Motivational peculiarities of elite women tennis players from the post-socialist countries

Tennis as a sport has undergone significant improvement in the past few decades in the former socialist countries. The study is going to introduce the historical background, where exactly East-European Women Tennis Players in large numbers, belonging to the world elite originated from. The article reviews the motivational theories valid in sports and focusing on female players defines the doctrine. The study based on an empirical research which was targeted to reveal the factors behind the motivation of women tennis players. The research was implemented among (n=31) elite women tennis player. Data collection was implemented both by questionnaires and half structured interviews. The outcome of the research will be introduced through 5 dimensions. Satisfaction of East-European elite women tennis players with their (a) career, (b) the amount won at prize money tournaments (c) the relationship between the invested time, money and energy during their sport career and their results, (d) the opinion on the possible restart of their career, (e) the after retirement plans of tennis women players. One of the major consequences of the study is that women tennis players of the world elite have different approach concerning the successfulness of their career, a large percentage of them agree, their prize money won in tournaments they can create material goods for themselves will establishes for their further lives. Tennis today not only provides them with a sporting opportunity, it is also a career model. Their passion for the sport makes many of them work around tennis, even after the end of their players lifeway.