A budding Russian tennis star who had previously reached the quarter-finals of a high-profile tournament in Turkey has died aged just 23.
Violetta Degtiareva, who had been dubbed the next Anna Kournikova, died suddenly Wednesday after a training session, suffering from suspected heart failure, according to a preliminary investigation.
It is still not clear whether Degtiareva's death occurred on the court or on the way to hospital.
News of Degtiareva's demise was not made public immediately, rather it was revealed only after fellow tennis player and friend Anastasia Vdovenco posted a message about the tragedy on her own Facebook wall.
"R.I.P. I cannot believe this," Vdovenco's post read, accompanied by a photo of Degtiareva.
Degtiareva had been ranked 1,084 in the world and at one time reached a peak of 947.
The promising star had previously reached the quarter-finals of an ITF tournament held in Turkey.
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