Alina Vladimirovna Jidkova (Алина Владимировна Жидкова; born 18 January 1977) is a former professional tennis player from Russia, known for her resilience and competitive spirit on the WTA Tour. Throughout her career, she found success in both singles and doubles. Jidkova reached her career-high singles ranking of world No. 51 in March 2005, achieving strong singles performances against top players. Notably, she defeated several high-ranked opponents, including Serena Williams at Generali Linz in 2004, and also claimed wins over Mary Pierce, Jelena Janković, and Samantha Stosur, showcasing her skill in high-stakes matches. In doubles, she won a WTA title at the Mexican Open 2005 and reached three other WTA finals, including the Memphis Open 2003, Québec Open 2006, and Cincinnati Open 2007. Her doubles ranking peaked at No. 50 in August 2003, reflecting her versatile strength across both singles and doubles play.

Career

In 2004, she reached the quarterfinals of Generali Ladies Linz after beating Serena Williams in straight sets. Aside from Williams, she has career victories against Jelena Janković, Mary Pierce, Samantha Stosur, Alicia Molik, Chanda Rubin, Amanda Coetzer, Brenda Schultz-McCarthy, Amy Frazier, Petra Martić, Mirjana Lučić-Baroni, Vera Dushevina and other notable players. In 2005, she won her single WTA Tour event, the Mexican Open doubles title in Acapulco, partnering with Tatiana Perebiynis. She has also finished runner-up on three other occasions.

Retirement and coaching career

She retired from professional tennis at the beginning of the 2011 season. Her last official singles match played was against Monica Puig, 2016 Olympic champion at the end of 2010 season. Being a PTA Certified Tennis Coach, she worked as a coach for Galina Voskoboeva, Ksenia Pervak and Kaia Kanepi. As a coach, Alina Jidkova was part of the 2012 Olympics, coaching Galina Voskoboeva, who represented Team Kazakhstan. In 2017, she also coached Kaia Kanepi to reach the quarterfinals of the US Open, demonstrating her effectiveness at the highest levels of international competition. Alina Jidkova is currently coaching and consulting with professional players, enhancing their competitive edge. Alongside her work with established athletes, she is passionate about mentoring young, aspiring players, helping them reach the skill level needed for potential recruitment by top college tennis programs. Her coaching emphasizes confidence, technical refinement, and resilience, preparing athletes to excel at every stage.

ITF World Tennis Masters Tour (seniors' circuit)

As of 2024, Jidkova has been playing doubles on the ITF World Tennis Masters Tour, now representing the United States of America. Partnering Julie Thu, she won both tournaments she entered so far, an MT1000 in Houston and an MT700 in Austin, Texas, which are amongst the elite tournaments on the World Tour.

Personal life

Also Nicknamed “Alinka,” Alina Jidkova was born in Moscow, then part of the Soviet Union, into an athletic family. Her father, Vladimir, was an engineer and former weightlifter, while her mother, Lina, was a sprinter before becoming a school teacher. She grew up training at the Spartak Moscow Tennis Club and later the prestigious Spartak Tennis Academy, a renowned training ground for top Russian talent known for its rigorous training methods. Spartak produced many successful players who rose to international prominence, including Anna Kournikova, Elena Dementieva, Anastasia Myskina, Dinara and Marat Safin. This intense early training laid the foundation for Jidkova’s professional career. Seeking further development, Jidkova moved to the United States to train at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida, known for nurturing numerous tennis champions. She now resides in The Woodlands, Texas with her husband, entrepreneur Sascha Ghods. The couple married on 18 December 2010 in Vienna, Austria, and have two children. Their son, currently training under Jidkova’s guidance, is also pursuing a career in tennis, extending her legacy in the sport.

WTA Tour Finals

Doubles: 4 (1 title, 3 runner-ups)

ITF finals

Singles: 17 (9–8)

Doubles: 30 (9–21)