Veronika Kudermetova finds herself just one win away from the biggest final of her career. Throughout her run at the 2025 Cincinnati Open, where she will take on Jasmine Paolini in a last-four showdown, the Russian has had her husband and coach Sergei Demekhine by her side.
A former pro himself, Demekhine has been on the Kudermetova bench since she was still a teenager. The duo got married in 2017 after dating for a couple of years. Their professional relationship has also remained steady through lows and highs.
With the Russian eyeing the biggest win of her career, it makes for the right time to get an insight into not just her career, but also that of Demekhine.
Sergei Demekhine worked as a model to support his tennis career
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In an interview with Russian website Sports.ru, Demekhine revealed that he was first spotted by Alberto Castellani during a match at the Kremlin Cup. He offered him a place to stay in Italy and later connected him to a modelling agent.
Demekhine eventually moved to the United States and was signed on by Michele Pommier Models and found a Russian agent. He would go on to work with companies like Armani, Rocco Barocco, and Abercrombie & Fitch all while continuing to pursue an active career in tennis.
He would even walk the ramp on the biggest of stages, including the Milan Fashion Week, representing Rocco Barocco and the likes.
"My heart was pounding, of course. There is also the concept of first faces – those who open the collection. I had an entrance from Rocco Barocco, I opened it. Darkness, Irish pipes, then the lights come on, you are the first one to enter the hall. A cool feeling," Sergei Demekhine said of his ramp walk.
During his stint with Abercrombie & Fitch, the Russian came in contact with Bruce Weber, a prolific American photographer and Academy Award nominated director who has been accused of sexual assault by more than 20 models.
Demekhine, who has denied facing any harassment during his time in the modelling industry, was on a two-week retreat with fellow models who were being photographed for Abercrombie & Fitch. He would go on to feature prominently in the brand’s campaign, but modelling was never a priority for the Russian.
From Vera Zvonareva to Veronika Kudermetova, a coaching journey
Sergei Demekhine last played a professional match in 2009 and took up a coaching role with former World No. 2 Vera Zvonareva. Under his tutelage, the Russian would go on to reach two Grand Slam finals (Wimbledon and US Open in 2010).
The partnership, however, came to an unceremonious end a year later and Demekhine was back out looking for work. That’s when his partnership with the then 15-year-old Veronika Kudermetova began.
“After I stopped working with [Vera Zvonareva], I was asked about my goals and desires,” Sergei Demekhine said in his 2019 interview. “I answered that I would really like to take a person from scratch and bring him to the heights. To go through this path completely together with the player.”
Demekhine had maintained his belief in Kudermetova's abilities as a tennis player, often stating that the Russian would have achieved even greater heights had they not been forced to battle funding as well as other challenges.
The partnership has been successful nonetheless, with Kudermetova peaking at No. 9 in the WTA rankings in 2022. She has lifted two titles on the Tour, both at the WTA 500 level and with a total earnings of US$9,536,156 has arrived at a stage of financial security. And that applies for Demekhine by extension as well.
"The salary – if she were not my wife, I would have my percentage of her prize money and a salary," Sergei Demekhine said in July 2019. "But Veronica is my wife, so I don’t have a salary, it’s our common money. She understands what I sacrifice... I don’t think I sacrifice much, but I had desires and urges. I had to leave them."
After a poor few months on Tour, Kudermetova is playing some great tennis again. She has scored big wins over the likes of Clara Tauson, Magda Linette and Belinda Bencic at the Cincinnati Open. And with Demekhine by her side, she has the right support system needed to take the next big step.
