MEET DARIA GAVRILOVA

As some of you may be aware, on October 6th ATA will be hosting WTA pro Daria Gavrilova at the HKFC tennis courts for a coaching clinic, exhibition match, interview and photo session, all of which is going to be followed up by an exclusive Tennis Society Gala Dinner.
This opportunity to learn from a high-profile touring professional and then meet her in a social setting afterwards is something Hong Kong tennis fans won’t want to pass up.
More information on this great event is available here.
Today, to get readers excited for Daria’s arrival in Hong Kong, we wanted to go over some of the biography details of this rising Russian-Australian tennis star.

WHO IS DARIA?

Daria Gavrilova was born in Moscow, Russia on March 5th, 1994 and was introduced to tennis by her parents Alexey and Natalia by the age of six. Daria, or “Dasha” as she is known to friends and family, quickly emerged as a top talent, and by the age of 12 she already had her sights set on a professional tennis career. This confidence was not misplaced, as she quickly became an ITF world No.1 junior.
In 2010, Daria graduated from high school, and in many ways was like other teenage girls her age. She read the Twilight books, enjoyed going out for sushi and idolized the Williams sisters, Kim Clijsters, and Martina Hingis.
One thing that set her apart from her graduating class? None of the other students won the 2010 US Open juniors that year.
In 2015, Daria immigrated from Russia to Australia is currently dating Australian tennis pro, Luke Saville.

A RISING TALENT

As a pro, Daria is currently ranked 32nd and has beaten a number of top-10 opponents in the past, including Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic. She defeated reigning number 1 Angelique Kerber and has bested Czech star Petra Kvitova twice.
Daria has climbed as high as 20th in the rankings and is constantly improving her game. She made the final 16 at the Australian Open in 2016 and 2017 and is getting closer to her professional goal of winning a Grand Slam event. There are tough opponents in her path, but Daria has already beat 2 of the current top five and there are always new winners at Grand Slam events, as we saw with Naomi Osaka last month.

TENNIS SPECS:

Favourite surface: Hard Court
Favourite shot: Forehand
Favourite Tournament: Australian Open
Toughest Opponent Faced: Serena Williams
Dream Match: Defeating Maria Sharapova at Rod Laver Arena
Career Highlights: Won US Open Juniors in 2010; Represented Australia in the Fed Cup
Professional Goal: Winning a Grand Slam
Want to learn more about Daria? Why not ask her in person. Hong Kong tennis fans can sign up for the HKFC player clinic and gala here, but hurry – spaces are limited and tickets are going fast!