During her career, Anna Kournikova rose as high as No. 8 in the global rankings and established herself as one of the top tennis players.
Even so, the Russian great was never crowned singles champion. At 22, Anna was forced to end her career due to injuries. Even so, sponsorship and endorsement offers kept coming in, and she quickly rose to the top of the list of most Googled individuals worldwide.
Kournikova rose to fame after her professional career was over, thanks to some television shows, modeling jobs, and other endeavors. The pair now leads a somewhat more sedate life with their kids after getting married to Enrique Iglesias, which whetted the interest of entertainment newspapers.
How does Anna Kournikova spend her day now? What about the 40-year-old’s appearance? You only need to be aware of this about her.
Many young people aspire to become famous and succeed in a certain industry. In light of this, the keys to success—whether you want to be a Hollywood movie star, an opera star, or the best dancer and performer on Broadway—are hard effort, confidence in your abilities, and perseverance.
That also applies to the world of sports, where aspiring young players struggle mightily to succeed.
The road to popularity is undoubtedly difficult, but it is crucial to remember that the higher you ascend, the longer it will take for you to fall.
That was the case for Anna Kournikova, who was once one of the world’s most highly regarded teenage tennis players. Experts predicted her to become the sport’s next big star and reach its stratospheric peaks. She got professional at a very young age, but her career ended virtually before it had begun.
At a time when the sport was dominated by men, Anna entered it, attracting attention from fans, sponsors, and even journalists. This made her more of a product than a person, and her attractiveness took center stage instead of her evident talent.
The Russian’s career may not have finished when and where she had hoped, but despite this, she could still build an empire and a stunning family.
On June 7, 1981, Anna Kournikova was born in Moscow. She began playing tennis at five with some pals and quickly established herself as a regular at a Moscow tennis club.
“My parents gave me more challenges because I performed well and enjoyed the sport. In the book Chicken Soup for the Soul: Extraordinary Teens: Personal Stories and Advice from Today’s Most Inspiring Youth, Kournikova writes, “Two years later, I started taking lessons at a professional tennis club where many current Russian tennis players were trained.
Early years and relocation to the US of Anna Kournikova
Tennis swiftly grew to be my life, my outlet, my social network, and my community. My coach was like a second mother to me,” she said.
“Tennis and training were a constant in my life. Even though I was still a young child, I somehow understood that I did not have many other options. Life in Russia at the time was difficult since there were not as many chances as now in the United States.
Many people recognized Kournikova’s enormous skill. Her parents and trainers and agents on the opposite side of the Atlantic Ocean were not the only ones who recognized her potential.
Author Robert H. Ruxin describes how agents were interested in Anna Kournikova even when she was a teenager in his book An Athlete’s Guide to Agents. IMG Tennis, a major tennis management organization, quickly pursued Anna.
One of their biggest stars was expected to be Anna, whom IMG had first spotted in Moscow when she was eleven, dragging used tennis balls across the court. Before she participated in a single professional competition, IMG relocated Anna and her mother to its Lord Tennis Academy and helped her become a billionaire by the age of thirteen.
Simply put, the management saw that, at that age, Anna Kournikova was more than just a tennis player. She was well known for her aesthetic appeal and prowess on the tennis court. Despite her young age, IMG is rumored to have valued her attractiveness highly.
Ben Rothenburg, a tennis reporter for the New York Times, noted that even at age 10, Anna was well-known for her appearance and talent.
On the No Challenges Remaining podcast, Rothenburg said, “Even before her results started, even when she was a junior, people talked about her at IMG – which is creepy and gross, but it still happens to this day; ‘Oh my God, you should see this 12-year-old, she is beautiful’.”
She became what she was perceived to be by the public.
Kournikova relocated to Florida and began training at the renowned tennis academy of Nick Bollettieri. She soon started competing in junior events, and nobody could beat her.
Kournikova began her professional career at the age of 14 in 1995.
Tennis is one of those games where intensive training begins at a very young age, she said. “For many sports, most people do not start playing professionally at fourteen,” she said.
In fact, from what I recall, there was never even a choice as to whether to go pro. I had been trained for this opportunity for so many years that I never even questioned it. I was enthusiastic and determined to succeed on the WTA tour. I was very eager to go to the next level because I had already achieved my Junior Circuit goals.
The year she became a pro, Kournikova won the premier international junior competition.
Tennis player Anna Kournikova’s career
She made her US Open debut the following year and advanced to the fourth round. At age 16, she also advanced to the semifinals of the storied Wimbledon competition. She competed in tennis events for a total of 35 weeks every year.
Nevertheless, Anna and her group of managers and agents also prioritized their off-court business. Fast-growing women’s tennis attracted financial investment from sports marketers seeking high-profile athletes to represent their brands.
As the internet spread worldwide, it became simpler for marketers to connect with audiences there. Anna was a Russian who played tennis worldwide, spoke perfect English and was the epitome of a brand fantasy.
Anna became the first famous female tennis player to enter the market. She appeared on the covers of numerous weekly sports magazines and was an endorser for everything from watches to sports bras. She was modeling in tiny blouses and bras on magazine covers at 18, and many would describe her as a “hot symbol.”
Among those with the highest Google searches
Many people were disappointed by this, but Anna was flush with wealth. Although she was promoting her ideas to various businesses, other athletes, like the renowned Martina Navratilova, supported the Russian star.
What is she meant to say when she declines your offer of payment? Saying, “No, I do not really deserve it,” after winning the lotto, analogizes that. As Kournikova once said, Navratilova.
Anna was moving toward the heavens. In 1999 and 2002, she and Martina Hingis won the Wimbledon doubles title, and commercially, things could not have been more favorable. She was also among the people who received the most global Google searches in 2002.
In 2003, Kournikova made her final appearance on the WTA Tour. Sadly, she was forced to retire at the age of 22 owing to injuries. Later, she participated in World Team Tennis and continued to play in exhibition matches, but her chance to go down in tennis history was lost.
Even though she loved playing tennis, Kournikova had mixed feelings about retiring.
On the night she announced her retirement, Kournikova stated, “You know, the fame and everything, I guess most of it was created by you guys, by the media a lot of times, most of the time the yellow press.”
Anna Kournikova’s family, spouse, kids, and wealth
“I never made an effort to pay attention. Naturally, it was a bit difficult to deal with it when you are 16, 17, and reading some kind of c**p about yourself. It was mostly made up.
Everyone may agree that Anna’s career ended too soon, but that did not stop her from succeeding in the years after. The Russian woman built an enterprise worth more than $50 million; she is now happily married and a mother of three kids.
According to Kournikova, it was cool.
It took a lot of effort. My family and I were quite satisfied, and it was also enjoyable. I got to travel the world, consume Pepsi, and chew gum. I was nine years old, living in America, and consuming fruit all 365 days a year. That was not available to me at home. By the age of 14, I had visited most of the world.
So, what did she do following her time on the court? Kournikova briefly worked as a model while continuing to make frequent appearances in commercials. She even played a supporting role in Jim Carey’s movie Me, Myself, and Irene.
Anna Kournikova appeared in the Spanish musician Enrique Iglesias’ music video for the song Escape in late 2001. Enrique was a fairly well-known performer in his own Spain, but he was also well-liked internationally. For instance, “Bailamos,” a massive smash, peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Enrique and Anna displayed undeniable chemistry in the Escape music video, where they engaged in steamy kissing scenes.
The singer remarked, “I have never met her, but I am a tremendous fan. Many guys desire to meet her, I am sure of it. One of them is me. She is a fantastic tennis player, gorgeous, and talented, so I know she will do well in the video.
View this post on Instagram
It came out that Anna and Enrique’s future was more complicated than just their ability to collaborate.
When they ran into each other, they did not wait long to start dating. The couple then went to Miami, where they did their best to stay away from the paparazzi and the media.
In 2017, they had twins named Lucy and Nicholas. Three years later, their daughter Mary was born.
“I love being a mother, and I always knew I wanted kids, whether I had my own or adopted. Anna said in 2019: “I love taking care of people.”
She also said, “Marriage is not important to me.” “I think people should be honest with each other, trust each other, and treat each other with full respect. We have been friends for a long time. He is the male version of me, and I am the female version of him.”
View this post on Instagram
In season 12 of NBC’s The Biggest Loser, Kournikova came back to TV as a personal trainer. As was already said, she has built up a $50 million business over the years. Even though she is 40 years old, she still looks great.
View this post on Instagram
What do you think about the fact that athletes make almost as much money from ads and endorsements as they do from playing their sport? Please tell us what you think in the comments.
Share this story if you remember Anna Kournikova, too.
