[Jeff]

Completely something I found out just out of the blue.

I was looking at Venus Williams' head-to-head and noticed she had played both Daja Bedanova and Daniela Bedanova. I look at both their profiles and both were born March 9, 1983. Apparently Daniela has only played one pro tournament, which was in 1999 at the Advanta Championships. She lost to Venus in the Round of 16. Wow, learn something new everyday <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> Did anyone else not know that Daja had a twin? or maybe Daja changed her name from Daniela and I just didn't know it.

 

[TheBoiledEgg]

Daja used Daniela throughout her junior career.

Daniela is her real name but her nickname is Daja and she prefers that.

Its the same person

others to change to their nicknames

Natalia Zvereva - Natasha<br /> Maria Luisa Serna - Magui<br /> <br /> a few others as well.

 

[Jeff]

Cool! Thanks for the info, BoildEgg. I was looking at Daja's record, and it doesn't even show her playing Venus in '99, so I just assumed they were different people.

 

[Tennisace]

WOW! <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> We were born one day apart! <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

 

[Brian Stewart]

And a lot of times players are listed by their official names early in their career, instead of the names they more commonly go by. In her earliest events, they listed Sandra Cecchini by her given name, Anna Maria.

 

[Gallofa]

How exactly do you go from Anna Maria to Sandra? Is that some italian way of shortening a name? <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> ... if so, probably they shorten my name Beatriz to something like Paula <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> ... probably Brian shortens into Jack or something <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

 

[Monica_Rules]

I dound this out a while back but then i realized that it was the same person!