Coachedby Victor Ionita ... Father, Vyacheslav, is professional coach (running, tennis - has coached Yaroslava throughout her career); mother, Nurziya, was a professional runner and world champion in the 100km marathon; older brother, Pavel, is a political journalist ... Started playing at age 5; started taking it seriously at age 8 ... Trains at National Tennis Center in Astana, Kazakhstan and at CSKA club in Moscow, Russia ... Favorite surface is clay ... Loves all sports activities and will try anything once ... Has represented Kazakhstan since 2008 (previously RUS) ... Prefers to be called Slava.
Winner (1): 2015 - 125/Hua Hin; 2007 - Bangalore.
Finalist (1): 2015 - Bogotá.
Winner (13): 2016 - 's-Hertogenbosch (w/Kalashnikova); 2015 - Madrid (w/Dellacqua), Hong Kong (w/Cornet); 2014 - Florianopolis, Charleston (both w/Medina Garrigues); 2013 - Florianopolis (w/Medina Garrigues), Tashkent (w/Babos), 125/Taipei (w/Garcia); 2011 - College Park (w/Mirza), Cincinnati, Moscow (both w/King); 2010 - Wimbledon, US Open (both w/King); 2009 - Pattaya City (w/Tanasugarn).
Finalist (15): 2017 - Doha (w/Savchuk); 2016 - Miami, Wimbledon (both w/Babos); 2015 - Roland Garros, Cincinnati, US Open (all w/Dellacqua); 2013 - Auckland (w/Goerges); 2012 - Charleston (w/Medina Garrigues), Oeiras (w/Voskoboeva); 2011 - Rome, US Open, Osaka (all w/King); 2010 - Marbella (w/Kondratieva), 's-Hertogenbosch (w/King); 2008 - Cincinnati (w/Hsieh).
Finalist (1): 2010 - Roland Garros (w/Knowle).
Kazakhstani Fed Cup Team, 2009-10, 2012-16; Kazakhstani Olympic Team, 2012.
2015 - Eighth Top 100 season in last nine years (finishing No.82); runner-up at Bogotá (l. to Pereira in final); QF at 's-Hertogenbosch (l. to Giorgi 46 63 76(9); held 3mp at 7-6, 8-7 and 9-7 in third set tie-break); reached 3r once (Australian Open) and 2r five times; fell 1r six times (incl. Roland Garros and Wimbledon) and in qualifying six times (incl. US Open); won two WTA doubles titles; also won one WTA 125K Series singles title; withdrew from Pattaya City, Monterrey and Indian Wells w/left wrist injury.
2014 - Another Top 100 season; SF at Florianopolis (l. to Muguruza); QF at Nürnberg; reached 4r once (Wimbledon), 3r once and 2r four times (incl. Roland Garros); fell 1r six times (incl. other two majors) and in qualifying four times; won two WTA doubles titles.
2013 - Another Top 100 season; QF at Stuttgart; reached 3r twice (incl. US Open) and 2r five times (incl. Roland Garros, Wimbledon); fell 1r seven times (incl. Australian Open) and in qualifying twice; won two WTA doubles titles; won one WTA 125K Series doubles title; struggled w/right arm injury throughout spring and summer (withdrew prior to Madrid 3r match and Wimbledon 2r match, also from Rome, Nürnberg, Eastbourne, Palermo and Bastad).
2012 - First Top 30 season (finishing No.29); QF twice at Bogotá and Roland Garros (second Grand Slam QF; l. to Kvitova); was already first Kazakh, male or female, to reach a Grand Slam QF, and has now done it twice (French Open in 2010 and 2012); reached 4r once (Wimbledon - d. Errani 60 64 in 3r, the first set being a golden set, the first woman in Open Era to win a golden set); also 3r once and 2r six times (incl. Olympics - l. to Lisicki 46 63 75; held mp at 5-4 third set, and US Open - l. to Vinci 36 75 75; held 2mp at 5-4 third set); fell 1r three times (incl. Tokyo - l. to Schiavone 46 76(4) 64; held 4mp at 64 65) and in qualifying four times (incl. Australian Open).
2011 - Reached 2r six times; fell 1r seven times (incl. Roland Garros and Wimbledon) and in qualifying three times (incl. US Open); won three WTA doubles titles; set doubles career-high No.4 on June 11; withdrew from Australian Open w/left knee injury.
2010 - First Top 50 season; SF twice at Pattaya City (l. to Zvonareva) and Barcelona (l. to Schiavone); QF twice at Roland Garros (first Grand Slam QF; l. to Jankovic) and 's-Hertogenbosch; reached 4r once and 2r nine times (incl. Australian Open and Wimbledon); fell 1r eight times (incl. US Open); won two Grand Slam doubles titles at Wimbledon and US Open (both w/King); first Kazakh, male or female, to win a Grand Slam title of any kind (and did it twice); made doubles Top 10 debut on October 25 (rose from No.11 to No.7).
2009 - Another Top 100 season; SF twice at Bad Gastein (l. to Petkovic) and Tashkent (l. to Amanmuradova); QF at Palermo; reached 3r twice (incl. Roland Garros, US Open) and 2r six times (incl. Wimbledon); fell 1r six times (incl. Australian Open and Birmingham - l. to Scheepers 67(5) 76(7) 63; held 3mp in second set - 2mp at 6-5 and 1mp at 7-6 in tie-break); fell in qualifying twice; made Top 50 debut on August 3 (rose from No.51 to No.50); won one WTA doubles title.
2008 - Another Top 100 season; reached 3r once and 2r four times (incl. Australian Open); fell 1r eight times (incl. US Open) and in qualifying seven times (incl. other two majors); won one singles title and one doubles title on ITF Circuit.
2007 - First Top 100 season; won first WTA title at Bangalore (d. Santangelo in final); made Top 100 debut afterwards on February 19 (rose from No.143 to No.78); reached 3r once and 2r three times; fell 1r 10 times (incl. Roland Garros, Wimbledon, US Open) and in qualifying 11 times (incl. Australian Open).
2006 - Reached 2r once; fell 1r once (Wimbledon) and in qualifying nine times (incl. Roland Garros, US Open); won one singles title and two doubles titles on ITF Circuit.
2005 - Played first WTA main draw at Philadelphia, reaching 2r (as WC, l. to Petrova).
2003 - Played first WTA qualifying at Tashkent; won one singles title on ITF Circuit.