Who Is Tennis Pro Karen Khachanov’s Wife? All About Veronika Shkliaeva

Samantha StutsmanFri, September 11, 2026 at 6:10 PM UTC

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Karen Khachanov during The Championships Wimbledon 2026; Karen Khachanov and his wife Veronika Shkliaeva.Credit: Matthias Hangst/Getty; Karen Khachanov/Instagram -

Karen Khachanov and Veronika Shkliaeva grew up together in Moscow

They got married in 2016

Khachanov and Shkliaeva are parents to two sons

Karen Khachanov found his perfect match in his wife, Veronika Shkliaeva, long before he became a tennis star.

The childhood sweethearts grew up in Moscow and began dating as teenagers. They married in 2016 — the same year Khachanov won his first ATP singles title — and later welcomed two sons, David and Mikael, according to Moskvichka magazine.

Khachanov’s biggest breakthrough came in 2018, when he defeated Novak Djokovic to win the Paris Masters. He reached a career-high ranking of No. 8 the following July, earned a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and advanced to consecutive Grand Slam semifinals at the 2022 US Open and 2023 Australian Open.

Through it all, Shkliaeva has been by his side, and Khachanov has been quick to share the credit.

“She’s helping with a lot of things and always supporting me when she’s traveling with me and I’m thankful for that,” he told Sport360 in November 2018. “I think the biggest part of my success belongs to her.”

Now, Khachanov is taking another shot at his first Grand Slam title. After entering the 2026 US Open ranked No. 50, he advanced to the semifinals, where he will face Alexander Zverev on Sept. 11.

So, who is Karen Khachanov’s wife? Here’s everything to know about Veronika Shkliaeva and her relationship with the professional tennis player.

She and Khachanov were childhood friends

Karen Khachanov and his wife Veronika Shkliaeva.Credit: Karen Khachanov/Instagram

Khachanov and Shkliaeva grew up in Moscow and met at a tennis club when they were around 8, the athlete recalled to tennis MAGAZIN in June 2019. But the future tennis star’s antics on a trip to summer tennis camp didn’t exactly win her over.

“At the airport, she was at check-in with her mother and sister. A friend and I were young and stupid back then. We were messing around with the luggage cart and ran into Veronika, my future wife,” Khachanov told the outlet in Russian. “She turned to her mother and asked, ‘Who are these idiots?’ Her mother simply replied, ‘Unfortunately, they’re flying with us.’ The rest is history.”

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Despite that rocky start, their childhood friendship eventually blossomed into romance in their teenage years.

They got married in 2016

The couple tied the knot in April 2016, when Khachanov was a young adult and still building his professional tennis career. He later told tennis MAGAZIN that marrying “early helped me a lot.”

In April 2026, Khachanov celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary with an Instagram tribute to Shkliaeva, the “love of [his] life.”

“Very happy and grateful for my beautiful wife and for everything she’s done!” he wrote alongside a carousel of photos of the pair.

They share two sons

Karen Khachanov with his wife Veronika Shkliaeva and their two sons in May 2025.Credit: Karen Khachanov/Instagram

Khachanov and Shkliaeva share two sons, David and Mikael, who sometimes join their dad on the road. When his family travels with him to tournaments, Khachanov keeps his downtime simple.

“If my wife and my family, my kids, are with me, I just like to walk around. Maybe go to the park, maybe to the zoo. It depends on the tournament,” he told Miami Living Magazine in March 2026. “Sometimes there’s a swimming pool, sometimes we just chill in the room or walk on the street.”

Khachanov loves his wife’s cooking

Karen Khachanov and his wife Veronika Shkliaeva.Credit: Karen Khachanov/Instagram

Khachanov’s tennis career takes him around the world, but his favorite meals are waiting at home. He especially loves Shkliaeva’s Armenian fried eggs, served sunny-side up with tomatoes and plenty of greens.

“My grandfather Rudolf always made it for me when I was a child. He passed away last year, and Veronika started making them using his recipe,” Khachanov told Moskvichka magazine in April 2026.

“I absolutely adore it when Veronika cooks; she’s amazing, having inherited her talent from her mother and grandmother, who were chefs,” he continued. “When I come home, Veronika always surprises me with something.”

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Source: “AOL Sports”