Andrey Chesnokov

Andrey Chesnokov was a Russian tennis player who played professionally from 1985 to 1999. Chesnokov achieved a career-best singles ranking of 9 in the world in April 1991.

Chesnokov won his first ATP tournament in May 1987 in Firenze, Italy, beating Alessandro de Minicis in straight sets. He went on to win six more ATP titles with the last coming in July 1991 at the Canada Masters, with victory over Petr Korda. Chesnokov competed at all four Grand Slams, reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in 1988, and the semi-finals of the French Open in 1989.

Chesnokov won the gold medal at the 1986 Goodwill Games, beating Aleksandr Zverev, Sr. in the final. He also competed at two Olympic Games, the first representing the Soviet Union, and then the Unified Team in 1992. At the 1988 Seoul Olympics he lost in the first round to Michiel Schapers of the Netherlands. At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics Chesnokov lost to Italy’s Renzo Furlan in the second round.

Despite his success, and earning more than $3 million in prize money, Chesnokov was always critical of the Soviet sporting system, stating he would have achieved more if he was born outside the USSR.