Anna Kournikova's Biography

Former tennis star, Anna Kournikova was born on 7th June 1981 in Moscow, Russia.

Kournikova started playing tennis at five and soon joined the Spartak Tennis Club, where she was coached by the husband of Russian pro Olga Morozova. When Kournikova was nine she was scouted whilst playing in the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, and offered the chance to train at the renowned Nick Bollettieri's Tennis Academy in Florida.

At 14, Anna Kournikova was the youngest ever winner of a Federation Cup match. She also won the European Championships and Italian Open Juniors. At the end of 1995, she was ITF Junior World Champion and ranked number 1 in the junior game.

She turned pro in October 1995, and in 1997, she reached the semi-final of Wimbledon on her debut there.

Anna Kournikova won her first and only grand slam title in the doubles at the 1999 Australian Open with first-time partner Martina Hingis.

Her heyday was the period up to and including 2000. After that Kournikova slumped to 70th in the world rankings and retired.

Kournikova has been dating musician Enrique Inglesias, son of Julio and rumours had intensified that they were to marry, however in April 2008, Anna Kournikova told People that she would never get married.

Kournikova has been married before - to Russian hockey star Sergei Fedorov in 2001.

Kournikova became famous for her short skirts on and off the tennis court and has always polled well in votes for the likes of Sexiest Woman in the World. She attracted lucrative sponsorship deals.

Commencing with the June 2005 issue, Anna Kournikova became Elle magazine's fitness guru.