quastrin: Anna Kournikova Biogarphy

Why Is She Famous?

Aside from single-handedly making women's tennis popular again, Anna Kournikova is one of the most searched people on the internet thanks to her amazing looks. She proves that you don't need to be a star tennis player to be one of the most highly endorsed athletes, nor do you need killer tennis skills to have a deadly internet virus named after you.

Anna Kournikova Picture

Date of Birth:
7 June 1981, Moscow, USSR [now Russia]

Birth Name:
Anna Sergeyevna Kournikova

Nickname:
Murzik ("my little pet" in Russian)

Height:
5' 8" (1.73 m)

Anna kournikova image

Mailing Address:

Anna Kournikova
c/o IMG
One Earview Plaza, Suite 1300
Cleveland, OH 44114

Anna kournikova pictures

Anna Kournikova Biography:

Anna Kournikova (née Anya Kournikova) was born on June 7, 1981, in Moscow, Russia, to Sergei and Alla. Her father, a lecturer at the sports university in Moscow and a part-time tennis coach, and mother, did not encourage Anna to play tennis for the fame, but rather for the health benefits of the sport.

Anna Kournikova Pictures

anna's early tennis days
Anna Kournikova's talent was first discovered when she played at a weekly children's sports program at the age of 5, thanks to the racket she received from her parents for Christmas. She started to play and practice more often, in places such as Moscow's Soklniki Park and the prestigious Spartak Tennis Club, despite the fact that her family was far from wealthy.

While still in Moscow, Anna Kournikova's first tennis coach was Larissa Preobraschenskaja, from 1985 to 1989. The budding tennis player trained and practiced while studying at school. In 1992, 11-year-old Anna Kournikova moved to Florida with her mother to attend Nick Bollettieri's Tennis Academy in Bradenton. The tennis facilities made it easier for Anna Kournikova, who had to commute from the gym to the tennis court to school while in Moscow.

Anna Kournikova Pics

anna kournikova goes pro
By the time she was 14, she had become the youngest player to win a Fed Cup match, and made sure people took notice of her when she won the European Championships and Italian Open juniors. When she turned pro in 1996, she stepped onto the scene as an ITF Junior World Champion.

Expectations were high and Anna Kournikova delivered: she reached the fourth round in her first Grand Slam tournament, the 1996 U.S. Open and the semifinals in her first Wimbledon appearance in 1997.

Anna Kournikova Wallpaper

1998 was a big year for the blonde beauty: Anna Kournikova became the first Russian female to be seeded at the U.S. Open since 1976, reached the top 10 of the singles rankings, and upset Martina Hingis in the quarterfinals at the 1998 German Open, becoming the ninth-youngest player to defeat a No. 1 tennis player before turning 17.

The following year, Anna Kournikova won her first Grand Slam doubles title at the 1999 Australian Open, with partner Martina Hingis. She managed to reach the fourth round in singles at all three Grand Slams, two Grand Slam doubles finals and one Grand Slam mixed doubles final.

Anna Kournikova Sexy Photo

In 2000, Anna Kournikova and Martina Hingis continued to do damage on the courts, and ended the season with a career ranking of No. 8. She even defeated Lindsay Davenport and Nathalie Tauziat on the way to the fifth semifinal of that year in San Diego. She later moved down the rankings to No. 19 and beat Sandrine Testud before losing to Venus Williams. At the 2000 German Open in May, Anna Kournikova experienced the first in what would become a string of injuries.

anna kournikova dates enrique iglesias
She continued to make appearances in high-profile tournaments and drawing in big crowds, but not as many titles or wins unfortunately. After 2003's Australian Open, she suffered a back injury that led to her withdrawal from that year's Wimbledon games.

In 2001, she had a bit part in the Jim Carrey comedy Me, Myself & Irene as a motel manager, and the following year, she starred opposite Enrique Iglesias in the pop singer's video for "Escape." FHM's Sexiest Woman in the World also made headlines thanks to her relationships with NHL players Pavel Bure and Sergei Fedorov (who she was allegedly married to), and her on-again, off-again romance with Enrique Iglesias.

Anna Kournikova Hot Picture

anna kournikova makes millions with endorsements
Anna Kournikova also proved her earning power by being one of the richest women in sports, thanks to lucrative contracts with companies like Adidas, Yonex, Berlei (the famous sports bra), Omega (also the choice of Cindy Crawford and Pierce Brosnan), and Lycos (who once named Anna Kournikova the most popular athlete on the internet, moving Michael Jordan to the No. 2 spot).

By 2002, she was reportedly making $10 million a year, and she continues to be the most photographed woman in sports -- even though her ranking and stats are nothing to write Russia about.

In a feature for ELLE magazine's July 2005 issue, Anna Kournikova stated that if she were 100% fit, she would like to come back and compete again. However, in the meantime, we're just fine watching her strut her stuff in magazines and bra ads.

Anna Kournikova Tennis Picture

Trivia:

Is an only child.

Ex-tennis player.

Named one of "People" magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People of 1998.

Graduated from a Russian high school in 1997, and has attended Russian University of Physical Culture since 1997.

Anna Kournikova Tennis Photo

Dated Pavel Bure and childhood sweetheart Sergei Fedorov at the same time. Fedorov told The Hockey News that he and Kournikova had secretly married in July 2001, but were divorced shortly thereafter; Kournikova has never confirmed this.

2002: Appears in the new Enrique Iglesias video "Escape".

Her fastest serve was clocked at 111.2 mph during the Paris Indoors of 1998.

May 2002: has been voted "the sexiest woman in the world" in the magazine "FHM" (Australian version).

Has never won a major tennis tournament, as of January 2004.

Anna Kournikova Bikini Pictures

It is announced that Kournikova was voted the Sexiest Woman in the World in FHM's 100 Sexiest Girls poll for 2002, American edition. [May 2002]

Knocked out of Wimbledon in the first round. [June 2002]

Ranked 299th in the world (as of October 2003).

Has a tattoo of a sun design on her lower back, which made its "debut" at the 2003 Australian Open. Oddly, she denied having it, telling reporters that it was actually a heat patch to treat back pain.

Sold her Miami Beach condo at Portofino Tower to Sergei Fedorov for $1.63 million (December 2003).

Anna Kournikova Hot Image

In February 2001, the Anna Kournikova Virus was released. Within a few hours of its distribution anti-virus vendors received thousands of reports. However, investigators were only able to list 55 incidents of infection, causing just $166,827 worth of damage. On 27 September 2001, a Dutch court gave the virus's author, Jan De Wit, the choice of 150 hours community service or 75 days in jail.

Her favorite food is Sushi.

Anna Kournikova Sexy Picture

Voted as #9 on the Top 100 Sexiest Women 2004 in FHM [DK].

Her best ranking in tennis was number 8 in the world (2000).

Anna Kournikova Hot Wallpapers

Career best Grand Slam tournament singles results: Australian Open quarterfinals in 2001, French Open 4th round in 1998 and 1999, Wimbledon semifinals in 1997, U.S. Open 4th round in 1996 and 1998.

Named #29 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2005 list.