Bulgarian tennis star Grigor Dimitrov had had a career-high ranking of number 3 in singles. The most successful player in Bulgarian tennis history, he has also been in the news for his relationship with Maria Sharapova. Known for his acrobatics and athleticism, he was initially named Baby Federer.
Tsvetana Pironkova became the first Bulgarian tennis player to reach semi-final of a Grand Slam in singles after defeating five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams at 2010 Wimbledon Championships. Following this Pironkova attained her highest singles ranking of No. 31 in September that year. She bagged a title in Sydney and in 2020 won the Bulgarian Sportsperson of the Year Award.
Professional Bulgarian tennis player Viktoriya Tomova has so far earned 16 ITF titles in singles and12 ITF titles in doubles. Her current WTA singles-ranking of No. 101 attained on July 11, 2022 is her best WTA singles-ranking, while she attained her career-high WTA doubles-ranking of No. 254 in August 2014. Tomova plays for the Bulgaria Fed Cup team as well.
Retired Bulgarian tennis player Magdalena Maleeva has had a career-high ranking of 4 in singles and 13 in doubles. She is also a 2-time Olympian and has won 10 singles titles throughout her illustrious career. She is one of the three Maleeva sisters, the daughters of former tennis player Yuliya Berberyan.
While she initially represented Bulgaria, former world number 3 tennis star Manuela Maleeva began playing for Switzerland after her marriage to Swiss tennis coach François Fragnière. Politically vocal, the Olympic bronze medalist co-established the party Yes, Bulgaria! She also owns a foundation that helps disabled children.
Bulgarian tennis player Adrian Andreev had a successful junior career, scripting history as the second Bulgarian to win the US Open, though in doubles. He also bagged a Youth Olympics silver. He later has a career-high global ranking of 319 in singles and 653 in doubles.
Once world number 35 in singles, Bulgarian tennis sensation Sesil Karatantcheva is best known for beating tennis legend Venus Williams and reaching the 2005 French Open quarterfinals. From 2009 to 2014, she represented Kazakhstan internationally. She is the daughter of former MP and rower Radoslav Karatantchev.
Retired Bulgarian tennis player Katerina Maleeva is a former world number 6 in singles and number 24 in doubles. She is one of the 3 Maleeva sisters of world tennis, the daughters of tennis star Yuliya Berberyan, the other 2 being Manuela and Magdalena.