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Anna Kournikova was one of the biggest draws in tennis during her career with her popularity extending far beyond her results on the court. Such was her influence that one of her childhood coaches once claimed she brought together fans from all walks of life, elevating the sport’s reach through her star power.
Kournikova was born in Moscow in 1981 and picked up a tennis racket at the age of five. By nine, she had moved to Florida to train at Nick Bollettieri’s famed Tennis Academy in Bradenton, a decision that set the course for her career.
Alongside Nick Bollettieri, Anna Kournikova was also coached by Ken Merritt, who spoke highly of her in a 2015 interview with CNN. He noted that she had a rare ability to draw in all kinds of fans, from “business people” to “construction workers,” uniting them around her matches. Merritt also credited her with helping take women’s tennis to new heights in terms of sponsorships and commercial appeal.
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"Construction workers were watching tennis, business people were watching tennis. It wasn’t just normal country club corporate clients that were watching tennis now,” Merritt said.
“Women’s tennis had a lot of TV deals after she was playing. There’s a lot of things Anna did for the sport that went well beyond the box scores of wins or losses," he added.
Nick Bollettieri’s Tennis Academy, now part of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, has produced some of the biggest names in the sport. Among its famous alumni are Andre Agassi, Monica Seles, Jim Courier, Pete Sampras, Maria Sharapova, Serena and Venus Williams, Boris Becker, and many more.
"Who the hell is this?" - Anna Kournikova's ex-coach Nick Bollettieri recalls his first encounter with Russian
In his 2015 interview with CNN, Nick Bollettieri recalled his very first meeting with Anna Kournikova. He remembered it vividly: at exactly 8:50 a.m. on Court 40 of his academy, when a young Kournikova enthusiastically jumped into his ball basket and announced she was there for her lesson.
“This little girl comes and jumps in my ball basket and says, ‘I’m here for the lesson!’ I thought, ‘Who the hell is this?’” he said.
“I didn’t yell at her – because it was unbelievable to see the spunk of a little girl just coming and saying ‘I’m here. I’m ready,'" he added.
Anna Kournikova was highly successful in doubles, winning two Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open in 1999 and 2002, both with partner Martina Hingis. The pair was often referred to as the "Spice Girls of Tennis" due to their popularity and success on the court. They also won several other doubles titles and reached the World No. 1 ranking in doubles.
While she never won a singles title, Kournikova was a consistent presence in the top tier of women’s tennis. Her highest singles ranking was World No. 8, achieved in 2000. She reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 1997 at just 16 years old, which remains her best Grand Slam singles performance.
After her retirement from professional tennis in 2003 due to back and spinal injuries, the Russian remained active in the sport, frequently playing in exhibition and charity matches.
