Vladimir Dmitriev, centre, has been elected President of the European Tennis Federation ©ITF

Businessman Vladimir Dmitriev has been elected as the first Russian President of Tennis Europe after winning a four-horse race in Sochi.

Dmitriev, the current chairman of Vnesheconombank, defeated Finland's Matti Virtanen by 43 votes to 31 in the final vote held during an Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the coastal Russian resort.

Italy's Luisanna Fodde and Croatia's Predrag Stojcevic were eliminated in the first two rounds of voting.

Eighty-nine delegates representing 39 Tennis Europe member nations participated in the election.

"I am proud to be welcomed into the tennis family," said Dmitriev, who also acts as chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Russian Tennis Federation (RTF).

"I promise to serve European tennis with the same commitment, passion and success that I have applied to all other aspects of my professional life."

The Russian will replace Jacques Dupré, the Frenchman who has stepped down after nine years in the post. 

Dupré was subsequently nominated as Honorary Life President.

Günther Lang of Germany and Stefan Tzvetkov of Bulgaria were also appointed honorary life counselors after stepping down from the Board of Management.

Russia's Aleksei Selivanenko was named honorary life vice-president. 

Vladimir Dimitriev becomes the first Russian head of the European continental tennis body ©Getty Images
Vladimir Dimitriev becomes the first Russian head of the European continental tennis body ©Getty Images

Finland's Olli Mäenpää remains chief executive of the continental body.

"It has been an honour to spend the last nine years as President of Tennis Europe, and I am happy to be leaving the organisation in a healthy situation despite some recent challenges," said Dupré. 

"I'd like to thank our hosts the RTF for the warm hospitality, and to congratulate Mr. Dmitriev and the new Board members on their election wins.

"I wish them all the best for the future and much success in their new roles."

Formed in Rome in 1975, Tennis Europe has 50 national members and governs events including the European Tennis Championships. 

It also executes tasks delegated by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

Italy's Francesco Ricci Bitti served as Tennis Europe President from 1993 to 1999 before assuming the ITF Presidency.

RTF President and International Olympic Committee member Shamil Tarpischev were among those present in Sochi, the host city of the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

Former world number one Yevgeny Kefelnikov was also present along with David Haggerty and Kelly Fairweather, the respective President and chief operating officer of the ITF.

Next year's Tennis Europe AGM will take place in Budapest.