Anne Keothavong is now a captain, coach and commentator.
Keothavong has been named British Fed Cup captain and senior national women's coach for British tennis, the Lawn Tennis Association announced today.
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“I’m delighted and honored to accept this position in the sport that I love," the 33-year-old Keothavong said. "What a privilege it’s been to see all the British success on the court over the last couple of years, especially this last 12 months. But success doesn’t just happen, it takes hard work, dedication, commitment and a desire to continually do better."
Keothavong succeeds Judy Murray, who stepped down as captain earlier this year.
"I really look forward to working with everyone in British Tennis: the performance and coaching teams at the LTA and of course the players as we aim to raise the bar even higher," Keothavong said. "As a young girl growing up in Hackney, I never in my wildest dreams thought tennis would have given me the opportunities it has. That’s why it’s important to always dream big. This is a unique time in our sport, and through our athletes and the Fed Cup, we have the ability to inspire more coming along, both professionally and recreationally, into this great game of ours.”
Keothavong will start December 1st and will travel to the Australian Open in preparation for the Fed Cup Euro/Africa Zone Group 1 set for February 7-12th in Tallinn, Estonia.
“I think Anne is a great choice as our next GB Fed Cup captain," said British No. 1 Johanna Konta. "She will lead from real life experience because she was a winner on court and she knew what it took to step up and play for her country. I wish her the best and look forward to the 2017 campaign.”
On the WTA, Keothavong was a runner-up in doubles at Florianopolis and a seven-time singles semifinalist, including the WTA Premier stop at 2009 Warsaw. In February, 2009, she became the first woman since Jo Durie 16 years earlier to break into the world’s Top 50.
Keothavong launched her 12-year Fed Cup playing career in 2001. Aged 17 years, 221 days, Keothavong was the youngest Briton to represent her country in Fed Cup, in a 52-year span until Katie Swan (270 days younger) broke that record in 2016. Only Virginia Wade has donned the Union Jack more in the competition than Keothavong’s 40 ties. She played 44 singles and doubles Fed Cup rubbers in that time. Her record of 21 singles wins in the competition is only bettered by Wade (with 36).
Photo credit: LTA