Karen Khachanov has established himself as one of the more consistent players on the ATP Tour, with notable success at both the Grand Slam and Olympic levels. However, his recent Cincinnati Open campaign raised some questions among fans. His three-set battle against Aleksandar Kovacevic, which ended in a 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 defeat, was a disappointing result and could be a factor as Khachanov looks to regroup ahead of the US Open.

While Khachanov’s career has been shaped by his performances on the court, there is another person who has played an equally important role in his journey. His wife, Veronika Shkliaeva, has been by his side since their childhood years, supporting him through the highs and lows of his professional career.

Who is Veronika Shkliaeva?

Karen Khachanov’s wife and longtime sweetheart is Veronika Shkliaeva, who later took his surname and became Veronika Khachanova. Born and raised in Moscow, Veronika grew up around tennis and has known Khachanov since their teenage years.

There is some conflicting information online regarding her year of birth, with certain sources listing 1993. However, several biographies identify 1996 as her birth year. Details about her education, including the high school she attended, remain largely private.

What is known is that Veronika developed an interest in tennis from a young age and was part of the same tennis environment as Khachanov while growing up in Moscow.

What is Veronika Shkliaeva’s height and age?

Veronika is around 29 years old as of 2026. In layman’s terms, she’s tall for a woman, about 5 feet 10 inches, and carries a lean, athletic build from her tennis days. She’s Russian and has been described in profiles as Christian by faith, which fits with her Moscow upbringing and the cultural background she shares with Karen.

When did Karen Khachanov meet Veronika Shkliaeva?

Their story follows the typical plotline of a romantic comedy, except that their love affair began when their baggage trolleys collided. According to Karen, it all began when they were eight-year-olds at the airport, and he accidentally collided with her while playing around with his luggage trolley. How did she respond? She simply walked over to her mother and said, “What an idiot!”- a quote that Karen has referenced many times in her interviews ever since.

They kept on bumping into each other as well while playing tennis and training in the same club and hitting at the same tennis academy. He had fallen for her at just 14 and knew that she would be his partner in life from that day forward.

“From age of 14 I understood I wanted to see her as my lifetime mate,” he says in an interview with Tennis World USA. They became lovers back in 2011 and tied the knot in April 2016, while he was only 19.

What does Veronika Shkliaeva do for a living?

Veronika is not a celebrity herself. She was a competitive tennis player in her youth and reached a ranking of 618 on the ITF professional tour before deciding to quit her professional career to focus on her family life.

Nowadays, Veronika can be called a full-time mother and a traveling companion for Karen on tours. It is common to find her at the side of the court where Karen is playing his match. There is no data on any other career or business of hers except her family’s.

Meet Veronika Shkliaeva and Karen Khachanov’s Children

Karen and Veronika have two sons. Their first child, David, was born in September 2019, and the couple welcomed their second son in 2023. The family splits time between Moscow and Dubai, where Karen bases his training.

Is Veronika Shkliaeva on Instagram?

Veronika maintains an extremely private social media profile. She does not have any official and well-known Instagram, Facebook or Twitter profiles. Karen sometimes uploads pictures of his family to his personal Instagram account (@karenkhachanov).

The US Open will see Khachanov playing a redemption match after losing in the first round of both the Montreal and Cincinnati tournaments. The Russian tennis player was a finalist at the 2022 US Open, and he definitely has the skills to play another successful tournament and make his way through if he manages to get consistent serves and be patient in long rallies.