Poker-faced Kafelnikov proving to be an ace at card game

Poker-faced Kafelnikov proving to be an ace at card game: "Poker-faced Kafelnikov proving to be an ace at card game" LONDON: Former men’s tennis world number one Yevgeny Kafelnikov has told The Independent that it is highly unlikely he will ever play professional tennis again. The 30-year-old two-time Grand Slam winner admitted his preference was to play poker nowadays as he couldn’t bear to face his fellow Russians as a loser. “I have retired but I have not officially announced it,” he told the newspaper. “Some people still think I am just taking a break, but I believe that my time in tennis has gone by. “Even if I came back, I would have no chance to play at the same level I was,” said Kafelnikov, who won the 1996 French Open and the 1999 Australian Open where at the latter he is reputed to have spent most of his time playing roulette. However, it was the thought of losing face to his compatriots that has really made his mind up. “The most important things was not to disappoint my fans,” said Moscow-based Kafelnikov. Kafelnikov said he had switched his competitive attention to poker because it wasn’t just down to skill. “I find it very exciting,” said Kafelnikov, who has taken on the poker Rookie of the Year from 2002 Kirill Gerasimov to coach him. “Because you win not with the cards but with your skills. With body language you can win a game but also you can lose a game,” added Kafelnikov, who won a professional poker tournament and recently competed in an event in England in which the winner collected US$500,000. – Reuters