Tennis star an ace in pearl business

June 19, 2007

Tennis star Alina Jidkova has launched online retail store Bemypearl.com.

Boca Raton, Fla.—Tennis star Alina Jidkova has launched Bemypearl.com, an online retail store that sells high-quality pearl jewelry at discounted prices.

Jidkova and her business partner, Sascha Ghods, are able to offer consumers low prices by eliminating the middleman, as Ghods directly sources pearls from farms around the world. The site sells everything from freshwater pearls to South Sea Pearls in various styles.

The duo also uses Bemypearl.com to support underprivileged children through the sale of the "Be My Lucky Pearl" necklace. Proceeds from the necklace—designed by Jidkova and featuring a white pearl on a black leather string—are donated to an international children's foundation that provides food, water, shelter and medication.

Jidkova overcame humble beginnings in the former Soviet Union to achieve her tennis dream. She fell for the sport at age 10 and began training competitively by age 12. She worked her way up to the No. 1 ranking in the country, despite getting a late start by Russian standards.

Eventually, she moved to the United States where she continued to move up in the professional tennis world. In November 2005, she defeated powerhouse Serena Williams for the biggest win of her career.