Russian Tennis Star Anna Chakvetadze tied up and robbed by thieves

[Scott]

i post this as i really like her and that she's had such a rapid rise in the sports world this year alone and more specifically,in russian tennis.

Russian tennis star Anna Chakvetadze tied up, robbed by thieves at home
December 18, 2007
MOSCOW (AP) -- Russian tennis star Anna Chakvetadze was tied up by masked robbers who broke into her home Tuesday and stole money and goods worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, her father said.

Chakvetadze, ranked No. 6 and a 2007 U.S. Open semifinalist, was bound for 30 minutes in her home outside Moscow but not seriously hurt, NTV television reported.

"Anna is holding up quite well," Russia tennis coach Shamil Tarpishchev told the ITAR-Tass news agency.

Six assailants approached the home before dawn, tied up a maid in another building and forced her to hand over a remote control enabling them to enter the house through the garage, Dzhamal Chakvetadze told NTV.

"They started to beat me, and I resisted. They hit me over the head with, I think, a pistol butt. It was dark," he said, taking off his cap to show his bruised scalp. "They took out a pistol and told me my child was at home -- reminded me -- and they told me to hand everything over. I did."

Police and Tarpishchev said the assailants tied up Chakvetadze and her parents, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported. Tarpishchev said the 20-year-old player "tried to resist but it was useless."

Chakvetadze's 9-year-old brother, Roman, was asleep in the house during the break-in and was not touched, Tarpishchev said.

NTV said the robbers took about $106,000 in cash, as well as jewelry and other goods worth about $200,000.

Moscow region police did not answer phone calls seeking comment.

Chakvetadze reached a career-high ranking of No. 5 in September, following her first run to a Grand Slam semifinal. She won four singles titles and about $1.4 million in prize money in 2007, her best season since turning pro in 2003.

Updated on Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007 4:27 pm, EST

*sports.yahoo.com/ten

 

[jssy4eva]

OH my! That's so scary. I'm glad she's ok and luckily, they only took things that can be replaced.

 

[Scott]

here's an accompanying article from yahoo as well

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia tennis player Anna Chakvetadze escaped unharmed after several men broke into her house in southwest Moscow early on Tuesday, police said.

"Five to six unknown people wearing masks climbed over the fence of the country house at about 4:00 a.m. Moscow time (0100 GMT), then broke into the house and tied her parents up," a police spokesman was quoted as saying by the Russian media.

"They took money and valuables worth some five million roubles (over $ 200,000)."

Her father Jamal appeared on Russian television, showing scabbed-over bruises on his scalp, cheek and forehead.

"They started to beat me up, I resisted, then they hit me either with their hands or a pistol. It was dark, told me I had a child there, reminded me about it, so that I gave them everything. So I did," Jamal Chakvetadze told Russian television.

Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpishchev later said that 20-year-old Chakvetadze was not hurt in the incident.

"The most important thing was that no one was hurt. I was told Anna didn't even try to resist the robbers," Tarpishchev said.

Police later said they were looking for suspects but gave no details.

World number six Chakvetadze has won four singles titles this year, earning more than $1.4 million in prize money.


This was the latest in a series of violent crimes against high-profile sports figures in Russia and other former Soviet republics in recent years.

Former world top 10 player Andrei Chesnokov was seriously wounded in a shooting in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk in November 2005.

(Reporting by Gennady Fyodorov; editing by Pritha Sarkar)

 

[ptowngal]

That's horrible! Poor Anna!

 

[Scott]

me too. i hope this horrendously frightening event doesn't weigh too heavily on her next season. i would hate that for her. but apparently according to her father she was very courageous and didn't resist.

 

[ninanina19]

I heard about this from another member on here and that's really horrible . Poor Anna. That would be terrifying.

 

[Diamond Star]

How awful. I hope she's ok.

 

[eternitygoddess]

Oh thank god she wasn't raped.

 

[Chaky]

A Russian report that came out yesterday said that Anna herself was hit twice in the face. The burglars also threatened the family and told them that they would be back again. Luckily her little brother Roman slept through it.

Anna's my favorite player so it's horrible to think how traumatic this was for her and her family.

She's released this statement on her website today:

Thank you for your concern and support for me and my family. My family and I will get through this. This was a very difficult experience for us, but the police are investigating and we hope to move on.
~Anna

 

[Chaky]

Russian media reports that the perpetrators have been caught during an attempted robbery at a businessman's home. Hopefully it's the right guys and Anna and her family will get some piece of mind from this.

 

[Scott]

^absolutely! many thanks for the updates,chaky.

i can't believe they hit her though. i really hope,along with her loving family and the fact that she's also studying psychology(that might help her emotions and fears),she will get through this rather positively.

 

[IncurableLunatic]

oh god i really hope she and her family's ok. i hope this incident won't affect her play on the upcoming season.