Maria Kirilenko says she has at least temporarily retired from doubles in order to concentrate on singles. The 13th-ranked Russian has won 12 career doubles titles, including the 2012 WTA Championships with Nadia Petrova. Kirilenko played two tournaments with American Lisa Raymond this season, both early-round losses. She did not play doubles last week in Pattaya City, where she won her sixth career singles title.
Kirilenko told Raymond in Australia that she was stopping doubles to save the wear and tear on her knees.
“I actually stopped playing doubles and decided to concentrate on my singles,” Kirilenko told FedCup.com from Moscow, where she is leading the Russian team against Japan. “I think it was a logical decision because I feel that I am playing well in singles and if you play doubles, you lose so much energy so I want to focus all my efforts on trying to improve my singles game.”
Raymond told TENNIS.com that’s she will team up with her former partner Samantha Stosur at upcoming tournaments in Doha and Dubai, as well as at Indian Wells and Miami. Raymond has won 79 career doubles titles, and she and Stosur combined to win two Grand Slams.