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Anna Smashnova
Anna Smashnova ( born July 16, 1976 in Minsk, Soviet Union)
is a professional tennis player from Israel.
Smashnova was born in Minsk in the Soviet Union (now part
of Belarus). She became the No. 1 junior in the Soviet Union at the age of
10. Her family moved to Israel in 1990. In 1991, she won the girl's singles
title at the French Open.
Smashnova turned professional in 1991. She won her first
top-level tour singles title in 1999 at Tashkent.
Smashnova had a huge breakthrough in 2002, winning 4 titles
and beating 11 players ranked in the Top-20, including Jelena Dokic, Justine
Henin and Kim Clijsters. She played in the WTA Tour Championships that year
and lost in the first round to World No. 1 Serena Williams.
In July 2005, Smashnova won her 11th tour title at Budapest,
maintaining a 100% winning record in WTA Tour finals – a record she
holds alone for players to have won double-digit titles.
Smashnova reached her career-high singles ranking of World
No. 15 in 2003.
Smashnova is a baseliner who is most at home on clay courts.
She has reached the fourth round at the French Open twice (in 1995 and 1998).
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