Kudermetova Pregnant: The Reason Behind Her 2026 Absence

Veronika Kudermetova is expecting her first child with her husband and coach Sergei Demekhine. The 29-year-old Russian announced the pregnancy on social media with a couple's photo shoot and a four-word caption, "Waiting for a miracle", explaining an absence that has lasted the entire season.

Kudermetova hasn't played since the WTA Finals in Riyadh, where she won the doubles title with Elise Mertens against Tímea Babos and Luisa Stefani 7-6(4), 6-1. In January she withdrew from the Australian Open, revealing she'd had surgery over New Year's without saying what for:

"What it was will remain my little personal secret".

At the same time, she admitted she had put tennis before everything else:

"In chasing results and wins, I completely stopped paying attention to my health".

2025 had been her best year in doubles. A Wimbledon title with Mertens against Hsieh Su-wei and Jelena Ostapenko, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, then a second Finals triumph with the Belgian after their first in 2022. In singles, Kudermetova reached No. 9 in the world in October 2022, and No. 2 in doubles in June of that same year, with two WTA singles titles and ten in doubles.

In January she had said she wanted to come back "refreshed, but even stronger". Eight months on, that line reads differently, and her return has no date.