Anna Kournikova Latest News
:• After A Long Hiatus, Enrique Iglesias Jumps Back Into The Music Scene With 'Insomniac
'• Celebrity Birthdays, June 7
• Celebrity Snippets
• Enrique Iglesias Says He Has Not Split From Anna Kournikova
• Enrique Iglesias And Anna Kournikova Have Split
• Enrique Iglesias 'Mood Music' Includes The Village People
• Enrique Iglesias Is Hot For Teacher
• Enrique Iglesias Isn't Ready For Marriage, Kids
• Celebrity Quotes
• Memorable Celebrity Quotes
• Anna Kournikova Teams Up With K-Swiss
• Enrique Iglesias Gets $1 Million for Hanukkah Party
• Celebrity Snippets
• Anna Kournikova Thinks Fencing Is Sexy
• Lack of Tennis, Not Eating Disorder, Keeps Anna Kournikova Thin
• TomKat Tops 'Most Affectionate Couples' List
• Celebrity Birthdays, June 7
• Man Sues Enrique Iglesias Over 2002 Incident
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
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About Anna Kournikova...
Name :Anna Kournikova
Date of Birth : June 7, 1981
Place of Birth : Moscow, Russia
Sign : Sun in Gemini, Moon in Leo
Height : 5' 8
Weight : 123 lbs.
Lives : Miami, Florida, USA
Profession : Tennis Player
Father : Alla Kournikov
Mother : Sergei Kournikov
Coach : Pavel Slozil
Fan Mail : Anna Kournikovac/o Bollettieri TennisAcademy 5500 34th St.West Bradenton, FL 34210 USA
Anna Kournikova Detailed Biography
Russian-born Anna Kournikova left Moscow at the age of 9 to come toNick Bollettieri's Tennis Academy in Florida, USA - the same academywhich has also produced Monica Seles and Andre Agassi.She was the world's topped-ranked junior at the end of 1995, shortlyafter Martina Hingis joined the professional ranks. Kournikova herselfturned professional in 1996, and competed in her first grand slam at theUS Open that year. She performed exceptionally well, defeating seededplayers before finally falling to eventual champion Steffi Graf in the4th round.In 1997, she affirmed her position amongst the world's top players,highlighted by a semi-final appearance at her first Wimbledon as aprofessional. In 1998 she further surged up the rankings, with the highlightbeing an appearance in the final of the prestigious Lipton Championships,defeating four top 10 players consecutively along the way. Soon after, shescored her first victory over world number 1 Hingis, and just prior toWimbledon she broke into the world Top 10 for the first time in her career.A thumb injury before Wimbledon (suffered in a match where she defeatedGraf) ruled her out of tournaments for the next few months, and she hassince had a tough time regaining her momentum. 1999 began with acontroversial Australian Open, her play marred by poor form with her service.However, she did manage to make the 4th round in singles (her best result)as well as winning the doubles championships with Hingis as her partner. Anna says her game wasn't modelled after any one player, although listsGraf and Seles as players she has learnt from, watching television. Nowat 18 years of age, she is developing her power game and exhibitingsome fearful groundstrokes coupled with superb court mentality.Anna is indeed superstar material, with glamourous looks (she says ifnot for tennis, her passion would be acting) and an aggressive all-courtgame to match. In fact, she has had an agent since the age of 10.She is currently on the verge of the world Top 10, and others forseeher and Hingis (along with the Williams sisters) battling it out for worldnumber 1 in the not-too-distant future. Regardless, Anna Kournikovawill play a great role in the future of women's tennis.
Name :Anna Kournikova
Date of Birth : June 7, 1981
Place of Birth : Moscow, Russia
Sign : Sun in Gemini, Moon in Leo
Height : 5' 8
Weight : 123 lbs.
Lives : Miami, Florida, USA
Profession : Tennis Player
Father : Alla Kournikov
Mother : Sergei Kournikov
Coach : Pavel Slozil
Fan Mail : Anna Kournikovac/o Bollettieri TennisAcademy 5500 34th St.West Bradenton, FL 34210 USA
Anna Kournikova Detailed Biography
Russian-born Anna Kournikova left Moscow at the age of 9 to come toNick Bollettieri's Tennis Academy in Florida, USA - the same academywhich has also produced Monica Seles and Andre Agassi.She was the world's topped-ranked junior at the end of 1995, shortlyafter Martina Hingis joined the professional ranks. Kournikova herselfturned professional in 1996, and competed in her first grand slam at theUS Open that year. She performed exceptionally well, defeating seededplayers before finally falling to eventual champion Steffi Graf in the4th round.In 1997, she affirmed her position amongst the world's top players,highlighted by a semi-final appearance at her first Wimbledon as aprofessional. In 1998 she further surged up the rankings, with the highlightbeing an appearance in the final of the prestigious Lipton Championships,defeating four top 10 players consecutively along the way. Soon after, shescored her first victory over world number 1 Hingis, and just prior toWimbledon she broke into the world Top 10 for the first time in her career.A thumb injury before Wimbledon (suffered in a match where she defeatedGraf) ruled her out of tournaments for the next few months, and she hassince had a tough time regaining her momentum. 1999 began with acontroversial Australian Open, her play marred by poor form with her service.However, she did manage to make the 4th round in singles (her best result)as well as winning the doubles championships with Hingis as her partner. Anna says her game wasn't modelled after any one player, although listsGraf and Seles as players she has learnt from, watching television. Nowat 18 years of age, she is developing her power game and exhibitingsome fearful groundstrokes coupled with superb court mentality.Anna is indeed superstar material, with glamourous looks (she says ifnot for tennis, her passion would be acting) and an aggressive all-courtgame to match. In fact, she has had an agent since the age of 10.She is currently on the verge of the world Top 10, and others forseeher and Hingis (along with the Williams sisters) battling it out for worldnumber 1 in the not-too-distant future. Regardless, Anna Kournikovawill play a great role in the future of women's tennis.
Young and driven to succeed
Chip Alexander, Staff WriterShe was barely a teenager when she played in the 2001 U.S. Women's Open. Morgan Pressel had some game, there was no doubt, but she came to Pine Needles all ponytails and braces, a fresh face and also something of a cute curiosity piece.
Just look at her now.
The Women's Open is back at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club. Pressel is 19, in many ways still the typical teenager -- "She drives met nuts sometimes," grandfather Herb Krickstein says -- but also at the vanguard of a swelling tide of youthful talent sweeping over women's golf.
Their names pop up more and more in golf storylines -- Brittany Lincicome, Paula Creamer, Lorena Ochoa, Suzann Pettersen, Meaghan Francella and Birdie Kim, one of the many young South Koreans on the tour. They're in their 20s, a diverse group that likes to call itself the "Young Guns" -- hardly original but more than fitting.
And let's not forget Michelle Wie. She'll be at Pine Needles, too, certain to attract a large following, certain to mesmerize those who marvel at the potential of this 17-year-old wunderkind yet wonder what she's trying to prove with her gender-bending attempts to play with the men.
For Pressel, the 2001 Women's Open was more than an eye-opening experience. She was a media darling at Pine Needles, pure and simple, and while she missed the 36-hole cut, she got a glimpse of the future she longed to have.
"It was like a light bulb went off in my head," Pressel said. "That this is what I really want to do, this is where I want to be in five, 10 years, this is what I want to be doing with my life."
There's a certain attractiveness to these young women that goes beyond any glamour aspects, any of LPGA hype that "These Girls Rock." Most are fit, athletic, well-dressed, with well-groomed golf swings to match.
"We don't want to be the Anna Kournikova of golf," said Lincicome, 21, a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour.
Kournikova was a pro tennis cover girl whose huge appeal made her millions. She just couldn't win on the tennis court.
"We want to be beautiful and play good golf," Lincicome said. "I think it's the whole package that people are looking at now."
Annika Sorenstam has three Women's Open championships among her 10 major titles, winning in 1995, again in '96 at Pine Needles and then last year after a playoff with Pat Hurst. But she's 36 and has been slowed by bulging and ruptured disks.
Sorenstam has lost her No. 1 spot in the Rolex world golf ranking to Ochoa. But Ochoa, a 25-year-old from Mexico, also feels the swell of the tide behind her.
"The younger girls keep raising the bar," LPGA Tour commissioner Carolyn Bivens said.
Pressel, from Boca Raton, Fla., became the youngest woman to win a major this year in the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Pettersen, 26, nearly won the Nabisco. The Norwegian did win the LPGA Championship, holding off Karrie Webb, the 2001 Open champion at Pine Needles.
Francella, 25, scored her first tour victory. Lincicome has won. So has Creamer, 20.
What's their secret?
Why so good, so young?
"There are more opportunities for girls in golf," veteran tour pro Vicky Goetze-Ackerman said. "They're starting at a younger age, working with strength coaches. They have academies, like they do with tennis. I think it's going to be a trend, because girls mature and develop so much quicker than boys do.
"And they don't have any fear because they haven't experienced any failures, bless their hearts."
Pressel has. In the final round of the 2005 Women's Open in Denver, she stood in the 18th fairway at Cherry Hills and watched as Birdie Kim holed out a winning greenside bunker shot.
Just look at her now.
The Women's Open is back at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club. Pressel is 19, in many ways still the typical teenager -- "She drives met nuts sometimes," grandfather Herb Krickstein says -- but also at the vanguard of a swelling tide of youthful talent sweeping over women's golf.
Their names pop up more and more in golf storylines -- Brittany Lincicome, Paula Creamer, Lorena Ochoa, Suzann Pettersen, Meaghan Francella and Birdie Kim, one of the many young South Koreans on the tour. They're in their 20s, a diverse group that likes to call itself the "Young Guns" -- hardly original but more than fitting.
And let's not forget Michelle Wie. She'll be at Pine Needles, too, certain to attract a large following, certain to mesmerize those who marvel at the potential of this 17-year-old wunderkind yet wonder what she's trying to prove with her gender-bending attempts to play with the men.
For Pressel, the 2001 Women's Open was more than an eye-opening experience. She was a media darling at Pine Needles, pure and simple, and while she missed the 36-hole cut, she got a glimpse of the future she longed to have.
"It was like a light bulb went off in my head," Pressel said. "That this is what I really want to do, this is where I want to be in five, 10 years, this is what I want to be doing with my life."
There's a certain attractiveness to these young women that goes beyond any glamour aspects, any of LPGA hype that "These Girls Rock." Most are fit, athletic, well-dressed, with well-groomed golf swings to match.
"We don't want to be the Anna Kournikova of golf," said Lincicome, 21, a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour.
Kournikova was a pro tennis cover girl whose huge appeal made her millions. She just couldn't win on the tennis court.
"We want to be beautiful and play good golf," Lincicome said. "I think it's the whole package that people are looking at now."
Annika Sorenstam has three Women's Open championships among her 10 major titles, winning in 1995, again in '96 at Pine Needles and then last year after a playoff with Pat Hurst. But she's 36 and has been slowed by bulging and ruptured disks.
Sorenstam has lost her No. 1 spot in the Rolex world golf ranking to Ochoa. But Ochoa, a 25-year-old from Mexico, also feels the swell of the tide behind her.
"The younger girls keep raising the bar," LPGA Tour commissioner Carolyn Bivens said.
Pressel, from Boca Raton, Fla., became the youngest woman to win a major this year in the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Pettersen, 26, nearly won the Nabisco. The Norwegian did win the LPGA Championship, holding off Karrie Webb, the 2001 Open champion at Pine Needles.
Francella, 25, scored her first tour victory. Lincicome has won. So has Creamer, 20.
What's their secret?
Why so good, so young?
"There are more opportunities for girls in golf," veteran tour pro Vicky Goetze-Ackerman said. "They're starting at a younger age, working with strength coaches. They have academies, like they do with tennis. I think it's going to be a trend, because girls mature and develop so much quicker than boys do.
"And they don't have any fear because they haven't experienced any failures, bless their hearts."
Pressel has. In the final round of the 2005 Women's Open in Denver, she stood in the 18th fairway at Cherry Hills and watched as Birdie Kim holed out a winning greenside bunker shot.
anna kournikova Biography
Anna Sergeyevna Kournikova (Russian: Анна Сергеевна Курникова (listen (help·info)), Anna Sergeevna Kurnikova; born June 7, 1981) is a retired Russian professional tennis player and model. Although she never won a major singles tournament, she became one of the best known tennis players worldwide. At the peak of her fame, fans looking for images of Kournikova made her name (or misspellings of it) one of the most common search strings on Google.[3]
She was born in Moscow, Soviet Union to Alla and Sergei Kournikov; her family later migrated to the United States. Presently, she resides in Miami, Florida.
Kournikova's major-league tennis career has been curtailed for the past several years, and possibly ended, by serious back and spinal problems. She has had some success at the singles game, but her specialty has been doubles, where she has at times been the world's No.1 doubles player. With Martina Hingis as her partner, she won Grand Slam titles in Australia in 1999 and 2002.
Kournikova's playing style fits the profile for a doubles player, and is complemented by her height. She has been compared to such players as Pam Shriver and Peter Fleming.
Tennis career
She trained from an early age at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy.
At ages 13 and 14, Kournikova made headlines in international junior tennis, winning several tournaments including the 1995 Italian Open. She was 14 years old when she ended 1995 as Junior European Champion Under 18 and ITF Junior World Champion Under 18.
Kournikova debuted in professional tennis at age 14 in the Fed Cup for Russia, the youngest player ever to participate and win. At age 15, she reached the fourth round of the 1996 U.S. Open, only to be stopped by then-top ranked player, Steffi Graf.
Kournikova was a member of the Russian delegation to the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1997, as a 16-year-old, she reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon, where she lost to the eventual champion, Martina Hingis by a score of 6-3, 6-2. 1998 was her breakthrough year, when she broke into the WTA's top 20 rankings for the first time and scored impressive victories over Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, and Steffi Graf. Kournikova's two Grand Slam doubles titles came in 1999 and 2002, both at the Australian Open in the Women's Doubles event with partner Martina Hingis, with whom she played frequently starting in 1999.
Kournikova proved a successful doubles player on the professional circuit, winning 16 tournament doubles titles, including two Australian Opens and being a finalist in mixed doubles at the U.S. Open and at Wimbledon, and reaching the No.1 ranking in doubles in the Women's Tennis Association tour rankings. Her pro career doubles record was 200-71. However, her singles career plateaued after 1999. For the most part, she managed to retain her ranking between 10 and 15 (her career high singles ranking was No.8), but her expected finals breakthrough failed to occur; she only reached four finals out of 130 singles tournaments, never in a Grand Slam event, and never won one. As a player, Kournikova was noted for her footspeed and aggressive baseline play and excellent angles and dropshots; however, her flat, high-risk groundstrokes tended to produce high numbers of errors and her serve was sometimes unreliable in singles. Her singles record is 209-129.
Her final playing years were marred by a string of injuries, especially back injuries, which caused her ranking to erode gradually. Kournikova has not played on the WTA tour since 2003, but still plays exhibition matches for charitable causes.
In late 2004, she participated in three events organized by Elton John and by fellow tennis players Serena Williams and Andy Roddick. In January 2005, she played in a doubles charity event for the Indian Ocean tsunami with John McEnroe, Roddick, and Chris Evert.
In November 2005, she teamed up with Martina Hingis, playing against Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur in the WTT finals for charity. Kournikova is also a member of the Sacramento Capitals in the World Team Tennis (WTT), playing doubles only.
In a feature for ELLE magazine's July 2005 issue, Kournikova stated that if she were 100% fit, she would like to come back and compete again.
Media publicity
Most of Kournikova's fame has come from the publicity surrounding her personal life as well as numerous modeling shoots. During her debut at the 1996 U.S. Open at the age of 15, Kournikova's physical beauty was noticed by the world and soon pictures of her appeared in numerous magazines worldwide.
Kournikova's marital status has been an issue on several occasions. There were conflicting rumors about whether or not she was engaged to hockey player Pavel Bure. There were reports that she married NHL hockey star Sergei Fedorov in 2001. Kournikova's representatives have denied this, but Fedorov stated in 2003 that the couple had married and since divorced. Kournikova currently has a relationship with pop star Enrique Iglesias (in whose video, "Escape", she appeared), and rumors that the couple had secretly married appeared in 2003 and again in 2005. Kournikova herself has consistently refused to directly confirm or deny rumors about the status of her personal relationships. But, in May 2007, Enrique Iglesias was (mistakingly, as he would clarify later) quoted in the NY Sun that he had no intention to marry Anna and settle down so they had split up. The singer would later deny these rumors of 'divorce' or simply separation.
In 2000, Kournikova became the new face for Berlei's shock absorber sports bras range, and appeared in the highly successful "only the ball should bounce" bill board campaign. Photographs of her scantily-clad form have appeared in various men's magazines, including more than one much-publicized Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues (2004 – 2005), where she posed in bikinis and swimsuits, and in other popular men's publications such as FHM and Maxim.
Kournikova was named one of People's 50 Most Beautiful People in 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2003 and was voted "hottest female athlete" and "hottest couple" (with Iglesias) on ESPN.com. In 2002 she also placed first in FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World in U.S. and UK editions.
By contrast, ESPN — citing the degree of hype as compared to actual accomplishments as a singles player — ranked Kournikova 18th in its "25 Biggest Sports Flops of the Past 25 Years".
Kournikova had a small role (as a motel manager) in the 2000 film Me, Myself and Irene, starring Jim Carrey.
A man named William Lepeska once swam naked across Biscayne Bay in search of her Miami Beach home after attempting to contact Kournikova via a number of letters and e-mails. When apprehended by the police, Lepeska violently resisted arrest. [4]
She was born in Moscow, Soviet Union to Alla and Sergei Kournikov; her family later migrated to the United States. Presently, she resides in Miami, Florida.
Kournikova's major-league tennis career has been curtailed for the past several years, and possibly ended, by serious back and spinal problems. She has had some success at the singles game, but her specialty has been doubles, where she has at times been the world's No.1 doubles player. With Martina Hingis as her partner, she won Grand Slam titles in Australia in 1999 and 2002.
Kournikova's playing style fits the profile for a doubles player, and is complemented by her height. She has been compared to such players as Pam Shriver and Peter Fleming.
Tennis career
She trained from an early age at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy.
At ages 13 and 14, Kournikova made headlines in international junior tennis, winning several tournaments including the 1995 Italian Open. She was 14 years old when she ended 1995 as Junior European Champion Under 18 and ITF Junior World Champion Under 18.
Kournikova debuted in professional tennis at age 14 in the Fed Cup for Russia, the youngest player ever to participate and win. At age 15, she reached the fourth round of the 1996 U.S. Open, only to be stopped by then-top ranked player, Steffi Graf.
Kournikova was a member of the Russian delegation to the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1997, as a 16-year-old, she reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon, where she lost to the eventual champion, Martina Hingis by a score of 6-3, 6-2. 1998 was her breakthrough year, when she broke into the WTA's top 20 rankings for the first time and scored impressive victories over Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, and Steffi Graf. Kournikova's two Grand Slam doubles titles came in 1999 and 2002, both at the Australian Open in the Women's Doubles event with partner Martina Hingis, with whom she played frequently starting in 1999.
Kournikova proved a successful doubles player on the professional circuit, winning 16 tournament doubles titles, including two Australian Opens and being a finalist in mixed doubles at the U.S. Open and at Wimbledon, and reaching the No.1 ranking in doubles in the Women's Tennis Association tour rankings. Her pro career doubles record was 200-71. However, her singles career plateaued after 1999. For the most part, she managed to retain her ranking between 10 and 15 (her career high singles ranking was No.8), but her expected finals breakthrough failed to occur; she only reached four finals out of 130 singles tournaments, never in a Grand Slam event, and never won one. As a player, Kournikova was noted for her footspeed and aggressive baseline play and excellent angles and dropshots; however, her flat, high-risk groundstrokes tended to produce high numbers of errors and her serve was sometimes unreliable in singles. Her singles record is 209-129.
Her final playing years were marred by a string of injuries, especially back injuries, which caused her ranking to erode gradually. Kournikova has not played on the WTA tour since 2003, but still plays exhibition matches for charitable causes.
In late 2004, she participated in three events organized by Elton John and by fellow tennis players Serena Williams and Andy Roddick. In January 2005, she played in a doubles charity event for the Indian Ocean tsunami with John McEnroe, Roddick, and Chris Evert.
In November 2005, she teamed up with Martina Hingis, playing against Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur in the WTT finals for charity. Kournikova is also a member of the Sacramento Capitals in the World Team Tennis (WTT), playing doubles only.
In a feature for ELLE magazine's July 2005 issue, Kournikova stated that if she were 100% fit, she would like to come back and compete again.
Media publicity
Most of Kournikova's fame has come from the publicity surrounding her personal life as well as numerous modeling shoots. During her debut at the 1996 U.S. Open at the age of 15, Kournikova's physical beauty was noticed by the world and soon pictures of her appeared in numerous magazines worldwide.
Kournikova's marital status has been an issue on several occasions. There were conflicting rumors about whether or not she was engaged to hockey player Pavel Bure. There were reports that she married NHL hockey star Sergei Fedorov in 2001. Kournikova's representatives have denied this, but Fedorov stated in 2003 that the couple had married and since divorced. Kournikova currently has a relationship with pop star Enrique Iglesias (in whose video, "Escape", she appeared), and rumors that the couple had secretly married appeared in 2003 and again in 2005. Kournikova herself has consistently refused to directly confirm or deny rumors about the status of her personal relationships. But, in May 2007, Enrique Iglesias was (mistakingly, as he would clarify later) quoted in the NY Sun that he had no intention to marry Anna and settle down so they had split up. The singer would later deny these rumors of 'divorce' or simply separation.
In 2000, Kournikova became the new face for Berlei's shock absorber sports bras range, and appeared in the highly successful "only the ball should bounce" bill board campaign. Photographs of her scantily-clad form have appeared in various men's magazines, including more than one much-publicized Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues (2004 – 2005), where she posed in bikinis and swimsuits, and in other popular men's publications such as FHM and Maxim.
Kournikova was named one of People's 50 Most Beautiful People in 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2003 and was voted "hottest female athlete" and "hottest couple" (with Iglesias) on ESPN.com. In 2002 she also placed first in FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World in U.S. and UK editions.
By contrast, ESPN — citing the degree of hype as compared to actual accomplishments as a singles player — ranked Kournikova 18th in its "25 Biggest Sports Flops of the Past 25 Years".
Kournikova had a small role (as a motel manager) in the 2000 film Me, Myself and Irene, starring Jim Carrey.
A man named William Lepeska once swam naked across Biscayne Bay in search of her Miami Beach home after attempting to contact Kournikova via a number of letters and e-mails. When apprehended by the police, Lepeska violently resisted arrest. [4]
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