Mirka Vavrinec

Born in Bojnice, Czechoslovakia in 1978, Mirka Vavrinec moved to Switzerland with her family when she was two-years-old. When she was nine Vavrinec became interested in tennis, eventually turning professional in 1998. She achieved a career-best singles ranking of #76 in the world in September 2001 and a doubles ranking of #214 in the world in August 1998. She won her first title on the ITF Circuit in October 1993, partnering fellow Swiss player Natalie Tschan in victory in the doubles at the ITF Langenthal tournament. From 1997 to 1999 Vavrinec also won three ITF singles titles, all on clay or hard surfaces.

In 2000 she played in the singles and doubles at the Sydney Olympics, partnering Emmanuelle Gagliardi in the latter. Whilst at the Games, Vavrinec met fellow tennis player Roger Federer, with the pair getting married in 2009. Mirka sacrificed her own tennis career to support Federer and raise her family.