Anna Kournikova Quick Info |
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Height | 5 ft 8 in |
Weight | 61 kg |
Date of Birth | June 7, 1981 |
Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
Boyfriend | Enrique Iglesias |
Anna Kournikova is a Russian-American former professional tennis player and television personality who reached No. 8 in the world in 2000 despite never winning a singles title and her celebrity status has made her one of the best-known tennis stars worldwide. When the sports star was at the peak of her fame, her name became one of the most common search strings on Google Search. Partnering for doubles with Martina Hingis, she won Grand Slam titles in Australia in 1999 and 2002 and the WTA Championships in 1999 and 2000. After struggling with serious back and spinal problems, she retired from the game in the year 2003 and has served as a Global Ambassador for Population Services International’s “Five & Alive” program.
Born Name
Anna Sergeyevna Kournikova
Nick Name
Murzik
Sun Sign
Gemini
Born Place
Moscow, Russia
Residence
Miami Beach, Florida, United States
Nationality
Education
Anna Kournikova graduated from the Russian High School in 1997. She then got enrolled at the Russian University of Physical Culture.
Occupation
Former Professional Tennis Player, Television Personality
Family
- Father – Sergei Kournikova (Former Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion, Former professor at the University of Physical Culture and Sport and part-time martial arts instructor)
- Mother – Alla Kournikova (Former 400-meter runner)
- Siblings – Allan Kournikova (Younger Half-Brother) (Youth golf world champion who was featured in the 2013 documentary film The Short Game)
- Others – Nikolay Yakovlevich Kournikov (Paternal Grandfather), Anna Pavlovna (Paternal Grandmother)
Manager
Anna Kournikova was represented by –
- Lisa Jacobson of Jacobson Brand Management & Consulting.
- Akseven, Inc.
Plays
Right-Handed (Two-Handed Backhand)
Turned Pro
October 1995
Build
Athletic
Height
5 ft 8 in or 173 cm
Weight
61 kg or 134.5 lbs
Boyfriend / Spouse
Anna has dated –
Pablo Montero (1996) – In 1996, Anna went out with the Mexican singer, Pablo Montero. He was in his early teens back then, whereas she was still hovering at her mid-teens, which made their relationship a great talking point for the tabloids.Sergei Fedorov – Anna first met former ice hockey star, Sergei Fedorov in Moscow at the age of 15, while they were starting their respective sporting careers. At 16, she started an on-and-off relationship with Sergei. In a 2001 interview, Fedorov alleged that they had got married at a Moscow register office in a wedding ceremony which was attended by their parents and Fedorov’s brother. These claims were refuted by her representative and her family. Fedorov also claimed that she was with him when she fell in love with another ice hockey star, Pavel Bure.Pavel Bure – Kournikova first met ice hockey star, Pavel Bure in 1999. By the end of the year, they were dating. In 2000, they were rumored to have got engaged after a reporter had spotted Bure proposing to her in the Florida restaurant. This development grabbed a lot of attention as Anna had just turned 18 and she was 10 years younger than him. However, they denied these reports. In 2001, it was reported that they got married in Moscow. Bure would later confirm that they did get married in 2001 before divorcing in 2003. Anna and her representative again refuted reports of them having got married.Mark Philippoussis (2001) – As per Mark Philippoussis’ former coach, Pat Cash’s autobiography, Anna briefly dated the Australian tennis star in 2001. Cash alleged that she used to ask Mark to call her several times a day to tell her that she was beautiful.Enrique Iglesias (2001-Present) – Anna started going out with Spanish pop star Enrique Iglesias in 2001. They had grown close while shooting for his music video, Escape. In 2003, it was rumored that they had tied the knot in a secret wedding ceremony. About two years later, the same reports surfaced again. However, they refused to comment on it. Anna has kept her relationship away from the spotlight. In fact, she first acknowledged their relationship in a 2010 interview about 8 years after the start of their relationship. In December 2017, Anna gave birth to twins, Nicholas and Lucy. In January 2020, she gave birth to the couple’s third child, daughter Mary.Race / Ethnicity
White
Anna Kournikova is of Russian descent.
Hair Color
Blonde
Eye Color
Blue
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Tall and athletic figure
- Smile
Measurements
36-25-36 in or 91.5-63.5-91.5 cm
Dress Size
8 (US) or 40 (EU)
Bra Size
34B
Shoe Size
9.5 (US) or 7 (UK) or 40 (EU)
Brand Endorsements
Anna Kournikova had a lucrative endorsement deal with sportswear giant, Adidas. As part of the deal, she appeared in a series of commercials for the brand.
The other brands she has done promotional work for include –
- Lycos search engine (TV commercial as well as a print advert)
- K-Swiss athletic shoes and apparel (Print advert)
- Charles Schwab (TV commercial)
- Berlei’s sports bra
- BMW
Religion
Russian Orthodox
Best Known For
- Her success as a professional tennis player, especially in the doubles category, in which she managed to reach the top of the rankings
- Being one of the most glamorous and popular female tennis players of her generation
First Tennis Match
She made her professional debut in the Fed Cup while representing Russia. She was 14 years old at that time, creating the record of being the youngest player to participate and win the match in the competition.
First Film
In 2000, she made her first film appearance in the role of a “Motel Manager” in the comedy flick, Me, Myself & Irene.
First TV Show
In a 1997 episode, she was seen on the talk show The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Personal Trainer
Anna Kournikova has a consistent and regular workout regime in place to keep her lean figure in shape. She hits the gym regularly to keep her muscles toned but she is not too hung up on it. So, even if she is not going to the gym, she still makes sure that she is working out.
Having grown up with little access to gym and training facilities in the Soviet Union, Anna states that all you need is sneakers for a good running session. Also, you can get a good cardio workout by jumping rope for about 10 minutes.
When she hits the gym, she prefers to focus on the core to alleviate her back problem. She performs a lot of variations of planks and core exercises on the stability ball. If she has sufficient time, she tries to build a workout routine including squats, lunges, and free weights.
When it comes to diet, she is a big fan of power breakfasts. She believes that a healthy breakfast should meet one-third of your daily energy needs. Her breakfast choices vary from French toasts with raisins to sesame bagels with two slices of mozzarella and one serving of fruit.
Overall, she goes for 3 meals and 2 snacks per day. She doesn’t mind eating carbs in the day, however, after dusk, she sticks to lean and green.
Anna Kournikova Favorite Things
- Food – Chocolate, ice cream, potatoes, and pasta
- Beauty Brand – Neutrogena
- Clothing Items – Leather jackets and a tailored blazer
- Clothing Retail Websites – Shopbop, Singer22, Saks, Revolve Clothing, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdales
Source – Elle
Anna Kournikova Facts
In May 2002, FHM Australia and FHM America declared her the sexiest woman in the world after conducting a poll.In 1998, People magazine included her on the list of “50 Most Beautiful People”.Her parents had no intention of making her a professional tennis player at the start. Anna was an energetic child and they figured tennis would be a better outlet for extra energy.A computer virus that spread worldwide on the Internet in February 2001 was named after her and it was designed to trick email users into clicking to open an email attachment ostensibly appearing to be an image of the professional tennis player Anna Kournikova but instead hiding a malicious program.In 2003, she debuted a tattoo of a sun on her lower back at the Australian Open. In a bizarre interview, she denied it was a tattoo and claimed it was a heat patch used for back pain.In 2005 and 2011, Maxim magazine had placed her on #29 and #19 respectively on the “Hot 100 list”.For her tremendous success at the start of her professional career, she was declared WTA Newcomer of the Year in 1996.In 2008, Google announced that she was the most searched athlete on the Internet. The next year, she was down to the sixth spot before managing to rise to the third spot in 2010.At the age of 5, she received her first tennis racquet as a New Year gift. By the age of 7, she had started taking lessons at a professional academy.The Men’s Health magazine placed her on the 29th spot on the list of “100 Hottest Women of All-Time” in 2011.Kournikova and Martina Hingis referred to themselves as the “Spice Girls of Tennis”.She signed her first management deal at the age of 10 and moved to Miami to take training at celebrated tennis coach, Nick Bollettieri’s tennis academy.In recognition of her lack of achievements as a singles player, ESPN placed her on the 18th spot in the list featuring “25 Biggest Sports Flops of the Past 25 Years”. She was also ranked number #1 in the ESPN Classic series titled Who’s number 1? when the series featured sport’s most overrated athletes.In 1997, she became the second woman after Chris Evert to reach the semi-final stage of the debut Wimbledon Championship. But, she became the first youngest professional to reach the semi-finals at the age of 15.She decided to retire from the professional game at the very young age of 21 after a series of back and spinal problems made it impossible for her to compete any longer.She has worked as a global ambassador for Five & Alive, which is a program launched by Population Services International to battle health problems faced by children below the age of 5.In October 2018, Anna’s long-time partner Enrique Iglesias claimed that their sex life had improved a lot after welcoming twins in December 2017.Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.ncG1vNJzZmiglZa5tbTYnJylnZJjsLC5jpqlp5ldoLy2vs2ioqiukWQ%3D