Elena Pampoulova

Elena Pampoulova
Елена Пампулова
Elena Wagner (2006)
Country (sports) Bulgaria (1972–1996)
 Germany (1997–2001)
Born(1972-05-17)17 May 1972
Sofia, Bulgaria
Died19 April 2023(2023-04-19) (aged 50)
Turned pro1988
Retired2001
Prize moneyUS$ 704,882
Singles
Career record243–179
Career titles1
Highest rankingNo. 62 (9 September 1996)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open2R (1990, 1998, 1999)
French Open2R (1990, 1998, 1999)
Wimbledon3R (1999)
US Open3R (1997)
Other tournaments
Olympic Games1R (1992)
Doubles
Career record163–146
Career titles3
Highest rankingNo. 38 (23 September 1996)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open2R (1995, 1998)
French Open3R (1990, 1996, 1999)
Wimbledon2R (1997)
US Open2R (1995)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French Open1R (1997)
Team competitions
Fed Cup8–8 (singles 5–6)

Elena Pampoulova (also Elena Wagner, Elena Pampoulova-Bergomi, Bulgarian: Елена Пампулова, 17 May 1972 – 19 April 2023) was a Bulgarian tennis player. In her career, she won one singles title and three doubles titles on the WTA Tour.

Her tennis career spanned from 1988 to 2001. Pampoulova's career-high singles ranking is world No. 62, her best doubles ranking is No. 38, both achieved in September 1996.

Tennis career

Pampoulova played for Bulgaria and the Bulgaria Fed Cup team from 1988 to 1992. Pampoulova was one of only three players to represent Bulgaria in tennis at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona (together with Katerina Maleeva and Magdalena Maleeva).

From 1997 to 1999, Elena played for the Germany Fed Cup team. She won 13 career titles in singles (one WTA Tour) and 11 titles in doubles (three of them from WTA Tour).

Her first tennis coach was her own mother, Bulgarian tennis player Lubka Radkova. Elena's father, Emilian Pampoulov, is also a tennis player.

Personal life

On 11 July 2006, Pampoulova married her long-time boyfriend, Swiss banker Christian Bergomi. Their son Alex was born in early 2008. The couple lived in Switzerland, where Elena was an asset manager. In June 2022 she was found guilty of money laundering offences together with Credit Suisse and three other defendants. Prior to the trial, Credit Suisse unreservedly rejected as meritless all allegations raised against her and [was] convinced that she [was] innocent. Both the bank and Pampoulova announced their intentions to appeal the court decision.

Pampoulova died on 19 April 2023, at the age of 50 after an illness.

WTA Tour finals

Singles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner–up)

Legend
Tier I
Tier II
Tier III
Tier IV (1–1)
Finals by surface
Hard (1–0)
Clay (0–1)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result W–L    Date    Tournament Tier Surface Opponent Score
Win 1–0 Nov 1994 Surabaya Classic, Indonesia Tier IV Hard Ai Sugiyama 2–6, 6–0, ret.
Loss 1–1 Aug 1998 Sopot Open, Poland Tier IV Clay Henrieta Nagyová 3–6, 7–5, 1–6

Doubles: 8 (3 titles, 5 runner-ups)

Legend
Tier II
Tier III (1–0)
Tier IV (2–3)
Tier V (0–2)
Finals by surface
Hard (0–1)
Clay (3–4)
Grass (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result W–L    Date    Tournament Tier Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 0–1 Aug 1989 Sofia Open, Bulgaria Tier V Clay Silke Meier Laura Garrone
Laura Golarsa 		4–6, 5–7
Loss 0–2 Sep 1989 Athens Trophy, Greece Tier V Clay Silke Meier Sandra Cecchini
Patricia Tarabini 		6–4, 4–6, 2–6
Loss 0–3 Sep 1996 Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic Tier IV Clay Eva Martincová Karina Habšudová
Helena Suková 		6–3, 3–6, 2–6
Win 1–3 Sep 1996 Warsaw Open, Poland Tier III Clay Olga Lugina Alexandra Fusai
Laura Garrone 		1–6, 6–4, 7–5
Loss 1–4 Jan 1997 Auckland Open, New Zealand Tier IV Hard Aleksandra Olsza Janette Husárová
Dominique Monami 		2–6, 7–6(7–5), 3–6
Loss 1–5 Apr 1997 Hungarian Ladies Open, Hungary Tier IV Clay Eva Martincová Amanda Coetzer
Alexandra Fusai 		3–6, 1–6
Win 2–5 Jul 1998 Palermo Ladies Open, Italy Tier IV Clay Pavlina Nola Barbara Schett
Patty Schnyder 		6–4, 6–2
Win 3–5 Aug 1999 Knokke-Heist, Belgium Tier IV Clay Eva Martincová Evgenia Kulikovskaya
Sandra Načuk 		3–6, 6–3, 6–3

ITF Circuit finals

Singles: 14 (12 titles, 2 runner–ups)

Legend
$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments
Finals by surface
Hard (6–0)
Clay (5–1)
Carpet (1–1)
Result W–L    Date    Tournament Tier Surface Opponent Score
Win 1–0 Oct 1988 ITF Baden, Switzerland 10,000 Hard (i) Katarzyna Nowak 6–1, 6–1
Win 2–0 Dec 1988 ITF Melbourne, Australia 10,000 Hard Xóchitl Escobedo 7–6(7–3), 6–2
Win 3–0 May 1989 ITF Athens, Greece 10,000 Clay Dora Rangelova 6–1, 6–7, 6–1
Win 4–0 Jul 1989 ITF Erlangen, West Germany 25,000 Clay Wiltrud Probst 6–1, 2–6, 6–3
Win 5–0 Aug 1989 ITF Budapest, Hungary 25,000 Clay Silke Frankl 6–4, 6–7, 6–0
Win 6–0 Jul 1990 ITF Stuttgart-Vaihingen, West Germany 25,000 Clay Denisa Krajčovičová 6–3, 6–3
Loss 6–1 Nov 1992 ITF Nottingham, UK 25,000 Carpet (i) Elena Makarova 6–3, 2–6, 5–7
Loss 6–2 Mar 1994 ITF Reims, France 25,000 Clay (i) Catherine Mothes-Jobkel 1–6, 2–6
Win 7–2 Oct 1994 ITF Jakarta, Indonesia 50,000 Clay Hiromi Nagano 6–4, 6–1
Win 8–2 Dec 1995 Open de Limoges, France 50,000 Hard (i) Paula Hermida 7–5, 6–3
Win 9–2 Feb 1996 ITF Redbridge, UK 25,000 Hard (i) Haruka Inoue 6–4, 6–4
Win 10–2 Mar 1996 ITF Southampton, UK 50,000 Carpet (i) Isabelle Demongeot 6–3, 4–6, 6–4
Win 11–2 Apr 1996 ITF Murcia, Spain 75,000 Clay Patty Schnyder 6–4, 6–3
Win 12–2 Mar 1998 ITF Woodlands, United States 25,000 Hard Anna Smashnova 2–6, 6–1, 7–5

Doubles: 13 (8 titles, 5 runner–ups)

Legend
$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments
Finals by surface
Hard (3–2)
Clay (3–2)
Carpet (2–1)
Result W–L    Date    Tournament Tier Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 0–1 Dec 1988 ITF Melbourne, Australia 10,000 Hard Kristin Godridge Natalia Leipus
Bernadette Randall 		4–6, 7–6(7–5), 2–6
Win 1–1 Apr 1989 ITF Bari, Italy 10,000 Clay Marion Maruska Andrea Noszály
Eva-Maria Schürhoff 		w/o
Win 2–1 Jun 1992 ITF Modena, Italy 25,000 Clay Ruxandra Dragomir Alexandra Fusai
Natalie Tschan 		6–3, 7–6(7–5)
Loss 2–2 Jul 1992 ITF Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany 25,000 Clay Joannette Kruger Eva Martincová
Pavlína Rajzlová 		4–6, 0–6
Loss 2–3 Nov 1992 ITF Manchester, UK 25,000 Carpet (i) Natalie Tschan Elena Likhovtseva
Elena Makarova 		3–6, 4–6
Win 3–3 Nov 1992 ITF Nottingham, UK 25,000 Carpet (i) Els Callens Ruxandra Dragomir
Irina Spîrlea 		7–6(7–3), 6–4
Win 4–3 Apr 1993 Open de Limoges, France 25,000 Carpet (i) Silvia Farina Elia Stephanie Reece
Danielle Scott 		6–2, 6–7(5–7), 6–2
Win 5–3 Oct 1993 ITF Poitiers, France 25,000 Hard (i) Olga Lugina Els Callens
Nancy Feber 		6–4, 3–6, 6–3
Win 6–3 Dec 1994 ITF Cergy-Pontoise, France 50,000 Hard (i) Angelique Olivier Kateřina Sisková
Eva Melicharová 		6–1, 6–4
Win 7–3 Oct 1995 ITF Lakeland, United States 50,000 Hard Eva Martincová Sandra Cacic
Tracey Morton-Rodgers 		1–6, 6–2, 6–1
Loss 7–4 Dec 1995 Open de Limoges, France 50,000 Hard (i) Eva Martincová Eva Melicharová
Helena Vildová 		3–6, 6–0, 4–6
Win 8–4 Aug 1997 Makarska International, Croatia 75,000 Clay Olga Lugina Maria Goloviznina
Evgenia Kulikovskaya 		5–7, 7–5, 7–5
Loss 8–5 Apr 1998 ITF Prostějov, Czech Republic 75,000 Clay Olga Lugina Lenka Cenková
Kateřina Sisková 		4–6, 6–4, 4–6

Fed Cup

Elena Pampoulova debuted for the Bulgaria Fed Cup team in 1988. She has a 5–6 singles record and a 3–2 doubles record (8–8 overall).

Singles (5–6)

Edition Round Date Against Surface Opponent W/L Result
1988 World Group I QR 4 December 1988  Philippines Hard Sarah Rafael W 6–3, 6–2
R1 5 December 1988  Sweden Catarina Lindqvist L 5–7, 3–6
PO 6 December 1988  Malta Carol Cassar-Torreggiani W 7–6(7–5), 6–3
PO 7 December 1988  Netherlands Brenda Schultz-McCarthy L 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 5–7
1990 World Group I QR 21 July 1990  Philippines Hard Sarah Castillejo W 6–2, 6–0
R1 22 July 1990  Austria Judith Wiesner L 0–6, 0–6
PO 23 July 1990  Norway Amy Jonsson-Råholt W 6–4, 6–3
PO 24 July 1990  Brazil Cláudia Chabalgoity L 2–6, 6–2, 4–6
1992 World Group I play-offs PO 17 July 1992  Hungary Clay Anna Földényi L 4–6, 2–6
↓  Representing  Germany  ↓
1999 World Group II QF 24 April 1999  Japan Clay Shinobu Asagoe L 6–7(6–8), 1–6
25 April 1999 Miho Saeki W 7–6(10–8), 6–3

Doubles (3–2)

Edition Round Date Partner Against Surface Opponents W/L Result
1988 World Group I R1 5 December 1988 Galia Angelova  Sweden Hard Jonna Jonerup
Maria Lindström 		L 6–2, 6–7(5–7), 1–6
1990 World Group I PO 23 July 1990 Dora Rangelova  Norway Hard Amy Jonsson-Råholt
Astrid Sunde 		W 4–6, 6–2, 6–3
1992 World Group I play-offs RPO 16 July 1992 Magdalena Maleeva  Romania Hard Ruxandra Dragomir
Irina Spîrlea 		L 6–7(5–7), 2–6
RPO 17 July 1992 Katerina Maleeva  Hungary Virág Csurgó
Kata Györke 		W 7–6(8–6), 4–6, 6–1
↓  Representing  Germany  ↓
1997 World Group I QF 2 March 1997 Barbara Rittner  Czech Republic Hard (I) Eva Martincová
Ludmila Richterová 		W 7–6(7–3), 6–2

Grand Slam singles performance timeline

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
Tournament 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Career W–L
Australian Open A A 2R A A A A 1R A 1R 2R 2R A A 3–5
French Open A A 2R 1R A Q1 Q1 1R 1R 1R 2R 2R Q3 A 3–7
Wimbledon A A A 2R A A A 1R 1R A 1R 3R A A 3–5
US Open A A 1R A A A A 1R 2R 3R 1R 1R A A 3–6
Win–loss 0–0 0–0 2–3 1–2 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–4 1–3 2–3 2–4 4–4 0–0 0–0 12–23

Notes

  1. ^ "Наша топтенисистка вдигна сватба в Швейцария". 11 July 2006. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2008.
  2. ^ "Elena Bergomi". Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Statement in response to the announcement by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland". Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Credit Suisse found guilty over Bulgarian drug money failings". The Financial Times. 27 June 2022. Archived from the original on 27 June 2022. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  5. ^ "WTA mourns Elena Pampoulova". WTA. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.