On Aug. 3, Margarita Gasparyan won a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Rising Star Final at the Baku Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan. It was Gasparyan’s first WTA title.
Twenty-year-old Gasparyan was born to Armenian parents, Melik and Ludmilla, in Moscow, Russia. She began playing tennis when she was 5 years old; her professional tennis career began at age 16. Among her professional achievements are nine ITF singles titles. Gasparyan was invited to be a part of the Russian team for the 2013 Fed Cup Final against Italy.
Earlier this year, Gasparyan made her Grand Slam tournament debut in the French Open, and then faced Serena Williams in Wimbledon on June 29.
“I knew she would be a good player. I can’t say I thought she’d be that good, to be honest. Obviously when you’re winning three matches in qualifying you’re ready to go the distance, and playing me she had nothing to lose. She played really good,” Williams said.
Gasparyan is the first player with a one-handed backhand to win a WTA title this year; the last person to do so was Carla Suarez Navarro in Oeiras, Portugal, in April 2014.
After winning the Rising Star Final against Patricia Maria Tig, Gasparyan continued to win the doubles title alongside Alexandra Panova.
With this tournament, Gasparyan earned a singles ranking of 71 and doubles ranking of 84.
Gasparyan lives and trains in Moscow. She is currently coached by Elena Makarora, a former WTA player. Gasparyan has said that her long-term goal is to win Wimbledon.
Amanda Berger
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Miss Gasparyan is very courageous young lady to go to Baku to play tennis, even though she was representing Russia.The Armenian people should be very proud of her to win the world championship.
Hard Working Athletic! Intelligent Young Women!