Kristina Mladenović, popularly known as Kiki, was ranked 2017th in the world in 10, and was once the best tennis player on the planet in doubles, where she won nine Grand Slam titles.
A French woman with roots in this area is in exclusive interview for Meridiansports talked about the beginnings, about her entire career.
"My parents enrolled me in tennis because there was a tennis court close to our house, and they wanted my brother and I to practice different sports. I also practiced volleyball and swimming when I was little. I love volleyball, but I'm a big fan of team sports in general," said Kristina Mladenović.
Her father, Dragan Mladenović, is a former Yugoslav handball player, originally from Gnjilane, who played for Red Star, and after a stint in the Belgrade club, he moved to France with his family.
The mother of the popular "Kiki", Dženita, was born in Prijepolje, and also played sports at a professional level - she played volleyball.
Kristina, unlike her parents, opted for an individual sport - tennis.
She won one title in singles, and the former junior world number one had more notable results in doubles, where she won 28 WTA trophies, nine of which were from Grand Slam tournaments.
"My main priority has always been singles. I was in a position to win more than one trophy, but that's how sport is. Sometimes the opponent was better, while sometimes I just lacked the luck to win the title. I'm happy that I had the opportunity to be among the top 10 and play in two Grand Slam quarterfinals," the popular Kiki emphasized.
This 31-year-old player is currently 226th on the list, having struggled with injuries recently.
"I've been struggling with injuries lately. I'm currently injured and taking a break. I haven't played since the Dubai tournament in February. The main goal is to recover, come back fit and competitive so I can enjoy tennis without pain for a few more years. As for results, I want to get back into the top 100 in singles and try to win more singles and doubles titles," Kristina Mladenović said.
She is also proud of her origins.
"My father played handball for Red Star, so it's natural that all of us in the family are big fans of the red and whites. I love following basketball, especially the Euroleague, and the atmosphere at the matches in the Stark Arena can't be found anywhere else."
"Over the years, I have felt nothing but love and support from the Serbian audience. I have always felt respected and accepted as if I were theirs, even though I did not play under the Serbian flag. I must also mention the Serbian journalists who came to my press conferences at Grand Slams more often than the French ones. Unfortunately, I could not represent both countries," she concluded.
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