Tennis Aces Who Took on The World Series of Poker
by: Leonel Gomez
Tennis requires more than just physical ability. A keen eye and strategic thinking can also play a crucial role in determining a match’s outcome. But these skills aren’t exclusive to tennis — they’re also essential for playing one of the most popular card games in the world: poker.
According to a YouGov survey, 60% of Americans have played poker, highlighting the game’s popularity. Even tennis players have tried their luck on the felt, with a few going as far as joining the World Series of Poker (WSOP), the most prestigious live poker tournament globally.
While it seems unusual for tennis aces to be skillful in high-stakes poker, it’s not uncommon. Take Amy Rennert, for example, who won the US Tennis Association’s 9.0 National Invitational for the third straight year. Aside from her mastery on the tennis court, she is also skilled at the poker table, finishing 28th out of over 1,000 entrants at a WSOP event. Aside from Rennert, other players have also taken their shot at poker glory. Below, we look at the WSOP and tennis aces who participated in the high-stakes tournament.
What is the WSOP?
The WSOP is the longest-running poker tournament in the world, dating back to 1970. It is credited with contributing to the online poker boom in the early 2000s, which began when Chris Moneymaker won the 2003 WSOP Main Event and made history as the first champion to qualify through online poker. Moneymaker’s sustained success has continued through the years, including his own Moneymaker Tour and partnership with ACR Poker, the leading US online poker platform in the US, as one of its team pros. Last year, ACR Poker launched the Sunday Moneymaker tourney, a weekly tournament in honor of Moneymaker’s success in poker, rooted in his historic WSOP win. This highlights the WSOP’s prestige and impact, as it features some of the best poker players in the world.
So, which tennis aces have taken their chances in the WSOP? Find out below:
Tennis stars who took on the WSOP
Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Yevgeny Kafenikov made history by becoming the first Russian player to win a Grand Slam singles title. He is also part of an elite roster of Russian singles players to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals tournament. After retiring from the sport, Kafenikov began playing poker. He finished 9th in the 2005 WSOP with an impressive three cashes. Kafenikov missed the final table in the $1,500 Seven Card Stud event by just one spot. Today, he has over $193,905 in live earnings, according to his Hendon Mob database.
David Benyamine
David Benyamine is a former professional tennis player who retired due to shoulder pain. Today, he is etching his name in the history books playing professional poker. The former tennis ace has significantly succeeded in high-stakes cash poker games, winning one WSOP bracelet and a World Poker Tour (WPT) title. He finished in 58th place in the 2010 WSOP Main Event. Before that, Benyamine made four WSOP final tables, three of them in 2008, when he won his first bracelet. Currently, he has $9,048,800 in total live earnings.
Boris Becker
Boris Becker made history by becoming the youngest player to win the Wimbledon men’s singles title at age 17 in 1985. When he retired from professional tennis in 1999, the three-time Wimbledon champion turned to poker. In 2020, Becker became part of the WSOP Online tournament series hosted at GGPoker. Last year, he participated in the WSOP Paradise, where he played in the $50M GTD Super Main Event. He has over $100,000 in career earnings. Becker was also an ambassador of PokerStars from 2007 to 2013 before signing with PartyPoker in 2016.
Patrick de Koster
Patrick de Koster is a Dutch former tennis player whose career was halted by an injury. De Koster took his talent to the poker felt, where he discovered newfound success. He cashed in the 2010 WSOP Main Event, where he took home $44,000. In 2012, De Koster racked up over $100,000 after winning the WPT National Series Main Event in Marbella. Today, De Koster has won over $200,000 by playing poker.
Playing poker has become a lucrative career choice for several former tennis stars. These tennis aces’ success in the card game proves they can also excel beyond the sport. For more tennis stories, check out the Tennis Connected website.
