Russian tennis star Violetta Degtiareva has died at the age of 23.
The International Tennis Federation player succumbed to heart failure during a training session on January 12, according to multiple news reports.
The news went public Wednesday following a Facebook post by friend and fellow tennis player Anastasia Vdovenco, according to Central European News.
"I can hardly believe it," wrote Vdovenco of his friend. "Rest in peace."
Russian media outlets have not specified where she was training at the time, according to CEN, and details about Violetta's heart failure are unknown.
Celebrated as the next Anna Kournikova for her tennis talent as well as her attractiveness, Degtiareva never quite realized that level of potential.
Still, the blonde beauty recently reached the quarterfinals at the ITF-Turnier tournament in Turkey, and was considered a rising star in the country.
Like Kournikova, Degtiareva was to leverage her appeal to secure endorsements that made her a high earner, despite a lack of tournament wins.
R.I.P. to Violetta and the other stars we've lost this year already:
