the $50,000 ITF tournament, where she reached the final and lost to the 4th seed Stéphanie Dubois. Impressively in the next week she won her first ever $50,000 ITF event in Vancouver, this time overcoming Dubois in straight sets 7–5, 6–1. In an interview Anne said"The final was a physical battle as it was pretty hot but I kept pushing myself to run balls down"."I went in to the match with a very clear game plan but it was more willpower that got me through it and I didn't allow anything to affect my focus."Finally adding"I’m really happy as this is my first $50,000 tournament win."

Despite falling in the first round of qualifying for the Tier 1 event in Canada (the Rogers Cup), Keothavong went on to reach the third round of the US Open qualifying; winning two matches in straight sets. However in the final round she retired when down a set and a break.

Continuing on her good performance on hard courts this season she managed to reach the final round of qualifying at Bali WTA Tier III event, going out to Yuan Meng of China.

In September 2007 Keothavong reached the first WTA Tour semi-final of her career, at the Sunfeast Open WTA Tier III event in Kolkata, India. After defeating Sara Errani 6–4, 6–4 and Sunitha Rao 6–3, 6–2, in her quarter-final match she beat Tzipora Obziler 6–3, 6–1. After the match Keothavong commented, "The week's turned around for me dramatically because on Monday I was curled up in bed feeling so ill and now I'm in the semis for the first time at a tour event and I don't want it to stop." Keothavong became the first British woman to reach the semi-finals of a WTA tour event since Jo Durie in 1992. [cite web|author=|publisher=LTA|url=http://www.lta.org.uk/Newsroom/GeneralNews/GeneralNews2007/070921AK.htm?BSMGuid=38989100-cc10-4c21-b022-df1454a8a62e |title=Keothavong into Sunfeast Open semi-finals|date=|accessdate=2007-09-22] She was unable to progress further, however, losing 7–6 6–3 to Mariya Koryttseva. [cite web|author=|title=Keothavong falls in maiden semi|publisher=BBC News Online|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/7008776.stm|date=2007-09-22|accessdate=2007-09-22]

Despite Keothavong's greatest success yet, Anne was unable to keep the momentum going in Seoul at the Hansol Korean Open a WTA Tier IV event she lost in the first round 6–1 6–1 to Ahsha Rolle

2008

Anne Keothavong started the season on the WTA tour in the Gold Coast qualifying draw though she fell in the final round of qualifying losing to Olga Savchuk in a close three set match 4–6 6–4 6–2. Then lost in the first round of qualifying in Sydney to Karin Knapp 7–5 6–3.

In the Australian Open qualifying rounds, Anne Keothavong won the first round by beating Jorgelina Cravero in straight sets 6–4 6–4. Then in the second round was defeated by Monica Niculescu 6–2 6–4.

Anne competed for Great Britain in the Fed Cup Euro/Africa Zone. Despite a solid performance by Keothavong who won all of her singles matches, as a team they did poorly and finished bottom of their pool forcing them to play a relegation tie to stay in the Euro/Africa Zone. They managed a 2–0 win over Portugal, securing their place for 2009.

Anne then played back on the ITF, with a disappointing performance in Midland $75,000 going out to a much lower ranked opponent in the first round despite being the seventh-seed. Though back in Europe Keothavong made the final of the Capriolo $25,000 ITF tournament in Italy where she defeated Vesna Manasieva 6–1 2–6 6–3 for her first ever title on carpet.

Anne went on to attempt to qualify for the Bangalore Open as seventh-seed . Continuing her rich vain of form she won two matches to reach final round where she played against Monica Niculescu though for the second time this year she lost in straight sets to the Romanian 6–2 6–0.

Anne's next stop was at the Pacific Open where she has reached the final round of qualifying by defeating former top 40 player and 2006 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Severine Bremond in a well fought match 7–6 1–6 7–6 before going out to Galina Voskoboeva 5–7 6–0 1–6. Then Anne stayed in America and attempted to qualify for the Sony Ericcson Open , she won her first match against Catalina Castano 2-6 6-1 6-2 but was stopped by Anastasia Rodionova 6-1 3-6 6-3 in the final round. She was due to play in a Jersey 25k that same week but due to ITF rules forbidding a player from playing two tournaments in one week, she was forced to pull out and, due to her late withdrawal, pay a maximum £1,000 fine.

Then she competed at the $50,000 ITF tournament in Patras Greece where she reached the final being defeated by Magdelena Rybarikova.Then at the $75,000 tournament in Monzón she went out in the last 16 to Yanina Wickmayer. This culminated in her taking back the British number one spot on the April 7 2008.

On her first tournament on clay at the $100,000 ITF event in Saint-Malo despite being the seventh seed Anne went out in the last 16 to Stephanie Foretz. Then in a poor performance from Keothavong she went out to a qualifier in the second round at the $50,000 ITF event in Makarska. Though the following week as the second seed Anne won her first clay title at the $50,000 ITF event in Jounieh, Lebanon defeating the top seed Lourdes Dominguez-Lino 6-4 6-1.After this tournament, in addition to regaining the British number one spot, she reached her career high ranking of 104. It was announced that it was high enough to give Anne direct entry into Wimbledon 2008. This made Anne the first British woman to gain entry without the need of a wildcard or participating in a qualifying tournament since Sam Smith in 1999. [cite web |last = Harman |first = Neil |title=Anne Keothavong dodges hostilities to enhance Wimbledon claims |publisher=Times Online |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/tennis/article3912946.ece |date=2008-05-12] [cite web |title=Keothavong seals Wimbledon place |publisher=BBC Sport Online |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/7396068.stm |date=2008-05-12]

The following week, Anne debuted in the top 100 at 97, becoming the first British woman since Sam Smith in 1999 to be ranked within the top 100.

Despite reaching her career high, that same week Keothavong lost in the opening round of the French Open qualifying to Shuai Zhang 6-4 6-1.

Anne Keothavong bounced back on her first tournament on grass where she reached the final of the $50,000 ITF in Surbiton defeating Ahsha Rolle on route. In the final she lost 6-4 6-2 to Marina Erakovic. [ [http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5ifqS8yT5cOc__9q8qyNmcUKSqj0g| The Press Association:"Keothavong beaten in final"] ] Anne then went onto to compete at Birmingham and 's-Hertogenbosch but lost in the first round at both events going out to Kateryna Bondarenko 6-3 6-2 and Sara Errani 7-6(5) 6-2 respectively.

In Wimbledon 2008 Keothavong became the first British woman to gain entry on her own merits (i.e. without a wild-card) since 1998. She faced Vania King in the first round and managed to find form in the second set and take it 4-6 6-2 6-3. She was eliminated in the 2nd round by the eventual champion Venus Williams, losing 7-5 6-2, despite a valiant effort. [cite web |last=Bevan |first=Chris |title=Venus ends Keothavong challenge |publisher=BBC Sport Online |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/7475450.stm |date=2008-06-26]

At the start of the American hardcourt season, Anne qualified for the WTA tournament Stanford only dropping 9 games on route. In her first round main draw match she defeated India's Sania Mirza, beating the world number 33 handily 7-6(4) 6-1. The victory gave her the highest ranking win of her career [ [http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12110_3824963,00.html|Sky Sports News:"Keothavong eases through"] ] , and with it set up a meeting with 6th-seeded Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli, a match that she lost in three sets. After fighting back from losing the first set 6-3, Anne stormed through the second, winning it 6-1. In the third set she was up 4-1 when Bartoli fought back and took the set 7-5. [cite web | title =Keothavong blows Classic chance | work =BBC Sport | publisher =BBC | date =2008-07-17 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/tennis/7513070.stm | accessdate =2008-07-21 ] Due to her performance at this Tier II event, her ranking rose to 76 in the world, improving her best yet again. The following week, she lost in the first round of the East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles against Jill Craybas 6-3 6-2. Her next tournament was the Canada Masters where she lost her first meeting with Russian Maria Kirilenko in the first round, 6-1 7-5. [cite web |url=http://www.lta.org.uk/News/All-news-items/2008-07-28/Keothavong--South-bow-out-in-Montreal/ |title=Keothavong & South bow out in Montreal |publisher=lta.org.uk]

Anne then played at the US Open where she beat Alexa Glatch 6-2 6-2 to advance to the 2nd round of a Grand Slam for the first time outside Wimbledon. This was the first time since Samantha Smith in the 1997 tournament that a British woman had won a main draw match in the US Open. [cite web | last =Harman | first =Neil | title =Anne Keothavong breaks ground outside SW19 | work =The Times | publisher =Times Newspapers Limited | date =2008-08-26 | url =http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/tennis/article4608567.ece| accessdate =2008-08-27 ] In the second round, she beat the 25th seeded Italian Francesca Schiavone 6-2 3-6 6-4. With this win, she has become the first British woman to reach the third round of the US Open since Jo Durie reached the fourth round in the 1991 tournament. [cite web | title =US Open 2008 | work =BBC Sport | publisher =BBC | date =2008-08-27 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/7584555.stm | accessdate =2008-08-27 ] . Despite a valiant fight in the third round the fifth seed Elena Dementieva defeated Anne 6-3 6-4. [cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/usopen/2647244/US-Open-Anne-Keothavong-goes-down-fighting-against-Elena-Dementieva---Tennis.html |title=Anne Keothavong Loses Little In Defeat |publisher=www.telegraph.co.uk |date=30 August 2008]

Her next mission was to qualify for the Toray Pan Pacific Open, a Tier I tournament held in Tokyo, Japan. She came through the first round of the qualifying tournament with a decisive 6-3 6-2 win over Japan's Erika Takao, following that up in the second round by defeating Hungarian Greta Arn in three sets, 4-6 6-1 6-4. A tough draw meant that her opponent in the final round of qualifying was the 25th ranked player in the world, Katarina Srebotnik, who beat her in straight sets, 6-3 6-3.

Career Highlights

Titles

ingles

Doubles

Grand Slam Performance Timeline

*"A" stands for any tournament the player did not participate in.
*"LQ" stands for participation in qualifying only.
*The career record is only for the players main draw participation.

References

External links

* [http://www.lta.org.uk/Players/Player-profiles/Women/KeothavongAnne/ LTA profile]
*wta|id=110524
*ITF female profile|number=35009586
*FedCupplayerlink|id=35009586