Russian tennis player Veronika Kudermetova has been married to her long-time partner and coach Sergei Demekhine since 2017. Their love story is unique as they met when Kudermetova was a child and started dating while she was still in her teen years.
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Kudermetova was 15 when Demekhine became her coach. Three years later they started dating, but the fact that Demekhine was 13 years older than Kudermetova did concern her parents, especially her mother.
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Last year, the 2021 Wimbledon women’s doubles finalist Kudermetova spoke about the early days of their relationship:
At the age of 16 I just liked him but I didn’t even think about anything more. Probably, it’s my upbringing that affected. Such thoughts had been unacceptable to me. Even when I turned 18 and we started dating, sometimes I was still ashamed because of the age difference and the fact that he was my coach.
While the 37-year-old Demekhine had a modest tennis career, with the highest ATP ranking of No.438, his coaching career includes the work with former world No.2 Vera Zvonareva of Russia. Moreover, he used to do modeling! And not for some unknown companies, for Giorgio Armani! Interestingly, Armani is currently Kudermetova’s tennis apparel sponsor. I don’t know if there is a connection.
The world No.31 Kudermetova is currently at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. She’s awaiting her third-round match against 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek. The Russian has won one WTA title this season, the Volvo Car Open in Charleston.
For more stories about the love lives of tennis stars, visit my WTA Players and their Love Partners page.
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