Maria Kirilenko

• Residence: Moscow, Russia
• DOB: January 25, 1987
• Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
• Height: 5' 8" (1.73 m)
• Weight: 127 lbs. (57.6 kg)
• Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Biography

Maria Kirilenko started showing a passion towards tennis at age 5, but it was difficult to get the practice in while she was attending school. Her father enrolled her in a tennis school, and hours of fierce training started to pay off as she won several tournaments.

When Kirilenko was twelve years old, an Honored Master of sports, Elena Brioukhovets, saw her while training. All the next year Elena watched Maria making progress and then offered to work together with her. A three-year program was made and a special team was selected. In less than three years Maria became the number one in her age group and the number two in the group under eighteen.

Kirilenko won her first WTA Tour title in 2005, defeating Anna-Lena Gronefeld 6–3, 6–4 in the China Open. Kirilenko reached 18, her career-high singles ranking, on the WTA tour in July 2008. She is a good friend of Maria Sharapova. She is affectionately called Makiri. She won the junior event at the 2002 Canadian Open, as well as the 2002 US Open junior tournament. In December 2004 she played in a tennis exhibition in Tampa, Florida to raise money for the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund.

Career History