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Alina Vladimirovna Jidkova (Алина Владимировна Жидкова; born 18 January 1977) is a former professional tennis player from Russia, known for her resilience and competitive spirit on the WTA Tour. Throughout her career, she found success in both singles and doubles. Jidkova reached her career-high singles ranking of world No. 51 in March 2005, achieving strong singles performances against top players. Notably, she defeated several high-ranked opponents, including Serena Williams at Linz in 2004, and also claimed wins over Mary Pierce, Jelena Janković, and Samantha Stosur, showcasing her skill in high-stakes matches.
 Jidkova at Kremlin Cup (2009) | |
| Country (sports) |  Russia |
|---|---|
| Residence | The Woodlands, Texas, U.S. |
| Born | January 18, 1977 Moscow, Soviet Union now Russia |
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) |
| Turned pro | 1993 |
| Retired | 2010 |
| Plays | Right (two-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $1,128,467 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 466–421 |
| Career titles | 9 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 51 (7 March 2005) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 3R (2000) |
| French Open | 2R (2002) |
| Wimbledon | 1R (2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005) |
| US Open | 2R (2006) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 281–332 |
| Career titles | 1 WTA, 9 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 50 (4 August 2003) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (2003) |
| French Open | 2R (2000, 2003, 2004) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (2002, 2005, 2008) |
| US Open | 2R (2005) |
In doubles, she won a WTA title at the 2005 Mexican Open and reached three other WTA finals, including the Memphis Open (2003), Québec Open (2006), and Cincinnati Open (2007). Her doubles ranking peaked at No. 50 in August 2003, reflecting her versatile strength across both singles and doubles play.
Career
editIn 2004, she reached the quarterfinals of Generali Ladies Linz after beating Serena Williams in straight sets.[1] Aside from Williams, she has career victories against Jelena Janković, Mary Pierce, Samantha Stosur, Alicia Molik, Chanda Rubin, Amanda Coetzer, Brenda Schultz-McCarthy, Amy Frazier, Petra Martić, Mirjana Lučić-Baroni, Vera Dushevina and other notable players. In 2005, she won her single WTA Tour event, the Mexican Open doubles title in Acapulco, partnering with Tatiana Perebiynis. She has also finished runner-up on three occasions.
Retirement and coaching career
editShe retired from professional tennis at the beginning of the 2011 season.[2] Her last official singles match played was against Monica Puig, 2016 Olympic champion at the end of 2010 season.[3] Being a PTA Certified Tennis Coach, she worked as a coach for Galina Voskoboeva, Ksenia Pervak and Kaia Kanepi.[4]
As a coach, Alina Jidkova was part of the 2012 Olympics, coaching Galina Voskoboeva, who represented Team Kazakhstan. In 2017, she also coached Kaia Kanepi to reach the quarterfinals of the US Open, demonstrating her effectiveness at the highest levels of international competition.
Alina Jidkova is currently coaching and consulting with professional players, enhancing their competitive edge. Alongside her work with established athletes, she is passionate about mentoring young, aspiring players, helping them reach the skill level needed for potential recruitment by top college tennis programs. Her coaching emphasizes confidence, technical refinement, and resilience, preparing athletes to excel at every stage.
ITF World Tennis Masters Tour (seniors' circuit)
editAs of 2024, Jidkova has been playing doubles on the ITF World Tennis Masters Tour, now representing the United States. Partnering Julie Thu, she won both tournaments she entered so far, an MT1000 in Houston and an MT700 in Austin, Texas, which are amongst the elite tournaments on the World Tour.[5]
Personal life
editAlso Nicknamed “Alinka,” Alina Jidkova was born in Moscow, then part of the Soviet Union, into an athletic family. Her father, Vladimir, was an engineer and former weightlifter, while her mother, Lina, was a sprinter. She grew up training at the Spartak Moscow Tennis Club and later the prestigious Spartak Tennis Academy, a renowned training ground for top Russian talent known for its rigorous training methods. Spartak produced many successful players who rose to international prominence, including Anna Kournikova, Elena Dementieva, Anastasia Myskina, and Marat Safin. This intense early training laid the foundation for Jidkova’s professional career.
Seeking further development, Jidkova moved to the United States to train at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida, known for nurturing numerous tennis champions. She now resides in The Woodlands, Texas with her husband, entrepreneur Sascha Ghods. The couple married on 18 December 2010 in Vienna, Austria, and have two children. Their son, currently training under Jidkova’s guidance, is also pursuing a career in tennis, extending her legacy in the sport.
WTA Tour Finals
editDoubles: 4 (1 title, 3 runner-ups)
edit| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1. | Feb 2003 | U.S. National Indoors | Hard (i) | 1–6, 1–6 | ||
| Win | 2. | Feb 2005 | Mexican Open | Clay | 7–5, 6–3 | ||
| Loss | 3. | Oct 2006 | Tournoi de Québec, Canada | Hard | 3–6, 4–6 | ||
| Loss | 4. | Jul 2007 | Cincinnati Open, U.S. | Hard | 6–7(4), 5–7 |
ITF finals
edit| Legend |
|---|
| $100,000 tournaments |
| $75,000 tournaments |
| $50,000 tournaments |
| $25,000 tournaments |
| $10,000 tournaments |
Singles: 17 (9–8)
edit| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1. | 27 October 1997 | ITF Culiacán, Mexico | Hard | 6–3, 6–0 | |
| Runner-up | 2. | 11 May 1998 | ITF Poza Rica, Mexico | Hard | 2–6, 7–6, 1–6 | |
| Winner | 3. | 18 May 1998 | ITF Coatzacoalcos, Mexico | Hard | 6–3, 6–1 | |
| Runner-up | 4. | 4 January 1999 | ITF San Antonio, United States | Hard | 6–3, 4–6, 3–6 | |
| Winner | 5. | 17 January 1999 | ITF Miami, United States | Hard | 6–2, 7–5 | |
| Runner-up | 6. | 31 January 1999 | ITF Clearwater, United States | Hard | 0–6, 6–7 | |
| Winner | 7. | 19 July 1999 | ITF Peachtree, United States | Hard | 6–7, 7–6, 6–4 | |
| Runner-up | 8. | 16 July 2000 | ITF Peachtree, United States | Hard | 0–6, 2–4 ret. | |
| Winner | 9. | 11 September 2000 | ITF Hopewell Junction, United States | Hard | 6–3, 6–0 | |
| Winner | 10. | 9 October 2000 | ITF Miramar, United States | Clay | 1–6, 7–6, 6–2 | |
| Runner-up | 11. | 27 November 2000 | ITF Tucson, United States | Hard | 7–6, 4–6, 3–6 | |
| Runner-up | 12. | 29 January 2001 | ITF Clearwater, United States | Hard | 3–6, 2–6 | |
| Runner-up | 13. | 29 January 2001 | ITF Fresno, United States | Hard | 2–6, 1–6 | |
| Winner | 14. | 5 November 2001 | ITF Pittsburgh, United States | Hard (i) | 6–4, 6–1 | |
| Winner | 15. | 23 July 2002 | ITF Louisville, United States | Hard | 6–3, 6–4 | |
| Winner | 16. | 9 January 2007 | ITF Tampa, United States | Hard | 6–2, 6–2 | |
| Runner-up | 17. | 5 June 2007 | ITF Madrid, Spain | Clay | 2–6, 1–6 |
Doubles: 30 (9–21)
edit| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runner-up | 1. | 21 February 1994 | ITF Amadora, Portugal | Hard | 3–6, 1–6 | ||
| Runner-up | 2. | 29 January 1996 | Open de Saint-Malo, France | Hard (i) | 2–6, 2–6 | ||
| Runner-up | 3. | 4 August 1996 | ITF Catania, Italy | Clay | 6–1, 4–6, 3–6 | ||
| Winner | 4. | 6 October 1996 | ITF Langenthal, Switzerland | Carpet (i) | 6–4, 6–4 | ||
| Winner | 5. | 23 March 1997 | ITF Victoria, Mexico | Hard | 5–7, 6–0, 6–2 | ||
| Runner-up | 6. | 27 October 1997 | ITF Culiacán, Mexico | Hard | 5–7, 0–6 | ||
| Runner-up | 7. | 19 January 1998 | ITF Miami, U.S. | Hard | 4–6, 4–6 | ||
| Winner | 8. | 4 May 1998 | ITF Tampico, Mexico | Hard | 7–6, 7–5 | ||
| Runner-up | 9. | 11 May 1998 | ITF Poza Rica, Mexico | Hard | 6–3, 2–6, 2–6 | ||
| Runner-up | 10. | 18 May 1998 | ITF Coatzacoalcos, Mexico | Hard | 3–6, 2–6 | ||
| Winner | 11. | 23 November 1998 | ITF Culiacán, Mexico | Clay | 6–3, 6–2 | ||
| Runner-up | 12. | 4 January 1999 | ITF San Antonio, U.S. | Hard | 6–7, 4–6 | ||
| Runner-up | 13. | 8 February 1999 | ITF Rockford, U.S. | Hard (i) | 6–7, 2–6 | ||
| Winner | 14. | 19 September 1999 | ITF Hopewell, U.S. | Hard | 6–3, 6–3 | ||
| Runner-up | 15. | 1 May 2001 | ITF Dothan, U.S. | Clay | 0–6, 2–6 | ||
| Winner | 16. | 14 October 2001 | ITF Hallandale Beach, U.S. | Clay | 4–6, 6–2, 6–3 | ||
| Winner | 17. | 12 November 2001 | ITF Hattiesburg, U.S. | Hard | 6–3, 6–1 | ||
| Runner-up | 18. | 3 December 2001 | ITF West Columbia, U.S. | Hard | 6–0, 3–6, 3–6 | ||
| Runner-up | 19. | 3 December 2002 | ITF Boynton Beach, U.S. | Clay | 2–6, 6–7 | ||
| Runner-up | 20. | 19 October 2003 | ITF Sedona, U.S. | Clay | 6–7(2), 6–7(3) | ||
| Runner-up | 21. | 10 November 2003 | ITF Eugene, U.S. | Hard | 6–3, 2–6, 4–6 | ||
| Runner-up | 22. | 1 December 2003 | ITF Palm Beach Gardens, U.S. | Clay | 1–6, 2–6 | ||
| Runner-up | 23. | 2 June 2008 | Internazionale di Roma, Italy | Clay | 3–6, 1–6 | ||
| Winner | 24. | 18 January 2009 | ITF Boca Raton, U.S. | Clay | 6–4, 6–2 | ||
| Runner-up | 25. | 8 February 2009 | ITF Rancho Mirage, U.S. | Hard | 2–6, 6–7(6) | ||
| Runner-up | 26. | 27 April 2009 | Charlottesville Open, U.S. | Hard | 5–7, 6–3, [7–10] | ||
| Runner-up | 27. | 10 October 2009 | ITF Mexico City | Hard | 3–6, 4–6 | ||
| Runner-up | 28. | 8 March 2010 | Clearwater Open, U.S. | Hard | 4–6, 4–6 | ||
| Winner | 29. | 19 April 2010 | ITF Dothan Pro, U.S. | Clay | 6–4, 6–2 | ||
| Runner-up | 30. | 11 October 2010 | Classic of Troy, U.S. | Hard | 2–6, 4–6 |
References
edit- ^ "Serena loses to qualifier in Linz". ABC News. 2004-10-27. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ^ "Alina Jidkova Women's Doubles Activity". www.itftennis.com. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ "Alina Jidkova Women's Singles Activity". www.itftennis.com. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alina-jidkova-b55a88224 [bare URL]
- ^ "Alina Jidkova Masters Tour Doubles Activity". www.itftennis.com. Retrieved 2024-08-09.