Kalugin
Rookie
As I announced previously, here you are – the second part of my Fischer-Kafelnikov-My youth post.
In the first part I told you that I became a huge tennis (=Kafelnikov) fan in 1995. Roland-Garros. Every evening I watched 30-minutes highlights on our First Channel. That was it. No more information, plus few sports newspapers.
I remember how Kafelnikov defeated then no 1 Agassi in quarterfinals with Anatoly Lepeshin in the stands…what a day it was, and what a result! I remember that blue Fischer in Kafelnikovs hands. The racket that was a synonym of a victory and top-level tennis for me!
By that time Kafelnikovs coach was that man in the stands - Lepeshin, who actually was a creator of Kafelnikov success.
In the beginning of his tennis education Yevgeny started training with Valery Shishkin – a tennis coach from Sochi. They worked together for 12 years (1979-1991). But then the country faced dissolution of the Soviet Union. Plus Kafelnikov needed something like a new gear in his tennis. Kafelnikovs puzzle was completed when the ex-head coach of Soviet youth team Anatoly Lepeshin made an offer by himself – he offered Kafelnikovs parents to work with their son. Since that time Yevgeny Kafelnikov made a huge progress.
This progress indicated not only in tennis results, but in some business moments like signing a contract with Fischer. In his interviews Kafelnikov mentioned that the main builder of his success was Lepeshin. The coach that worked with Yevgeny from 1991 till 1997. 1997 was also a release year of a documentary movie named Kafelnikov, where Yevgeny and Lepeshin talked a lot and sincerely about their working tandem.
That was a prelude (hopefully interesting) for a story of my racket. When Kafelnikov worked with Lepeshin I was a charmed boy. Charmed by tennis in general for sure, but mainly for Kafelnikovs reason. Quarter of century ago I couldnt imagine that one day I will have a huge collection of top tennis rackets. And one of the rarest diamonds of it will be…rackets from Anatoly Lepeshin collection. I was lucky to get few sticks that were a real proud of that collection. Both came from Lepeshins Fischer friends. After finishing his work with Kafelnikov, Lepeshin moved to Austria and worked there. He had strong connections with top Austrian tennis people, and with Fischer too.
The first stick is absolutely brand new Fischer Vaccum Mid Pro. I have information that it could be connected either with Henri Leconte, Jacob Hlasek or Pat Cash.
The second one - is the real treasure for tennis fans, not only in Russia. It’s a racket that was exclusively made and customized for a new (by that time) Fischer star – Yevgeny Kafelnikov. You can see Fischer Pro Stock trademark - aka nail mark at the throat area. KJ23 = Kafelnikov Jevgeny and the number of rackets that were produced for him by that time.
Strangely Austrian Kafelnikovs sponsors prefered to write his name with J instead of international version that used Y letter. So from number 23 we understand – this racket is right from the very first Fischer branches made for Kafelnikov. Also in the handle we can find a doze of silicone. No lead tape – as Kafelnikov didn’t use them.
The uniqueness of this racket in few moments. A real personal racket of an ex-no 1 player in the world that was never used! Not a single stringing!
Where you can find a racket like this one?! And don’t forget – this is a racket that was a golden part of Anatoly Lepeshin collection. The man who made a great tennis champion named Yevgeny Kafelnikov.
And now im back in my memories into those Roland-Garros-1995 days. Blue Fischer in Kafelnikov hands, Lepeshin in the stands…if somebody then told me that I will be the owner of Kafelnikovs racket that came directly from Lepeshins collection…oh, come on, stop me) One thing I know for sure – our life is a miracle!
1990 - First tennis memory: Roland-Garros final, Agassi - Gomez
1995 - First tournament as a deep and true tennis fan: Roland-Garros via TV
2008 - Photo with Roland-Garros Trophy made on Philippe Chatrier Arena
2023 - Yevgeny Kafelnikov personal racket
PS I will make a special thread about that personal Kafelnikov racket - with all the specs and detailed photos + im planning to write the final, 3rd part of this "Fischer and Kafelnikov = my youth racketlove". A lot of photos (me with Davis Cup, with Maria Sharapova, with Marat Safin) and interesting moments from my tennis youth.
Thank you very much, Fischer is forever!
Me playing my fav Kafelnikovs mold Fischer:
In the first part I told you that I became a huge tennis (=Kafelnikov) fan in 1995. Roland-Garros. Every evening I watched 30-minutes highlights on our First Channel. That was it. No more information, plus few sports newspapers.

I remember how Kafelnikov defeated then no 1 Agassi in quarterfinals with Anatoly Lepeshin in the stands…what a day it was, and what a result! I remember that blue Fischer in Kafelnikovs hands. The racket that was a synonym of a victory and top-level tennis for me!
By that time Kafelnikovs coach was that man in the stands - Lepeshin, who actually was a creator of Kafelnikov success.

In the beginning of his tennis education Yevgeny started training with Valery Shishkin – a tennis coach from Sochi. They worked together for 12 years (1979-1991). But then the country faced dissolution of the Soviet Union. Plus Kafelnikov needed something like a new gear in his tennis. Kafelnikovs puzzle was completed when the ex-head coach of Soviet youth team Anatoly Lepeshin made an offer by himself – he offered Kafelnikovs parents to work with their son. Since that time Yevgeny Kafelnikov made a huge progress.

This progress indicated not only in tennis results, but in some business moments like signing a contract with Fischer. In his interviews Kafelnikov mentioned that the main builder of his success was Lepeshin. The coach that worked with Yevgeny from 1991 till 1997. 1997 was also a release year of a documentary movie named Kafelnikov, where Yevgeny and Lepeshin talked a lot and sincerely about their working tandem.
That was a prelude (hopefully interesting) for a story of my racket. When Kafelnikov worked with Lepeshin I was a charmed boy. Charmed by tennis in general for sure, but mainly for Kafelnikovs reason. Quarter of century ago I couldnt imagine that one day I will have a huge collection of top tennis rackets. And one of the rarest diamonds of it will be…rackets from Anatoly Lepeshin collection. I was lucky to get few sticks that were a real proud of that collection. Both came from Lepeshins Fischer friends. After finishing his work with Kafelnikov, Lepeshin moved to Austria and worked there. He had strong connections with top Austrian tennis people, and with Fischer too.
The first stick is absolutely brand new Fischer Vaccum Mid Pro. I have information that it could be connected either with Henri Leconte, Jacob Hlasek or Pat Cash.
The second one - is the real treasure for tennis fans, not only in Russia. It’s a racket that was exclusively made and customized for a new (by that time) Fischer star – Yevgeny Kafelnikov. You can see Fischer Pro Stock trademark - aka nail mark at the throat area. KJ23 = Kafelnikov Jevgeny and the number of rackets that were produced for him by that time.

Strangely Austrian Kafelnikovs sponsors prefered to write his name with J instead of international version that used Y letter. So from number 23 we understand – this racket is right from the very first Fischer branches made for Kafelnikov. Also in the handle we can find a doze of silicone. No lead tape – as Kafelnikov didn’t use them.
The uniqueness of this racket in few moments. A real personal racket of an ex-no 1 player in the world that was never used! Not a single stringing!


Where you can find a racket like this one?! And don’t forget – this is a racket that was a golden part of Anatoly Lepeshin collection. The man who made a great tennis champion named Yevgeny Kafelnikov.
And now im back in my memories into those Roland-Garros-1995 days. Blue Fischer in Kafelnikov hands, Lepeshin in the stands…if somebody then told me that I will be the owner of Kafelnikovs racket that came directly from Lepeshins collection…oh, come on, stop me) One thing I know for sure – our life is a miracle!
1990 - First tennis memory: Roland-Garros final, Agassi - Gomez
1995 - First tournament as a deep and true tennis fan: Roland-Garros via TV
2008 - Photo with Roland-Garros Trophy made on Philippe Chatrier Arena

2023 - Yevgeny Kafelnikov personal racket
PS I will make a special thread about that personal Kafelnikov racket - with all the specs and detailed photos + im planning to write the final, 3rd part of this "Fischer and Kafelnikov = my youth racketlove". A lot of photos (me with Davis Cup, with Maria Sharapova, with Marat Safin) and interesting moments from my tennis youth.
Thank you very much, Fischer is forever!
Me playing my fav Kafelnikovs mold Fischer:
