Long before Sophie Cunningham, the female athlete “it girl” was WTA tennis star Anna Kournikova, 45. Kournikova’s career spanned from 1995-2003, when social media was not a thing. Yet she was among the internet’s most searched athletes for years after her playing career ended prematurely because of injuries.
Kournikova’s on-court success was mainly in doubles where she reached the World No. 1 ranking. She partnered with Martina Hingis to win two Grand Slams and two WTA finals titles. They nicknamed themselves the “Spice Girls of tennis.” Her career high singles ranking was World No. 8.
She had a drink and computer virus named after her. The Anna Kournikova cocktail was a white Russian made with skim milk. In 2001, the Anna Kournikova computer virus wreaked havoc.
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Kournikova is the mother of three children to Enrique Iglesias
Kournikova has been with Enrique Iglesias since 2001. They live in Miami with their three children, fraternal twins Lucy and Nicholas and another daughter named Mary. A Russian by birth, Kournikova competed for Russia while playing, but she became an American citizen after she retired.
Because of the scrutiny surrounding Kournikova in her formative years, she is fiercely protective and private of her children. She was the victim of a 2005 stalker incident where the person intended to swim to her house but went to the wrong address.
Last year, Kournikova and her children were spotted in a rare outing with Kournikova in a wheelchair, apparently recovering from an injury.
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Briefly worked on The Biggest Loser
In addition to occasionally playing in charity tennis exhibitions after her professional career ended, Kournikova was on the NBC television show, The Biggest Loser. In 2010, she led a tennis workout challenge. The following season, she replaced Jillian Michaels as a celebrity trainer.
Anna Kournikova as a coach for “The Biggest Loser” on its Season 12. For more photos, visit: https://t.co/TAYeiRnIvm 💛 https://t.co/5P6LvEYmWn
— Anna Kournikova (@KournikovaDaily) November 6, 2018
Happy Birthday Anna Kournikova, out of Moscow, Soviet Union; Despite never winning a singles title she reached #8 in the world in 2000; A variation of a White Russian made with skim milk is known as the Anna Kournikova; 42 Today…. https://t.co/2pdoeOfQtA
— Larry in Missouri (@LarryInMissouri) June 7, 2023
To this day, she is not on social media and remains a private figure despite having a public partner in Iglesias.
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