We were all happy to welcome Anna Chakvetadze back on the tennis courts this week at the Hobart International, and seeing her win two matches, her first victories since April, made us root for her even more. However, the Russian has joined dozens of WTA players that are already injured this early January and retired from her quarterfinal against Shahar Peer with a severe left leg cramp.

After ousting third seed Monica Niculescu 6-0 6-4 and Tsvetana Pironkova 6-3 6-2, the 24-year-old Chakvetadze won the first set 6-4 against the sixth-seeded Peer, but even during that set she started experiencing the injury. Chakvetadze then lost the second set and retired after dropping serve initially in the decider at the score 4-6 6-4 1-0.

Chakvetadze was once No.5 in the women's standings but the horrifying robbery, string of injuries and illness dragged her down to her current 234th position in the WTA rankings. Hobart was the Russian’s first tournament since Wimbledon in June. During her golden career year of 2007, Chakvetadze won four WTA titles, including Hobart, and played the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. (photo: © Neal Trousdale)

Anna Chakvetadze has recently become engaged in politics and she’s already been voted the sexiest woman in the field. On top of that, we’re receiving good news regarding her tennis career – the 24-year-old will play the Moorilla Hobart International tournament in January 2012.

Russian internet users were asked to vote for a Russian politician they find the sexiest and Chakvetadze took the honor, beating some all-time favorites on the way.

When news of Chakvetadze's political engagement surfaced in September it made us question her further interest in tennis, as she already hadn’t played much during the 2011 season due to health problems. However, Chakvetadze is returning to tennis in a month, at the Hobart tournament she won in 2007, the brightest year of her career, when she reached her career-high ranking of No.5 and won four WTA titles.

In the entire 2011 the Russian played just 14 matches and won only six of them. She's currently No.231.

Additional info: On December 4 there were State Duma elections and Chakvetadze's Right Cause Party did not cross the 5% election threshold for a seat in the Parliament. (photo: Ralf Reinecke)

Russian Anna Chakvetadze would like to try something new aside from her tennis career and is one of the three parliamentary candidates of the Right Cause Party, a pro-business party which has the support of about 2% of population.

Women’s rights and children’s sports are areas Chakvetadze would focus on. Here’s what the 24-year old said about her political engagement:

I joined the Right Cause party because it's a young party. All of its members are young people, who have many fresh ideas. I believe I also can bring some fresh ideas into this project. I'd like to be involved in deciding the questions concerning the sports sphere in case we manage to enter the State Duma. I am especially interested in children's sports. I believe the state should support the children's sports activity, making it completely free of charge.

In 2007 the fifth-ranked player in the world, Chakvetadze is now number 157, having not played because of health problems since losing in the first round of Wimbledon to Maria Sharapova. In March, April and May she had also skipped tournaments because of illness.

Recently I read some rumors that Chakvetadze might retire. No mention of that now, but if she gets really absorbed in politics it will be hard to balance it with tennis career, and fellow Russian Maria Sharapova stated she was "not really sure" whether Chakvetadze was still going to play or commit herself to politics. (source: Fox Sports, photo: Ralf Reinecke)

As Marine of Tennis Notebook promised, she's extended her list of emotional WTA players, based on your suggestions. You're welcome to leave a comment on her guest post.

After the great feedback on the article "Top 5 emotional players in womens tennis", with many of you providing some perfect tips on other potential candidates, I have compiled a follow-up on the previous chart.

Dinara Safina

In any sport pressure of expectations and criticism can either make you or break you. Dinara’s story is unfortunately based on the second scenario. Hot temper runs in Safin family, just look at her older brother Marat who also could put on quite a "show" back in his playing days. Mental resilience is not Safina's strength. Especially her Grand Slam performances had shown how much the pressure can get to her head. Instead of a great triumph at several Grand Slam finals, fans saw her playing an unusually mediocre game after a series of great performances.

Victoria Azarenka

It is nothing more frustrating for the player than to lose a match which they started off in an impressive fashion or were very close to winning. There was a time when no lead was safe in Victoria’s hands and she often ended up in an emotional turmoil because of that. Sometimes venting helped because she raised the level of her performance, but sometimes she just broke a few rackets. Read more »

World No.2 Caroline Wozniacki has a chance to regain her No.1 ranking from Kim Clijsters if she reaches the semifinals of the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships and she's on a good way, having overcome Anna Chakvetadze after a first-round bye. Actually, if it can be perceived as a victory, because Chakvetadze collapsed during the match and retired right afterwards.

The 51st-ranked Chakvetadze lost the first set 6-1, but was up in the second, serving at 5-3 when she fell to the ground with her eyes rolling. Upon receiving medical attention, Chakvetadze wanted to continue the match, but had to give up after just one point. The Russian was later diagnosed with gastroenteritis. Read more »

Former world No.5 Anna Chakvetadze had lost her opening matches on her three previous appearance at the Kremlin Cup, but this time the Muscovite thrilled the home fans with a 6-4 6-2 upset of third seed Li Na in the first round. Despite the low percentage of points won on first serve in the first set, Chakvetadze had a good conversion of break points (3 out of 4). Chakvetadze's serve improved in the second set, not allowing Li a single break opportunity, and she powered into the round two.

The 68th-ranked Chakvetadze won the Kremlin Cup in 2006, when she played fellow Russian Nadia Petrova in the final.

There was another notable upset in the early stage of the $1,000,000 Kremlin Cup and was also executed by an unseeded local favorite. Elena Vesnina defeated fifth seed Flavia Pennetta 6-4 2-6 6-2. The 55th-ranked Vesnina got the first break of the match in the sixth game, and although Pennetta broke back immediately it was the lower-ranked Vesnina who won the opening set. Pennetta was better in the following set, but in the decider Vesnina established a 4-1 lead and didn’t look back to seal victory.

Vesnina has been playing the Kremlin Cup every year since 2003 and lost in the first round four times, including the previous two years. (photo: chascow)

Wimbledon is just days away and the annual party celebrating the tournament was held at the Roof Gardens in West London's Kensington last night. As usual, the WTA players gave their best to look good and glamorous, and oh well, as usual, their success was sporadic.

Let's start with the bright examples. Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova were spot on. Their dresses are perfect fits and just right for the occasion.

Defending champion Serena Williams looked like a pop star and I'm sure this profile picture will stay remembered for a while. Dinara Safina was having one of her better appearances, although I'm convinced this is not the best she can offer. Read more »

Anna Chakvetadze ended her two-match winning streak by losing to Tamarine Tanasugarn in the quarterfinals of the PTT Pattaya Open. Yes, winning back-to-back matches is news when we’re talking about Chakvetadze, once ranked No.5 now No.74,  as she had been failing to achieve that since August 2009.

The Russian had defeated Jill Craybas 6-1 3-6 6-3 in the first round of the PTT Pattaya Open, then Anastasia Rodionova 6-4 6-1 in the second round, before falling to home favorite Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1 6-4 in the last eight.

Chakvetadze’s losses this season, prior to this latest one, include: first-round exit at Auckland, final round of qualifying at Hobart, and first-round defeat at the Australian Open. (photo: Ralf Reinecke)

World No.59 Anna Chakvetadze is expected to skip all the tournaments in the next four to six weeks due to a stress fracture in her right foot.

The 22-year-old Russian said:

The doctors gave me this boot that I have to use for the next three or four weeks. I must admit having them on is like weird and funny. I feel like I’m a pirate.

Chakvetadze may play the October 19 – 25 Kremlin Cup in her home Moscow. (source: Women Who Serve, photo: Ralf Reinecke)

Anna Chakvetadze hadn’t scored a Top 10 win since February 2008, but she improved by beating world No.6 and third seed Jelena Jankovic, who followed fellow falling Serbian star Ana Ivanovic out of the AEGON International. Final score: 6-7(5) 6-3 6-2. Thankfully, unlike Ana, for Jelena we can at least say she was upset!

Not only is Jankovic still in the mud, and she lost in the first round of a tournament, but she lost to Anna Chakvetadze, who herself said "I am pleased with every win right now because it's very important to me to get back my confidence."

Jankovic has started losing in the very beginnings of tournaments, and plus, to insecure players. Chakvetadze had last defeated a Top 10 opponent when she beat Marion Bartoli at the Paris Indoor event.

Jankovic’s excuse for the defeat was the change of surface: "It was obviously my first match on grass." However, the 24-year-old also mentioned her worrying lack of motivation: "I'll play Wimbledon and then we'll see. At least I can take a few weeks off then. I wish I could take a break now. I need to get to where I want to play tennis again."

It could make Jankovic any better that second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova lost to Aleksandra Wozniak in straight sets 6-0 6-3, just days after lifting the French Open trophy, while fourth seed Vera Zvonareva fell to Amelie Mauresmo 6-3 1-6 6-3, in the opening round as well. (via M&G, photo: Ralf Reinecke)