Arina's biography

Rodionova Arina Residence: Tambov, Russia. Date of birth: December 15, 1989. Birthplace: Tambov, Russia. Height: 5' 6" (1.68 m). Weight: 132 lbs. (60 kg). Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand). Status: Professional (since 2004). Family: Father – Rodionov Ivan, Mother – Rodionova Natalia, Sister – Rodionova Anastasia.

Winner of 4 ITF tournaments (singles): 2009 – Moscow (Russia) , Bukhara (Uzbekistan); 2006 – Moscow (Russia); 2005 – Minsk (Belarus).

Winner of 11 ITF tournaments (doubles): 2010 - Burnie, Australia (w/J. Moore); 2009 - Granada, Spain (w/N. Bratchikova), Moscow, Russia (w/E. Ivanova), Moscow, Russia (w/E. Ivanova), Moscow, Russia (w/M. Kondratieva), Jackson, MS, USA (w/M. Adamczak); 2007 - Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine (w/A. Rakhim), Podolsk, Russia (w/V. Davydova); 2006 – Putignano, Italy (w/A. Rodionova), Moscow, Russia (w/Poltoratskaya), Gliwice, Poland (w/V. Kapshay).

Career-High Singles – 176 (February 15, 2010), Career-High Doubles – 90 (February 15, 2010).

Interesting facts about Arina...

Arina reflects on the beginning of her tennis life..."I began playing tennis when I was almost 3 years old. And why exactly tennis? There wasn't any choice for me with my dad being a coach and my sister a professional tennis player! But in the end I think it's worked well!" Her environment played a great role in establishing herself as a well-trained, strong and skilful tennis-player. Arina's father, Ivan Rodionov, became her future coach, and her elder sister Anastasia was the perfect example of a first-class player. "We have two wonderful pet dogs! It's not possible to ever find such dogs anywhere in the world!" There's no doubt - Arina grew up in a wonderful atmosphere.

Arina admires Martina Hingis. In her free time away from training and tournaments Arina spends her time in many different ways, riding horses or completely absorbed in reading. However, as everyone else, sometimes in the year Arina likes to just take a rest. "I do absolutely nothing! It's so wonderful! Why can't I allow myself to wake up at 1.00 P.M. and to idle around all the day long?" Arina's favorite holidays are the New Year and her birthday. Arina is a very sociable person, that's why she has a lot of friends all over the world. Arina believes "sense of humor is the most important thing above all."

February 28, 2004 became one of the most important dates in Arina's life as it was the day when she began participating in junior tournaments at the tender age of 14 years and 2 months. That was the tournament "Black Gold of Udmurtia". Arina passed qualification and made the second round where she lost to Yaroslava Shvedova. 4 months later on 19 June, Arina played her first ITF, the $10.000 prize money tournament at Protvino, Russia. Although the performance wasn't considered a successful one on the scoreboard having lost in the first round qualification match, the experience gained on a bigger stage was extremely valuable at this early development phase. A week later Arina played the ITF tournament in Krasnoarmeysk and reached the main draw. And so passed the first year of Arina's being a tennis professional.

The 2005 season was significant in Arina's career as she won her first title in Minsk. Arina successfully combined playing on the pro circuit and juniors, winning 2 junior tournaments the Governor Cup Russia and the 10th Slovenian Junior Open. At the end of the 2005 had rising to 779 WTA rankings and made the finals of the Prince Cup junior tournament in USA.

In the 2006 season, Arina found firm ground on the pro circuit, steadily passing qualification rounds and reaching many main draws. Arina enjoyed multiple victories in doubles - first in Putignano, Italy teaming up with her sister to win the title, winning the Moscow Cup in singles and doubles partnering with Anastasia Poltoratskaya and in September winning her third ITF doubles title with Veronika Kapshay in Poland.

Arina passed qualification and made quarterfinals at the Multicup $25,000 tournament and played finals at the junior tournaments of Udmurtia and the French Riviera International Junior Open.

In July Arina debuted at her first junior Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon and in October she played at her first WTA tournament in Moscow, the Kremlin Cup with $1,340,000 prize money, but lost in the first qualification round to the 96th ranking Melien Tu from USA. Arina finished the year ranked at 506 position in singles and in 338 in doubles.

Arina's 2007 season began in Australia where she played 2 tournaments. She won another doubles title with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and managed to reach 2 semifinals in singles. For the second time in her career Arina played in the junior Grand Slam tournament at the Australian Open Championship. Arina lost in singles second round but in doubles achieved the outstanding result of winning the tournament together with Evgeniya Rodina of Russia. After that Arina took some time off until the ITF tournament in Minsk. She later became one of the top 300 players in doubles after reaching the finals with Ekaterina Dzehalevich at the Spring Cup tournament in Moscow and in only her second WTA tournament, Arina made the doubles semifinals at the Estoril Open with Amina Rakhim from Kazakhstan.

Arina always seemed to find her form in Poland making the semifinals in singles and the finals in doubles at Warsaw ITF, then making the semifinals in Moscow doubles and taking the doubles ITF title in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. Arina also played well in the $100,000 ITF tournament in Kharkov. There she was able to win 3 qualifications rounds and 1 main draw match. By autumn in Podolsk, Arina won her 5th ITF title in doubles. Arina again finished her season playing in Australia ranked 338 in singles and 174 in doubles.

In 2008 Arina earned her first serious results of the year at the Australian Open Championship where she fought for her two victories in qualification, but lost in the third round. In Pattaya, Arina teamed with her sister and reached the semifinals in doubles. She made 3 more doubles semifinals in ITF Russia, ITF France and WTA Estoril Open. In the 4th tier WTA Morocco tournament she achieved amazing results qualifying in singles and making it to the 2nd round and making the semi-finals in doubles. In the tier 3 WTA Istanbul tournament, Arina reached the semifinals in doubles, which was to be her best result in doubles that year, as a rib fracture sustained in the singles final at the Turkish ITF tournament meant that she was not able to play competitively for the better part of 3 months.

Her first victory after this time out was at the WTA tournament in Tashkent. But Arina's participation in the USA series unfortunately only set to agitate the healing process. On returning to Europe without a single win, Arina suffered a chronic ankle injury in the ITF Turkey tournament, effectively ending her season. She tried to participate in the Australian November ITF series with hindered results only reaching the semifinals in one tournament. Arina finished the year ranked 266 place in singles and 108 in doubles.

© www.rodionova.net. Translator - Elisa Alcoba.