Tennis champ Kafelnikov in full swing

MOST of the European Tour’s better name players are absent from the Cadillac Russian Open but there is one world champion on show - former tennis champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov.

A clash with the fourth major of the year - the USPGA - means this co-sanctioned event between the European and Challenge Tours at the Le Meridien Moscow Country Club does not have that star quality but at least Kafelnikov brings interest.

The Russian is a former tennis world number one but he has not played competitively for two years, choosing to concentrate on his burgeoning game and, as vice-president of the Russian Golf Federation, promoting the sport in his country.

“I’m much more nervous than when I played the final grand slams”, said Kafelnikov, an eight handicapper who won the Australian and French Opens during his tennis career.

“It is a big pressure. I have been in every kind of pressure situation before while playing tennis but this is different now, it is a game I’m not good at but it is probably the same for the guy who plays golf and goes on the tennis court with me.

“But I get a chance to play with the guys I see on the TV and it is a big honour for me.”

Kafelnikov added: “I am going to try to do everything I can to develop the game in Russia because the country is big and has a lot of potential.”