Country Russia
Date of birth: 02.22.1991
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 71 kg
ATP career: since 2008
Leading hand: right
Backhand: two-handed
Prize money: $2,713,269

A promising domestic tennis player, famous for his victory at junior Wimbledon in 2009.

The third racket of the world in juniors and the first racket of Russia at the end of 2016.

Statistics

Singles

ATP titles: -

Highest position: 39 (04/25/2016)

Total matches: 77–97

Grand Slam tournaments

AO – 4th round (2016)

RG – 3rd round (2015)

WIM – 3rd round (2014, 2016)

USO – 3rd round (2014, 2016)

Doubles

ATP titles: –

Highest position: 137 (02/27/2017)

Matches total: 21–27

Grand Slam tournaments

AO – 2nd round (2017)

RG – 1 lap (2016)

WIM – 1st lap (2013)

USO – 2nd round (2017)

Andrey Aleksandrovich Kuznetsov, born on February 22, 1991 in Tula, is the only Russian junior tennis player who managed to win at Wimbledon in both doubles and singles competitions.

Mentor

Grand Slam and other "big" games

The success could not go unnoticed, and in 2010 the young athlete was invited to the Grand Slam games. He was unable to participate due to lack of time and, as a result, insufficient preparation. The Russian was immediately included in the main draw. However, as sometimes happens, a streak of failure began here. “Failure” already in the first round, then elimination from the tournament in Eastbourne after the second round.

Andrey took part in three finals of the ITF Futures series, but three times he left defeated. Only the Almaty soil brought him the much-needed, well-deserved reward. The next year was difficult for Andrei Kuznetsov and even less generous in terms of victories. However, the athlete managed to learn the necessary lessons from his losses and cope with himself in order to start 2012 with impressive achievements. “Futures” in Cairo ended in triumph for him, and a series of “challengers” allowed the young Russian to break into the “hundred” of the best tennis players in the world. 2013 will forever be remembered not only by tennis fans, but also simply by admirers of Russian sports as the year crowned with the gold medal won by Andrei Kuznetsov at the World Universiade.

It is now unrealistic to catch a Russian tennis player in his native Tula; catching him in Russia is much easier, but to do this you will have to travel a long way to Balashikha near Moscow, where Andrei has been based in recent years. A couple of days ago he flew in from Australia, and immediately after our conversation he flew to Rotterdam, Holland for his next tournament.

Andrey Kuznetsov (left) and Myslo correspondent Dmitry Zakharyin.

First set: correspondent's questions

First steps in native Tula

- Andrey, tell us about your tennis childhood. What was little Andryusha Kuznetsov like?

Some memories stuck in my head. I remember jumping on trampolines in the playpen. There's probably a warehouse there now. I remember running and hitting pebbles on the open courts. They didn’t give me the ball, and the only thing that hit me from the racket was stones.

Once, when I was 6 years old, I forgot my only racket on the horizontal bars. I was scolded a lot because I was taking part in some competitions at the time.

- Was this sport instilled in you by your tennis family or was it just a personal interest?

I was put into tennis to improve my health. My immune system was weak and I needed to exercise. There were no thoughts about any achievements then. I just worked out three times a week because I liked it, that's all. Before moving to Balashikha, no one demanded seriousness from me. But then my father gave me a choice: if I wanted to progress in tennis, then it was time to give my all in training. That's when I started to reach my goal.

- So the dream of reaching the top in world tennis appeared only in Balashikha?

No. My father likes to remind me how little Andrei threatened to win all the tournaments in a row. In sequence. Then more adequate goals appeared. I understood why I was training and what I was preparing for. As soon as I started netting, it immediately affected the result.

- How do you remember that Tula, where you grew up and took your first steps in tennis?

I have grandparents and godfather in Tula. We used to come there often, but every year less and less. There are no friends left there anymore. When I was 18, I came there one day and realized how small Tula was. Previously, the yard with the swing seemed huge, but now everything has changed. Well, the abundance of work and training does not allow me to go to Tula often.

Alexander and Andrey Kuznetsov: father and son, coach and ward.

Second Motherland

- How did the adaptation in Balashikha go? Did you quickly become one of your own here?

We didn’t experience any problems at the new place. The only thing is the housing issue. The five of us had to huddle in a one-room apartment. There was no money to rent a larger apartment. We moved constantly. Mom didn't like it very much. We wandered like this for about 6 years. And then we were lucky - we received an apartment from the Russian Tennis Federation.

Was this gift a response to the proposal of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation, which then offered citizenship of their country?

We were open to everyone then. We explained to the President of our Federation, Shamil Tarpishchev, that we are not going to change our citizenship, but we are tired of living in rented apartments. He promised to solve this problem. And I decided. There was no blackmail.

- Otherwise, would you have left for Kazakhstan?

I think yes. The proposal was interesting, although it would have left my soul scratching afterwards. I tried to think about my family first. Buying an apartment in Moscow or the region was simply unrealistic. It’s good that there were people who were able to allocate real estate. In Balashikha I have all the conditions for training.

- Has Balashikha become a second homeland?

If they ask me where I’m from, I say that I was born in Tula and lived there for 12 years. But now my home is where my family is. When I spend a lot of time at tournaments, I miss home. It turns out that I miss Balashikha.

Andrey Kuznetsov and President of the Russian Tennis Federation Shamil Tarpishchev.

New stage

- In light of the latest events on the courts of Qatar and Australia, do you consider yourself a leading player in Russia?

We have a lot of good tennis players. I hope the country can just be proud of me. It was nice when I had fans in Australia after this tournament. I will try not to disappoint them now.

I have a goal - to get to the Olympics. It is based on this rating that participants are selected. The chances are good. Participants for major tournaments are selected according to the same scheme. I would like to win a couple of tournaments before Roland Garros in May and perform well in France. Then the Olympics are in my pocket. But I don’t think of stopping there either. I want to be closer to the top 30 in order to get to the truncated “masters” and play against strong opponents.

Many tennis players have in their arsenal not only signature blows, but also signature chips. Some people constantly fall over balls, others break rackets...

My main feature is my tennis. First of all, we need to develop in this regard.

I make fans fall in love with me by playing. Over time, the chips will come, but I'm not a show-off person. For me, for example, hairstyle is an absolutely unimportant part of the image.

Although sometimes I can afford to kick the ball with my feet or catch it beautifully with my racket.

What place does money play in tennis? Is it more important to go to a tournament where there is a good prize fund, or where there is an opportunity to earn more points in the rating?

These things are interconnected. Then I went through the tournament bracket - I received more points and earned more money. Money allows me to travel to tournaments, but now I don’t have any urgent need for finances. It’s more important for me to constantly progress and gain rating points.

Decent sums are probably needed not only for travel, but also for the current German specialists who are now working with you?

Undoubtedly. My father and I understood that if there were constant failures at tournaments, then we would not be able to handle expensive coaches. It was easier with my father in this regard. At first, as a coach, I didn’t pay him anything at all, but then they decided that a fixed amount was needed. This is a professional approach.

- Who deals with Andrei Kuznetsov’s financial issues?

That's what I'm doing. No difficult problems have arisen so far. The same Germans calculate their costs themselves, and I just check.

Alexander Kuznetsov, Andrey's father and coach

It's always hard coaching your son. He listens more carefully to other coaches. Now I have handed him over to a coach from Germany, with whom he competed for the first time in Australia. I’m proud of my son, but I understand that he doesn’t have any special achievements behind him. The main thing is ahead. I would like him to win the Grand Slam tournament one day and become one of the strongest tennis players. And as a person and my son, he did not give a single reason to doubt his upbringing. I would even like him to loosen up a little.

Andrey signs autographs at the Australian Open.

Best Achievement

- How do you remember the Australian Open now?

This is the first Grand Slam tournament in which I reached the second week. The sensations are unusual. At first there are so many people around you that you can’t crowd the dining room - there are a lot of participants. And then everything gradually becomes empty. The autograph session after the third round was a pleasant surprise. Previously, I only had this at the Kremlin Cup.

- Organization of the tournament at the highest level?

Yes, everything is the same at Grand Slam tournaments. But if we take ordinary tournaments, then I am impressed by the tournament in Doha: a luxurious hotel, excellent food, the players are given a new iPhone. It seems like a small thing, but it’s nice. In general, it is a rich country where money is not spared for anything.

- What are your immediate sports plans?

Now I’m going to ATP tournaments in Rotterdam and Marseille, then I’m waiting for an invitation to the Davis Cup. The question of the composition of the Russian national team is now being decided. In March there will be quite large “masters” in Indian Wells and Miami. Now the main desire is to abandon the “Challengers”. I already tried it once, but fell out of the top hundred in the ranking and had to return to them.

- Are you happy with the start of 2016? Looking at your game, many people summarize that you have simply matured...

The Russian national team psychologist told me so. I see for myself that a lot has changed. Physical work and training work have an impact. The tactical things that were suggested to me are having an effect. In a word, I am satisfied with my pre-season preparation. Well, confidence came after the first victories in Doha. This is a very important indicator in tennis.

Andrey just lost to Gael Monfils.

- Your father said that you didn’t have any strength left to play with Monfils in Australia?

I wasn’t sure that I would even finish the game. I tried to take points through quick plays. I had to constantly escalate and take risks. My body really hurt. Old injuries resurfaced. I tried not to think about it and just play for fun.

- Maybe there wasn’t enough experience? After all, for the first time you reached the 4th round at a Grand Slam tournament.

The tournament showed that I am moving in the right direction. I failed to distribute my forces correctly over the distance. In three rounds he gave only one set. It would seem that there should still be a lot of strength left, but there wasn’t enough. That's the kind of experience I lacked.

- Your main lesson from the Australian Open?

- Was your father missing in Australia?

This was the first major tournament I went to without him. I didn’t try to surprise him with the result. We constantly called each other and made adjustments to the game.

I felt like there was a whole team around me, restoring me between games and preparing me for the next ones. It's nice to have professionals around you. Every player needs such a team. I've had it since this year.

- Are you proud that you became the only Russian guy to get so far along the grid in Australia?

We have no competition in the national team. We support each other. The girls cheer for the boys, the boys for the girls. When I had free time, I tried to attend the games of Russian tennis players. He was happy about successes, upset about defeats.

- How do you feel at the moment? Did you manage to heal old sores?

I work with Dr. Bloom regularly. For 9 years now. Problems with the hip joint have not gone away and will not go away. Once every 3-4 months I do certain procedures, every day I do a course of exercises. I couldn’t play on hard before, but all that is behind me. This no longer interferes with tennis.

- What is your favorite and least favorite coating?

Favorite - grass. I'm pretty good at performing there. True, there are still no grass courts in Russia. As a rule, I arrive at such tournaments a little earlier and prepare.

A typical Andrey workout takes 1.5-2 hours.

Outside the tennis court

- What are you like outside of tennis? Do you have a hobby, for example?

I have two guitars: acoustic and electronic. I mostly play acoustic. Learning to play. I don’t remember why I suddenly “fell ill” with the guitar. I just asked him to give it to me one day. The first year I was actively involved in this, but then I abandoned everything.

- Can we say that the guitars are lying and waiting for you to finish your tennis career?

There are such thoughts in my head. In the meantime, everything happens in spurts: you go to a concert somewhere and get fired up with the desire to learn to play again. I hope that I will return to the guitar again.

- How does one day go for Andrei Kuznetsov?

If it's a regular training day, I wake up a couple of hours before my morning workout. After training, lunch and light rest. In the evening, gym and free evening, which I most often spend at home. I try to eat as often as possible. I want to gain a few kilos. If it’s not a training day, then I can go to Moscow and meet with friends. In general, there is enough to do: travel, tickets, visas.

- Cinema, nightclubs?

I love cinema. When there is company, I go with pleasure. I can watch it at home. And nightclubs are not my thing. I've been there once in my entire life and don't want to go there again.

- What can you do in life besides playing tennis?

Well, I can do a lot. I can hammer a nail and cook food too. I learn fast. He could connect his life, for example, with cars. I could make money from amateur racing. I haven’t tried it yet, but I often watch it on TV. I love karting.

Before training, Andrei was “attacked” by young tennis fans.

Second set: questions from readers

- Andrey, do you play tennis with mere mortals?(qwerty1626)

I tried to play tennis with my friends. Does not work. I’m used to giving my all in training and intuitively I’ll play with everyone the same way. It's like a chef in a restaurant. Do you think he wants to cook at home when he comes home from work?!

- Do you follow Tula tennis?(KolxozNik)

I know that in the Russian national team (under 14 years old) there is a Tula guy, Timofey Skatov. I was glad when the Tennis Center was built in Tula. Now they told me that another Center is opening one of these days, and Shamil Tarpishchev himself is going there for the opening ceremony.

- Are you ready to play against a guy from the Russian national team (under 14 years old)?(Timofey Skatov)

- (laughs) Challenge accepted.

- At what age is it better for a child to start playing tennis in order to achieve good results?(Hamilton)

I would advise not to rush too much. The wishes of parents are now ahead of the development of the child. A child should have a childhood. He can easily hate the sport he starts playing early. I had a childhood, and no one forced events with tennis. So just weigh everything and find your middle ground.

Andrey Kuznetsov and Rafael Nadal.

-Which tennis player do you admire? Did you manage to communicate (or play) with your idols at the Grand Slam tournament?(bodun)

There are two players that I like. The first is Andre Agassi, who has already completed his career. The second is Roger Federer. It so happened that at the moment I have played with all the leading tennis players in the world, except Federer. When we meet him we often say hello. I'm not sure he knows me (laughs). Although by now he should already have an idea of ​​who I am.

About three years ago I came to a tournament in Federer’s homeland in Basel, he came into our locker room and said hello. Then I was shocked.

I really want to play against Roger, although I understand that it will be difficult to prove myself. And we easily communicate with everyone else and say hello. Even with Toni Nadal (Rafael Nadal's coach - author's note) we exchanged a few phrases.

It happens that the blow is missed. Did any of the spectators get hit by the ball from you? And what paraphernalia do you give to your fans? (KolxozNik)

The line judges definitely got it, but this is a common thing (laughs). They knew what they were getting into. There were definitely no tragic incidents with spectators. I would remember. Maybe it came to someone, but only as a gift. And so the spectators ask for wristbands and a towel after the game. At the “open tennis day” in Tula, everyone was given autographed caps.

The scream of tennis players while hitting shots has long been the object of jokes. And who, according to Andrei, is the owner of the most erotic cry from modern tennis players? (Kirasotka)

To be honest, I don't follow women's tennis much. I would be glad to speak here as a specialist, but I have nothing to surprise me with. If one day I note someone’s exclamation for myself, I will definitely tell you.

Andrey, do you ever have a premonition, the voice of intuition, that today the game will go like clockwork, or, on the contrary, the game will not work out? Do you have dreams that clearly indicate something good and victorious? Do you have a universal recipe for fighting fatigue? And what would you like as a gift for your upcoming anniversary? Good luck! (Lyudmila Bernikova)

I can't say that I get very nervous before games. In my dreams, I used to play tennis. I once told my brother in a dream how to play and follow the lines. Intuition usually tells you that you can win here, but here you need to convince yourself. Coach Norman helps me fight fatigue: massage, gymnastics, ice-cold shower.

And you reminded me well about the anniversary. Just now I remembered that I will soon be 25.
But I don't like gifts. Basically, I have everything. The main thing in a gift is attention. And, to be honest, I love giving gifts. I brought many gifts to friends from Australia.

Andrey, do you call on some higher powers for help or are all your achievements exclusively the result of working on yourself and there is no mysticism? (Ash disgusting)

- (throws up his hands)... I used to believe in sports signs in tennis. I tried to have time to take the winner's bench, for example. But as a junior I realized that all this was stupid. Especially mysticism. The main sign now: dilute the drink, put an energy bar in your bag. But these are normal fees for the game. I like to be the first to accept a serve - is this a sign?!

- What brand of racket do you use and why?(Lyira)

I have been playing with a Wilson racket for a very long time. Once I tried to play with it and after that I didn’t want to go back to the old racket. The racket changes color and weight over time, because I am still getting stronger, but I am still happy. The rest of my equipment is from Nike. I have been under contract with both Wilson and Nike since I was a junior.

I saw how tennis players hit their rackets. How do you deal with emotions? Can you afford to break a couple of rackets or is it an expensive proposition? And at whose expense is the banquet? (KolxozNik)

I've broken just two rackets in my entire life. This was again for juniors. But even then I realized that this was not my “trick”. I didn’t even feel at ease, even though sponsors were already providing me with rackets. Nowadays they give out a whole lot of them.

How much money did the tournament in Australia bring you? How much of the money earned at the Australian Open went to you personally? (Ilya Kireev)

The amount is open information and is freely available (about 16 million rubles - author's note). There are taxes, there is a percentage for the coach. The expenses of the coaching staff are also my responsibility. But I got 75-80 percent.

World number one Novak Djokovic and Andrey Kuznetsov.

I would be glad to become one someday. Even if in 10 years, I’m ready to wait for this moment. With opponents like Djokovic, it is difficult to become the first.

The speed of the ball when served by Andrey Kuznetsov reaches 206 km/h.

To be honest, I am most interested in the question: does Andrei have a girlfriend, does she have anything to do with tennis, how does she relate to his tough regime and frequent trips? (Lyira)

There is no girl. I am a supporter of serious relationships, but it is difficult to maintain them in such a schedule. There were attempts, but nothing good came of it. I realized that my marital status shouldn’t bother me now. Of course, there is no need to make a guess. Maybe now I’ll go out into the street and fall in love...

Do they recognize you on the streets, ask you to take a photo together or get an autograph? Are they inviting you to a talk show like the evening Urgant? (Hamilton)

I was only recognized off the court a couple of times. Once I gave a boy an autograph at the English embassy, ​​another time they approached me at the airport in America. There are more fans at competitions. I don't regret autographs. But at the same time, I don’t quite understand - why are they?! I always thought that a photo was much more memorable and valuable.
But they haven’t invited me to the talk show yet. I haven’t grown up to “Evening Urgant” yet. The real stars are called there.

Andrey Kuznetsov gave an interview to SE after his sensational victory over Fernando Verdasco.

Vasily OSIPOV
from New York

Andrey Kuznetsov presented a sensation with a plus sign on Thursday. Let me remind you that two months ago at Wimbledon he defeated the 7th racket of the world, David Ferrer, in the second round in five sets. This time it was the turn of another Spaniard - Fernando Verdasco (No. 37). It took Kuznetsov 3 hours and 12 minutes to beat him with a score of 6:3, 4:6, 4:6, 7:5, 3:6. Now in the 1/16 finals Andrey’s opponent will be the 2012 US Open champion, Briton Andy Murray.

- What was your mood in the fight with Verdasco?

With good. Before the match, my friend predicted that everything would go well and I would win in five sets.

- Then let's make it clear right away that she is talking about the match with Andy Murray?

- (Smiles.) I’ll just try to take advantage of my chances. There will be no pressure on me, so I will try to show my best tennis.

-Have you ever played against Murray before?

Never. And I never even sparred with him. So I think I know him better than he knows me. Still, I saw a lot of matches with Andy.

- What can you say about his strengths?

He is an excellent tennis player who has won Grand Slam tournaments. But I am sure that I will have chances, I just have to try to use them. I will try to impose my game on him. I hope my attacking style will help me in the fight with Andy.

- Before returning to the match with Verdasco, tell us how you prepared for the US Open?

Just a week ago I played on clay, so it was almost impossible to train here. Even in my first fight, I felt that I had not yet fully adapted to this surface. I’m trying to make up for lost time through matches directly at the US Open.

- How did you manage to defeat the seeded Spaniard?

First of all, through willpower. After all, after losing two sets, many would have given up. But I didn’t give up and continued to stick to my line. It ended up working.

- How did the weather conditions affect the match?

Wind and heat are the same for everyone. It is important to prepare for this psychologically.

- When did you feel that you would win today?

Probably after I took the fourth game. And in the fifth set I immediately managed to take Verdasco’s serve, and he got nervous.

I think this season is the best of my career. I have already managed to go two rounds at two Grand Slam tournaments in a row. It gives you confidence. Having won junior Wimbledon five years ago, I thought that getting into the top 100 wouldn’t be too difficult. But everything turned out to be not so rosy. I had to go through difficult periods, and I was able to break into the hundred only two years ago. This season we managed to do the same again. I hope this is not the limit and I will progress further.

- Did your father coach you throughout your career?

Yes, this is my first and only coach. Sometimes we tire of each other, because in addition to training, I see my father almost every day. Therefore, I try to somehow diversify my life.

- How?

Differently. On Tuesday, for example, I looked at the Statue of Liberty and visited the memorial to the victims of September 11, 2001

- What do you do besides tennis?

I'm learning to play the guitar. Although I am still far from being a professional.

One of the young Russian tennis players, Andrey Kuznetsov, was able to experience a large number of impressive victories and crushing defeats in just a few years in his professional tennis career.

The beginning of Andrey Kuznetsov's attachment to tennis

Born in Tula in 1991, Andrey Kuznetsov begins to show interest in tennis in his very young years. Seven-year-old Andrei's training was taken over by his father, Alexander Kuznetsov, a teacher at the University of Physical Culture and Sports. From the very beginning of training, the young athlete showed extraordinary abilities, so the family decided to move to Balashikha near Moscow. There, intensive training continued at a more professional level. His brother, Alexey Kuznetsov, also began training with Andrey.

First successes in tennis

Soon the first results appeared - victories at local tennis competitions became commonplace for Andrei Kuznetsov. Andrey Kuznetsov reached the ITF level in 2006, and approximately 4 out of 5 matches ended in his favor. Victory in doubles and singles as a junior at Wimbledon left no doubt about the wonderful sporting future of this talented tennis player.

In general, versatility for doubles and singles is quite rare for a tennis player. This requires a combination of two lines of behavior at once - the ability to focus on your strategy and the ability to adapt to your partner.

Victories and defeats

Andrey Kuznetsov’s sporting achievements include a lot of awards and prestigious competitions. In just one “stellar” 2009, he was able to take part in the Cairo futures final, win the doubles futures in Suez, receive an award for a single performance in Mestre and win awards at the Moscow and Astana tournaments. An attempt to participate in the ATP Cup in the Kremlin was unsuccessful, but winning the St. Petersburg Open made it possible to compensate for this.

The talented Russian tennis player was invited to take part in the Grand Slam tournaments in 2010. The game at the Australian Open 2016-03-02 did not take place for Kuznetsov due to lack of time for preparation. Wimbledon, which gave him an advance in the form of inclusion in the main draw, still did not submit to the athlete.

Throughout 2011, Kuznetsov was plagued by setbacks, and only in 2012 was he able to regain his place in the ranking of the hundred best tennis players on the planet thanks to a number of successful “challengers” and a futures win in Cairo. The following year, Andrei Kuznetsov won the gold medal at the World Universiade.