Svetlana Kuznetsova
Fifth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova
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Thursday, 18, Jun 2009 12:06
Date of birth: 27/06/1985 (Age: 23).
Nationality: Russian
Height: 5ft 8.5in
Weight: 160lbs
Plays: Right-handed
Turned professional: 2000
Current ATP singles ranking: 5
Best Wimbledon performance: Quarter-finals - 2003, 2005, 2007
Grass court pedigree
Kuznetsova has enjoyed a solid, if unspectacular, Wimbledon career to date, reaching the quarter-finals in 2003, 2005 and 2007 but never really threatening to win the title.
The Russian was seeded fourth last year but suffered a disappointing fourth-round exit at the hands of Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, squandering a 4-1 third-set lead.
Prior to Wimbledon in 2008, she was dumped out in the second round of the Eastbourne warm-up tournament by Danish starlet Caroline Wozniacki, despite being top seed.
The 23-year-old has won 11 WTA titles, but only one of those has come on grass - a three-set victory over Daniela Hantuchova at Eastbourne in 2004.
Wimbledon seeding: 5th
Chances of SW19 success?
Kuznetsova comes into Wimbledon on the back of securing her second grand slam title, having defeated world number one Dinara Safina in the French Open final.
Critics have often highlighted her mental frailty and inability to close out matches on the big occasion, but anyone who has watched her recently will know that there has been a definite change.
I backed her to win at Roland Garros and that success, coming after such a long wait from her previous major victory - the US Open in 2004 - could prove to be a huge boost.
In theory, it will allow her to finally shake off any lingering sense of self-doubt, thus making her an incredibly dangerous opponent for anyone at the All England Club.
Throw in two other clay-court titles prior to the French, her devastating in-to-out forehand and all-round power game from the back of the court, and Kuznetsova will surely be a serious contender this time.
Prediction: Finalist
A closer look at the women's game at present tells you that the tournament could be wide open this year, with many of Kuznetsova's main rivals appearing vulnerable.
There are doubts about Safina's ability to win a major as she has come up short in all three of her finals so far, a criticism which could also be levelled at Elena Dementieva.
Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic have struggled for form all year, Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka are very raw and Maria Sharapova is still in the early stages of her comeback from a serious shoulder injury.
However, you simply cannot look past the Williams sisters at SW19. Kuznetsova will probably need to beat one or both to taste glory but I can see her just falling at the final hurdle.
Chris Bryant