Chakvetadze won eight WTA Tour<\/a> singles titles and broke into the top five in the world rankings before her career was cut short due to a chronic back injury in 2013, when she was just 26.<\/p>\n The Russian claimed the biggest title of her career at the 2006 Kremlin Cup in Moscow, which was a Tier I event (equivalent to WTA 1000).<\/p>\n Anna Chakvetadze kisses the Kremlin Cup trophy in 2006<\/p>\n In 2007, Chakvetadze secured titles in Hobart, Rosmalen, Cincinnati and Stanford, while she reached the US Open semi-finals and the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and the French Open.<\/p>\n Chakvetadze also made the last four at the WTA Finals, the Miami Open and the San Diego Open that year \u2014 which she finished as the world No 6 having peaked at her career-high position of fifth in September following her US Open run.<\/p>\n In an exclusive interview, Chakvetadze identified 2007 as the standout campaign of her career.<\/p>\n \u201cMy best year was definitely 2007, when I reached the quarter-finals [at the Australian Open and French Open] and later the semi-finals of the US Open,\u201d said the 38-year-old.<\/p>\n \u201cThat season stands out the most for me in terms of results and overall level.\u201d<\/p>\n At the 2007 edition of the Tier I WTA event in San Diego, Chakvetadze prevailed 6-7(5), 7-6(3), 6-2 against tennis great Venus Williams in a thrilling quarter-final.<\/p>\n Chakvetadze revealed that the match \u2014 in which she saved a match point and came back from 3-5 down in the second set \u2014 sticks in her memory.<\/p>\n \u201cOne match I especially remember is my comeback win against Venus Williams, where I was losing but managed to turn the match around and win. It was an important moment for my confidence,\u201d Chakvetadze reflected.<\/p>\n Exclusive Interviews<\/p>\n What made Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova & Justine Henin so good? WTA star who played them reveals<\/a><\/p>\n Former world No 5 compares Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff to her own era in \u2018less diverse\u2019 verdict<\/a><\/p>\n Chakvetadze, who won the Fed Cup with Russia in 2007 and 2008, also referenced an infamous match she played in her nation\u2019s 2008 quarter-final win against Israel in the team competition.<\/p>\n \u201cMany fans also still remember my Fed Cup match against Israel,\u201d Chakvetadze said.<\/p>\n \u201cPersonally, I don\u2019t consider it one of the brightest matches of my career, but since it stayed in the memory of so many supporters and is still mentioned today, it is probably worth including [as a standout match] as well.\u201d<\/p>\n In the fourth rubber of the tie, Chakvetadze defeated Israel\u2019s Tzipora Obziler 6-4, 6-2, overcoming an incredibly hostile home crowd in Ramat HaSharon to give Russia an unassailable 3-1 lead.<\/p>\n After winning points, Chakvetadze reacted defiantly to spectators, who had antagonised her with jeers and attempted to distract her by shouting during points.<\/p>\n A clip from the sixth game of the second set of the match<\/a>, in which Chakvetadze broke to take a 4-2 lead, has over 278,000 views on YouTube.<\/p>\n Many tennis fans have praised Chakvetadze\u2019s mental toughness in the contest.<\/p>\n Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for tennis coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Anna-Chakvetadze-Kremlin-Cup-trophy-800x450.jpg\")
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