#0083 anett kontaveit

Anett Kontaveit – Overview

Anett Kontaveit (born 24 December 1995 in Tallinn, Estonia) is a former Estonian professional tennis player and the highest-ranked Estonian tennis player in history. A powerful right-handed baseliner with a two-handed backhand, she reached a career-high WTA singles ranking of world No. 2 on 6 June 2022. Kontaveit won six WTA singles titles, reached the final of the 2021 WTA Finals and two WTA 1000 finals, and made the quarterfinals of the 2020 Australian Open. Persistent back problems forced her to retire from professional tennis at Wimbledon in 2023, when she was only 27.

Early Life and Tennis Development

Kontaveit was born and raised in Tallinn. Her mother, Ülle Milk, was a tennis coach and introduced Anett to the sport when she was six. Her father, Andrus Kontaveit, worked as a manager at the Port of Tallinn. Her mother coached her until approximately the age of eleven, after which she worked with a succession of Estonian and international coaches.

Growing up in a country with a relatively small tennis population, Kontaveit developed into one of Estonia's most important young sporting prospects. She eventually trained abroad as well as in Estonia, including a period at a tennis academy in Istanbul.

Junior Career

Kontaveit was an outstanding junior. In 2011 she won the European Under-16 doubles championship with Tatjana Vorobjova and subsequently became one of the leading players on the international junior circuit.

Her strongest junior Grand Slam season came in 2012. She reached the semifinals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon before advancing to the girls' singles final of the US Open, where she finished runner-up to Samantha Crawford. She later reached the semifinals of the 2013 Australian Open girls' tournament.

Kontaveit reached a career-high junior ranking of world No. 4 and entered professional tennis with considerable expectations.

Early Professional Career

Kontaveit turned professional in 2010 while still a teenager and initially developed through the ITF Women's Circuit. She accumulated 11 ITF singles titles and five ITF doubles titles before establishing herself permanently on the WTA Tour.

Her progression was gradual. She finished 2013 ranked No. 228, improved to No. 166 in 2014 and broke into the Top 100 during 2015.

US Open Breakthrough – 2015

Kontaveit's first major senior breakthrough came at the 2015 US Open. She came through qualifying and then defeated Casey Dellacqua, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Madison Brengle to reach the fourth round.

Her run ended against Venus Williams, but the tournament established Kontaveit as a player capable of succeeding at Grand Slam level and helped her finish the season inside the world's Top 100.

First WTA Title – 2017

The 2017 season marked Kontaveit's transition into a regular WTA contender. She reached her first tour-level final in Biel, losing to Markéta Vondroušová, and followed it with another final in Stuttgart.

In June she won her first WTA singles championship on the grass courts of 's-Hertogenbosch, defeating Natalia Vikhlyantseva 6–2, 6–3 in the final.

Kontaveit subsequently reached the final in Gstaad and climbed to world No. 27. She finished 2017 ranked No. 34 and had established herself securely among the leading players on tour.

Rise Through the Rankings

Kontaveit continued improving during 2018. At the Australian Open she reached the fourth round, defeating former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko before losing to Carla Suárez Navarro.

On clay she reached the semifinals in Stuttgart and Rome and made the fourth round of Roland Garros, her best result at the tournament.

Later in the season she produced an excellent run at the Wuhan Open, reaching her first WTA 1000-level final. Aryna Sabalenka defeated her in the championship match. Kontaveit finished 2018 ranked No. 21.

2019 Season

Kontaveit reached another important final at Stuttgart in 2019, finishing runner-up to Petra Kvitová. She also advanced to the semifinals of the Miami Open, one of her strongest results at WTA 1000 level.

Her Miami performance lifted her to world No. 14 in April. However, a viral illness interrupted the latter part of her season and forced her to miss several months of competition. Despite the disruption, she finished the year ranked No. 26.

Australian Open 2020

Kontaveit achieved her best Grand Slam result at the 2020 Australian Open. She defeated Astra Sharma, Sara Sorribes Tormo and Belinda Bencic before overcoming Iga Świątek in three sets to reach the quarterfinals.

She became the first Estonian woman to reach an Australian Open singles quarterfinal. Her run ended against Simona Halep.

The result remains Kontaveit's only Grand Slam quarterfinal, although she also reached the fourth round of Roland Garros and twice reached the fourth round of the US Open during her career.

Palermo 2020

When professional tennis resumed after the pandemic interruption, Kontaveit reached the final of the Palermo Ladies Open, one of the first WTA tournaments staged after the shutdown. She lost the championship match to Fiona Ferro.

Kontaveit accumulated 21 match victories during the shortened 2020 season, placing her among the tour leaders despite the drastically reduced calendar.

Transformation in 2021

The defining season of Kontaveit's career was 2021. After a relatively inconsistent first half of the year, she began working with Russian coach Dmitry Tursunov during the North American hard-court season.

The effect was dramatic. Kontaveit's already powerful game became more assertive and tactically focused. Instead of simply sustaining aggressive baseline exchanges, she increasingly took the ball early and attempted to dominate points immediately.

Cleveland 2021

Kontaveit won the Cleveland title in August, defeating Irina-Camelia Begu 7–6, 6–4 in the final. It was only her second WTA title despite having already reached numerous finals.

The victory began one of the most extraordinary late-season runs in recent WTA history.

Ostrava 2021

Kontaveit next won the WTA 500 tournament in Ostrava without dropping a set. Her run included victories over Paula Badosa, Belinda Bencic and Petra Kvitová before she defeated Maria Sakkari in the final.

The combination of fast indoor conditions and Kontaveit's early, aggressive ball striking proved exceptionally effective and established the pattern that would define the remainder of her season.

Moscow 2021

At the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, Kontaveit produced another outstanding tournament. She defeated players including Garbiñe Muguruza and Markéta Vondroušová before facing Ekaterina Alexandrova in the final.

Kontaveit recovered from a set and a break down to win the championship. The Moscow title was her third trophy in less than two months and kept alive her increasingly realistic chance of qualifying for the WTA Finals.

Cluj-Napoca 2021

Kontaveit entered the Transylvania Open knowing that she needed to win the tournament to secure the final qualifying position for the WTA Finals. She responded by winning the championship without losing a set.

In the final she defeated former world No. 1 Simona Halep 6–2, 6–3. It was Kontaveit's fourth title in seven tournaments and her 26th victory in 28 matches.

The championship also guaranteed her first appearance in the WTA Top 10 and made her the first Estonian player ever to qualify for the WTA Finals.

2021 WTA Finals

Kontaveit's extraordinary season continued at the WTA Finals in Guadalajara. Making her debut, she defeated Barbora Krejčíková and Karolína Plíšková in straight sets to secure a semifinal place.

She then defeated Maria Sakkari 6–1, 3–6, 6–3 to reach the biggest final of her career. Garbiñe Muguruza defeated her 6–3, 7–5 in the championship match.

Kontaveit became the first Estonian player to reach the final of the season-ending championships. She finished 2021 ranked world No. 7 with a 48–17 singles record and four WTA titles.

Historic 2021 Season

Kontaveit's late-season statistics illustrate the extraordinary quality of her run. After Cincinnati she won 29 of her final 33 matches, including 15 consecutive indoor matches. She reached seven finals during the season and won four championships.

Her 48 match victories tied Ons Jabeur for the highest total on the WTA Tour in 2021. The season transformed Kontaveit from a consistent Top-30 player into one of the world's leading competitors.

St. Petersburg 2022

Kontaveit's extraordinary indoor winning streak continued in 2022. At St. Petersburg she reached the final and defeated Maria Sakkari 5–7, 7–6, 7–5 after an exceptionally close match.

The championship was her fifth consecutive indoor tournament title and extended her indoor winning streak to 20 matches. It also became the sixth and final WTA singles title of her career.

Doha 2022

Kontaveit continued her excellent form by reaching the final of the WTA 1000 tournament in Doha. She entered the championship match on a nine-match winning streak but was overwhelmed by Iga Świątek, losing 6–2, 6–0.

Doha was Kontaveit's second WTA 1000 final following Wuhan in 2018. Although she never won a title at this level, reaching two finals demonstrated her ability to compete consistently in the largest events below the Grand Slams.

World No. 2

On 6 June 2022 Kontaveit reached world No. 2, the highest singles ranking ever achieved by an Estonian tennis player, male or female.

The ranking represented the culmination of the points accumulated during her extraordinary 2021–22 period. Only Iga Świątek stood above her in the WTA rankings.

Kontaveit's rise from a career high outside the Top 10 to world No. 2 in less than a year remains one of the most dramatic ranking advances of her generation.

COVID-19 and Loss of Momentum

Kontaveit's 2022 season was disrupted when she contracted COVID-19 during the spring. She later explained that the illness affected her physical condition for an extended period and prevented her from competing at her previous intensity.

Her results declined during the clay and grass seasons, and she was unable to reproduce the extraordinary form of the previous autumn.

Hamburg and Tallinn 2022

Despite her difficulties, Kontaveit reached the Hamburg final in July 2022, losing to Bernarda Pera. Later that year she competed at the inaugural Tallinn Open in Estonia, an especially significant tournament for her personally.

Playing in front of her home crowd, Kontaveit reached the final before losing to Barbora Krejčíková. It was the final WTA singles final of her career.

Back Injury

During late 2022 and early 2023, Kontaveit increasingly struggled with a chronic back condition. The problem was eventually diagnosed as lumbar disc degeneration.

The injury severely restricted her ability to train and compete at professional intensity. Although she attempted rehabilitation and returned to competition several times, the condition could be managed but not sufficiently corrected for the demands of a full professional schedule.

Retirement

In June 2023 Kontaveit announced that Wimbledon would be her final professional tournament. She explained that the degenerative condition in her back made it impossible to continue training at the level required for elite tennis.

She was only 27 years old, making the announcement particularly striking given that she had been ranked world No. 2 only a year earlier.

Final Wimbledon – 2023

Kontaveit played the final singles tournament of her career at Wimbledon in July 2023. She defeated Lucrezia Stefanini in the first round before losing to Marie Bouzková in the second round.

She also entered the mixed doubles tournament with Finnish player Emil Ruusuvuori. Wimbledon therefore provided Kontaveit with an opportunity to end her professional career at the tournament she had long identified as her favorite.

Grand Slam Record

Kontaveit's best Grand Slam performance was the quarterfinal of the 2020 Australian Open. She also reached the fourth round there in 2018.

At Roland Garros she reached the fourth round in 2018. Her best Wimbledon results were third-round appearances in 2017, 2018 and 2019, while at the US Open she reached the fourth round in 2015 and 2020.

Her career Grand Slam singles record was 37 victories and 32 defeats.

Playing Style

Kontaveit was an aggressive right-handed baseline player with a two-handed backhand. At 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in), she possessed a strong serve but built her game primarily around the speed and depth of her groundstrokes.

Her forehand was her preferred shot and one of her principal weapons. She could generate substantial pace from both wings and was particularly effective when positioned close to the baseline, taking the ball early and redirecting opponents' power.

Kontaveit's best tennis depended on controlling the baseline rather than defending from deep positions. When confident, she could repeatedly force opponents onto the defensive with powerful, flat groundstrokes.

Indoor Hard-Court Excellence

Indoor hard courts became especially associated with Kontaveit's peak. The controlled conditions rewarded her clean ball striking, aggressive court positioning and ability to maintain relentless baseline pressure.

Between 2021 and 2022 she won five consecutive indoor tournaments she entered: Ostrava, Moscow, Cluj-Napoca and St. Petersburg, with her Cleveland title beginning the broader late-season surge. Her 20-match indoor winning streak became one of the defining statistical achievements of her career.

Coaching

Kontaveit worked with several prominent coaches during her career. Nigel Sears, the former coach of Ana Ivanović, worked with her between 2018 and 2021 and helped establish her as a consistent Top-30 player.

Her most dramatic improvement occurred under Dmitry Tursunov in 2021 and 2022. Their partnership coincided with four titles in the final months of 2021, the WTA Finals appearance and her subsequent rise to world No. 2.

Kontaveit later worked with German coach Torben Beltz during the final phase of her professional career.

Olympic Games

Kontaveit represented Estonia at the Tokyo Olympic Games, staged in 2021. She competed in women's singles but was defeated in the first round by Maria Sakkari.

Although her Olympic campaign was brief, representing Estonia remained an important element of a career in which she repeatedly established national tennis records.

Billie Jean King Cup

Kontaveit represented Estonia extensively in Fed Cup/Billie Jean King Cup competition from a young age. Because Estonia lacked the depth of larger tennis nations, she frequently carried substantial responsibility in both singles and doubles.

Her national-team career reinforced her position alongside Kaia Kanepi as one of the two most internationally successful Estonian women's tennis players of the modern era.

Doubles Career

Kontaveit concentrated overwhelmingly on singles but occasionally competed in doubles. She reached a career-high doubles ranking of world No. 95 on 2 March 2020.

Her best Grand Slam doubles result was the third round of Roland Garros in 2019. She won five ITF doubles titles but no WTA Tour doubles championship.

Life After Professional Tennis

Kontaveit remained connected with tennis after retirement while also pursuing interests outside professional sport. She completed university studies in psychology in 2025.

Her retirement allowed her to move away from the physical demands that had become impossible because of her back condition while ending her career with her achievements and historical position in Estonian sport firmly established.

Career Highlights

Born: 24 December 1995, Tallinn, Estonia
Nationality: Estonian
Height: 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Plays: Right-handed, two-handed backhand
Started playing tennis: Age 6
Turned professional: 2010
Retired: July 2023
Career-high singles ranking: No. 2 (6 June 2022)
Career-high doubles ranking: No. 95 (2 March 2020)
Highest-ranked Estonian tennis player in history
WTA singles titles: 6
WTA singles finals: 17
ITF singles titles: 11
ITF doubles titles: 5
Career singles record: 390–204
Career prize money: $8,151,602
Best Australian Open result: Quarterfinal (2020)
Best Roland Garros result: Fourth round (2018)
Best Wimbledon result: Third round (2017, 2018, 2019)
Best US Open result: Fourth round (2015, 2020)
WTA Finals: Finalist (2021)
WTA 1000 finalist: Wuhan (2018), Doha (2022)
WTA titles: 's-Hertogenbosch (2017), Cleveland (2021), Ostrava (2021), Moscow (2021), Cluj-Napoca (2021), St. Petersburg (2022)
Junior US Open: Finalist (2012)
Career-high junior ranking: No. 4
Olympic Games: Tokyo 2020/2021
2021 year-end ranking: No. 7
Reason for retirement: Degenerative back condition
Current status: Retired

Historical Significance for Estonia

Kontaveit's achievements transformed the standards of Estonian tennis. She became the first Estonian to qualify for the WTA Finals, the first to reach its championship match and the first Estonian tennis player to reach world No. 2.

Her 2021 season was particularly important. Winning four titles within a matter of months and reaching the WTA Finals championship match brought unprecedented international attention to an Estonian player and established her as one of the world's elite athletes.

Career Trajectory

Kontaveit's career followed a striking trajectory. She developed gradually through the ITF circuit, became a consistent Top-30 player between 2017 and 2020 and then experienced an extraordinary transformation at the age of 25.

Between August 2021 and February 2022 she won five WTA titles, reached the WTA Finals championship match and developed into arguably the world's strongest indoor hard-court player. By June 2022 she was ranked No. 2.

The decline was unexpectedly rapid. COVID-19 disrupted her 2022 season, and chronic back problems subsequently made sustained professional competition impossible. Barely two years after her greatest run and only thirteen months after becoming world No. 2, she played the final tournament of her career.

Assessment

Anett Kontaveit's career was relatively short at its absolute peak but historically significant. Six WTA titles, 17 tour-level finals, two WTA 1000 finals, an Australian Open quarterfinal and a career-high ranking of world No. 2 constitute the finest overall ranking résumé achieved by an Estonian tennis player.

Her defining period remains the second half of 2021. Kontaveit's combination of early ball striking, controlled aggression and exceptional indoor form produced one of the most dramatic late-season surges in recent women's tennis. Four titles in seven tournaments carried her from outside the Top 20 to the WTA Finals, where she reached the championship match and finished the year No. 7.

The back condition that forced her retirement at 27 leaves an unavoidable sense that her career might have contained considerably more. Nevertheless, Kontaveit retired with 390 professional singles victories, more than $8 million in prize money, six WTA championships and a place at No. 2 in the world rankings. Above all, she established milestones for Estonian tennis that no player from her country had previously achieved.