Connect with us

SPORTS GOSSIP

‘Curves, not serves’: Sad reality about Anna Kournikova’s career

Published

3 years ago

on

By the time Anna Kournikova played her final tour match, vultures were already picking at the bones of a once-feted great tennis talent.

Many were leching over those same bones, of course, while glorying in her downfall. Picking out the young Russian as prime schadenfreude fodder while sleazily sparing as much thought for her physical form as her tennis form.

When the veteran Daily Progress sports writer Jerry Ratcliffe reminisced about the day in 2003 that saw Kournikova come to Charlottesville, Virginia, he remarked: “We were there to see Anna’s curves, not her serves.”

Sometimes, all you’re looking for from a newspaper is honesty, a little truth-telling, putting the story in simple terms, cutting to the chase.

And you know where you stand when a newspaper lets that sentence through the edit.

Given it was on his beat, Ratcliffe had been at courtside for the $25k Boyd Tinsley Clay Court Classic, a tournament so minor that the presence of Kournikova, trying to find some form, was wildly incongruous.

She was ranked 72nd in the world, and just days earlier had pulled out of a semi-final at a similarly low-profile tournament in Sea Island, Georgia, due to injury. Kournikova’s opponent that day would have been the 16-year-old little-known Maria Sharapova.

By the time Kournikova’s career reached Charlottesville, she was already bordering on desperation, physical pulls, niggles and herniated discs having taken a heavy toll, her confidence inevitably ebbing away. Once a top-10 player, she was in danger of tumbling outside the top 100. A turning point was what she sought, that elusive first singles title.

And so on May 14, 2003 – 17 years ago – Kournikova played what she hoped would be her first of five matches that week.

It turned out to be the very last match she would play on tour, the Russian beaten in three sets by Brazilian Bruna Colosio, a player who sat 384th in the world rankings.

The girl who had bowled over coaching titan Nick Bollettieri with her enthusiasm when springing into his academy barely a decade earlier was finished. She went down not firing but, according to reports from that day, buried by an avalanche of double faults.

Weeks later, in early June, Kournikova was seen in tears in England, pulling out of the grass-court season without playing a match.

The show was over, the series cancelled. Kournikova had just turned 22.

‘The fame was created by you guys’

Here’s a noteworthy Kournikova quote, snipped from a 2010 Wimbledon news conference I attended.

It came after a hit-and-giggle exhibition doubles match she played alongside Martina Hingis, at a time when both Kournikova and Hingis, once the self-styled ‘Spice Girls’ of tennis, were enjoying retirement.

“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,” Kournikova said that evening.

“[I] never tried to pay attention. I mean, obviously it was a little hard times dealing with it being 16, 17 years old, reading some kind of c**p about yourself, you know. Most of it was made up.”

The trials and tribulations of Anna Kournikova. The sob story writes itself and has been written again and again. Look, she still blames the media. What about those results, Anna? What about your c**ppy results? Nobody made those up.

Of course you could pick apart Kournikova’s career and float the idea it was a washout because she could not fulfil the potential apparent when she reached the 1997 Wimbledon semi-finals, losing to eventual champion and fellow 16-year-old Hingis.

But it would seem beyond churlish, a witless, hardly original reckoning.

Kournikova, the biggest earner in tennis who made millions in endorsements but couldn’t for love nor money lay her hands on a singles crown. Kournikova, the pin-up whose tennis was ancillary to her money-spinning modelling career. Kournikova, the easiest target since the last target was taken down.

It’s all been said, and said too often by those who “were there to see Anna’s curves, not her serves”. By those who knew where she stood in FHM’s top 100 sexiest women, if not the world rankings.

After tennis, the quiet life for Kournikova

She was asked in that same NASDAQ-100 news conference about her continuing losses, about the criticism she faced, and whether it hurt.

“I can’t change what other people think and all I can do is go and play,” she said. “That’s what I should really be focusing on, is just doing my thing, practising and playing and then if I do well, there will be less criticism.

“There will be criticism of something else. But at the end of the day, I can’t really do anything with it. There’s going to be one thing or another, so it’s your job, guys, right?”

Whatever she did, Kournikova believed there would be criticism.

Which perhaps explains to a large part her current life, retired and living privately in Miami, with long-time partner Enrique Iglesias, the Spanish pop singer.

Such is the couple’s secrecy, it is not known whether they are married. They have three children together, including twins that were born in December 2017, without the world having had a clue Kournikova was pregnant.

Tabloid whispers that Kournikova might have been expecting again only emerged days before she gave birth to their third child in January of this year. She keeps that low a profile, and why not?

She and Iglesias remain gossip-mag favourites but rarely give interviews.

She chooses when to accept modelling gigs, skipping strictly to her own beat.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

LATEST

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman hails rise of good performance amongst sports during 2024 Budget speech

Published

10 months ago

on

February 1, 2024

By

India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman lauded the rise of sports in India during her Union Budget speech. The Indian contingent finished with its highest-ever medal tally during the Asian Games last year.

Even the Asian Para Games contingent did well and won many medals. Chess has also produced some amazing Indian talents. 18-year-old Praggnanandhaa came in for special attention from the Finance Minister.

The youngster reached the finals of the Chess World Cup before losing to Magnus Carlsen. This achievement was lauded by Nirmala Sitharaman during her speech in the floor of the house.

Finance minister lauds Indian growth in sports 

India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman was presenting the interim budget ahead of the 2024 Elections. During her chat listing all the achievements the country has made, her comments on sports took the limelight.

Sitharaman said “The country is proud of our youth scaling new heights in sports. The highest-ever medal tally in Asian Games and Asian Para Games in 2023 reflects a high confidence level. Chess prodigy and our number-one ranked player Praggnanandhaa put up a stiff fight against the reigning World Champion Magnus Carlsson in 2023. Today, India has over 80 chess grandmasters compared to little over 20 in 2010,”

Last year during the Asian Games, India finished 4th in the medals tally. The final tally read, 28 gold medals, 38 silver medals, and 41 bronze medals. Men’s and Women’s cricket won gold medals for the first time. The Indian Kabaddi Team did well to beat Iran in the final of a pulsating contest.

Despite their bad performance in the AFC Asian Cup 2024, even Indian football has started to perform well. Indian Cricket Team reached the finals of the ODI World Cup and the World Test Championships in 2023. 2024 is set to be yet another huge year for Indian sports. The focus will be on the huge Olympics set to be held in Paris this year. The likes of Neeraj Chopra will be looking to bring even more glory to the nation with their performances.

Continue Reading

CRICKET

CSK Skipper MS Dhoni files lawsuit against Business partner, accuses cheating and financial loss

Published

11 months ago

on

January 5, 2024

By

MS Dhoni

In surprising news, cricketing legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni has taken legal action against his former business associates, Mihir Diwakar and Soumya Vishwash of Aarka Sports and Management Limited. The former India captain accuses them of tricking him in a deal related to cricket academies, resulting in a huge financial loss of over Rs 15 crore. Dhoni filed a criminal case in October 2023, accusing them of cheating.

The legal battle unfolded as Dhoni and Diwakar agreed in 2017 to open a cricket academy. However, Diwakar allegedly failed to stick to the specified conditions, causing substantial financial harm to MSD.

Today, the court witnessed the proceedings in the case, highlighting the intricacies of the alleged breach of agreement. The cricketing maestro and Mihir Diwakar’s agreement in 2017 outlined the opening of a cricket academy. However, Diwakar is accused of failing to adhere to the predetermined terms, causing a significant loss estimated at Rs 17 crore for Dhoni.

MS Dhoni is set to make a comeback in IPL 2024

The accusations of deception and breach of agreement have added a new layer to the ongoing legal saga. Dayanand Singh, representing MS Dhoni through Vidhi Associates, emphasised the alleged failure of Mihir Diwakar to fulfil the agreed-upon conditions, leading to substantial financial losses for the cricket icon.

The legal battle takes a more dramatic turn as Dhoni’s friend, Simant Lohani (Chittu), also files a complaint. Lohani alleges that he faced threats and abuse from Mihir Diwakar after legal action was initiated against Aarka Sports.

Despite the legal complexities, MS Dhoni remains resolute in his return to competitive cricket. Recently returning from Dubai after celebrating the New Year, Dhoni is gearing up for IPL 2024, which is anticipated to be his farewell season in the league. The legal tussle with former business partners adds an unexpected twist to Dhoni’s journey, underscoring the challenges even cricketing legends face beyond the boundary.

Continue Reading

OTHERS

South Africa’s paralympian Oscar Pistorius released on parole

Published

11 months ago

on

January 5, 2024

By

Former South Africa Paralympian Oscar Pistorius has been released on strict parole conditions. Back in 2013, he mistakenly murdered his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. He claimed to have mistaken her for a burglar and shot her from inside his bathroom. In the same year, he was jailed for 16 years. However, after completing his 11 years of sentence, he has been released on bail on some conditions.

Pistorius’ sentence will conclude in 2029. As per the law of the South African land, offenders are allowed to be considered for parole after serving half of their total sentence, and in Pistorius’s case, this moment has arrived. His parole conditions include strict monitoring and participation in programs addressing anger management and gender-based violence.

Reeva Steenkamp’s mother, June Steenkamp, expressed her acceptance of the legal process, stating as per BBC, “The conditions imposed by the parole board, which includes anger management courses and programs on gender-based violence, send out a clear message that gender-based violence is taken seriously.” She acknowledged the limitations of justice, emphasizing the irreparable loss suffered by her family.

Oscar Pistorius’ journey in a nutshell

The 37-year-old’s career took off when he secured four gold medals in the Paralympics. During the 2012 London Olympics, he competed against non-disabled athletes. However, due to the unfortunate event mentioned above, his much-celebrated career came to an end.

The Department of Correctional Services in South Africa asserted that Pistorius, despite his celebrity status, would be treated like any other parolee. The conditions entail home confinement during specific hours, a ban on alcohol consumption, and restrictions on media interaction.

June Steenkamp reflected on the complexity of justice in the face of an irreparable loss, stating, “There can never be justice if your loved one is never coming back, and no amount of time served will bring Reeva back.” She expressed her hope to focus on the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation, dedicated to continuing her daughter’s legacy.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Wolf777news.