The WTA Tour schedule came to a conclusion in November following Elena Rybakina’s triumph at the WTA Finals.
However, for those with lower rankings, the tennis season has not concluded.
A number of WTA events are taking place throughout the final month of the year, including in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Vera Zvonareva, a former world number two, has decided to participate in the event over a year after playing her last professional match.
Zvonareva, who hails from Russia, has proven that class is permanent.
Vera Zvonareva defeats a player ranked inside the WTA top 250
Vera Zvonareva has marked her return to the professional circuit with a win in the first round of a WTA 100 event in Dubai.
The Russian, who has reached Grand Slam singles finals at Wimbledon and the US Open, is classed as an ‘inactive’ player on the WTA Tour website.
Remarkably, the 41-year-old defeated world number 238 Tara Wuerth 6-3, 6-4.
Zvonareva, who also has won four Grand Slam titles in doubles, played her last professional match on May 18, 2024.
That day, the Russian was demolished 6-0, 6-0 by Ashlyn Krueger in the qualifying rounds of the Strasbourg Open.
The 41-year-old will play top seed Dalma Galfi next. Galfi, ranked 98 in the world, received a bye through to the second round.
Do you think women should play best-of-five set matches?
Vera Zvonareva’s Grand Slam finals in singles
Zvonareva’s best Grand Slam performances in singles occurred between 2009 and 2011.
In 2009, she reached her first Grand Slam semi-final in singles at the Australian Open. The Russian lost to compatriot Dinara Safina 6-3, 7-6.
A year later, Zvonareva made the Wimbledon final, losing to Serena Williams at the final hurdle.
A few months later, she repeated the Grand Slam feat – as Amanda Anisimova has done in 2025 – reaching the final of the US Open.
In that final she lost to Kim Clijsters: 6-2, 6-1.
Although she has failed to win a Grand Slam singles title thus far, Zvonareva has enjoyed great success in doubles.
She has won women’s doubles titles at the US Open in 2006 and 2020, and the 2012 Australian Open title.
The Russian also won mixed doubles titles at the 2004 US Open and the 2006 Wimbledon Championships.
