Anna Kournikova, whose full name is Anna Sergeyevna Kournikova, was born on June 7, 1981, in Moscow, Russia, then part of the Soviet Union. She is a former Russian professional tennis player and model who competed on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour from 1995 to 2003. Although she never won a WTA singles title, she reached world No. 8 in singles and became world No. 1 in doubles. Partnering with Martina Hingis, she won the women's doubles championship at the Australian Open in 1999 and 2002. She collected 16 WTA doubles titles during her career and reached the singles semifinals at Wimbledon in 1997. Her modeling work and international media appearances brought her considerable attention outside tennis. Since 2001, she has been in a relationship with Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias, with whom she has four children.

Early Life and Family

Anna Kournikova was born on June 7, 1981, in Moscow, Soviet Union, to Sergei Kournikov and Alla Kournikova. Her father was a physical education instructor and her mother was a former competitive runner.

She began playing tennis at the age of five. In 1986, she joined the Spartak Tennis Club in Moscow, where she trained under coach Larisa Preobrazhenskaya.

Her parents encouraged her participation in sports from childhood. By the age of seven, she was receiving regular tennis instruction and competing against other young players.

At approximately ten years old, Kournikova moved to Florida, United States, to train at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton. The academy also trained players including Andre Agassi, Monica Seles, and Jim Courier.

She subsequently settled in Florida with her family and continued developing her tennis career.

Junior Tennis Career

Anna Kournikova began competing internationally while still a child. She won several junior tournaments and became one of the highest-ranked junior players during the mid-1990s.

In 1995, she won the Italian Open junior tournament and the European Junior Championships.

That same year, at the age of 14, she was named the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior World Champion.

Her junior results enabled her to enter professional tournaments while still competing in the under-18 category.

Beginning of Her Professional Career

Anna Kournikova made her WTA Tour debut in September 1995 at the Moscow Ladies Open. She reached the second round in singles and the doubles final alongside Polish player Aleksandra Olsza.

In April 1996, she represented Russia in the Fed Cup, becoming the youngest player at that time to participate in and win a match in the competition.

In 1996, she won two singles titles on the ITF professional circuit, at Midland and Rockford in the United States.

At the age of 15, she made her Grand Slam singles debut at the US Open in 1996. She reached the fourth round before losing to Steffi Graf, who went on to win the tournament.

She also represented Russia at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, competing in women's singles and doubles. She was eliminated in the first round of both events.

Wimbledon Semifinal and Singles Career

In 1997, Anna Kournikova reached the women's singles semifinals at Wimbledon at the age of 16.

She lost to Martina Hingis in straight sets, 6–3 and 6–2. Hingis subsequently won the tournament.

In 1998, Kournikova entered the world's top 20 in singles. During the season, she recorded victories against players including Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, and Steffi Graf.

She reached her first WTA singles final at the Miami Open in March 1998, where she lost to Venus Williams.

Kournikova reached three additional WTA singles finals during her career but did not win a title at that level.

On November 20, 2000, she achieved her highest WTA singles ranking of world No. 8.

Her Grand Slam singles results included a semifinal at Wimbledon in 1997, a quarterfinal at the Australian Open in 2001, and fourth-round appearances at the French Open and US Open.

Her professional singles record was 209 wins and 129 losses. Although she never won a WTA singles championship, she had previously won two singles titles on the lower-level ITF circuit.

Doubles Career and Partnership with Martina Hingis

Anna Kournikova achieved her principal tournament victories in doubles, particularly through her partnership with Swiss player Martina Hingis.

The pair won the women's doubles championship at the 1999 Australian Open. Their performances led the media to refer to them as the "Spice Girls of Tennis," a comparison with the British pop group Spice Girls.

On November 22, 1999, Kournikova became world No. 1 in the WTA doubles rankings.

She and Hingis also won the WTA Tour Championships doubles titles in 1999 and 2000.

In 2002, the partnership won its second Australian Open women's doubles championship.

Kournikova reached the women's doubles final of the 1999 French Open with Hingis and the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2000 and 2002.

She also reached Grand Slam mixed doubles finals, including Wimbledon in 1999 and the US Open in 2000.

During her professional career, Kournikova won 16 WTA doubles titles and recorded 200 doubles victories against 71 defeats.

Her performances included successful partnerships with several players, but her association with Hingis produced her two Grand Slam doubles championships.

Playing Style

Standing 1.73 meters (5 feet 8 inches) tall, Anna Kournikova played right-handed with a two-handed backhand.

Her game relied on movement, anticipation, aggressive baseline shots, and the ability to redirect the ball at sharp angles.

She also used drop shots and approached the net frequently, particularly in doubles competition.

Her volleying ability and court positioning contributed to her doubles results. However, her serve was often inconsistent, and unforced errors affected some of her singles performances.

Kournikova was particularly effective in doubles, where her reflexes, net play, and coordination with her partner allowed her to compete at the highest level.

Injuries and Retirement from Professional Tennis

During the early 2000s, Anna Kournikova experienced recurring injuries, particularly involving her back and spine.

These problems interrupted her tournament schedule and contributed to a decline in her singles ranking.

She played her final WTA Tour matches in 2003, when she was 21 years old, and did not return to regular professional competition.

In a July 2005 interview with ELLE, Kournikova discussed the possibility of returning to competitive tennis if she recovered sufficiently.

"If I felt 100 percent ready, I would like to return to the court and compete again."

Despite considering a return, she did not resume a full professional tournament schedule.

Exhibition Matches and Charity Work

After leaving the WTA Tour, Anna Kournikova continued participating in exhibition matches and charitable sporting events.

She played in World TeamTennis (WTT) competitions, representing teams including the Sacramento Capitals. Her participation focused primarily on doubles matches.

In 2004, she took part in charitable tennis events organized by British musician Elton John, appearing alongside players including Serena Williams and Andy Roddick.

In January 2005, she participated in a charity event supporting relief efforts following the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The exhibition included tennis players John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, and Chris Evert.

In November 2005, Kournikova reunited with Martina Hingis for a charity doubles match against Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur.

She subsequently continued participating in selected exhibition tournaments and fundraising activities.

Modeling and Media Career

Anna Kournikova became the subject of extensive international media coverage during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Her appearance at the 1996 US Open attracted attention from sports and entertainment publications. She subsequently appeared in advertising campaigns, fashion magazines, and commercial photography.

In 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2003, she was included in beauty-related lists published by People magazine.

She was also featured in rankings published by FHM and ESPN, reflecting the substantial media attention she received beyond her tennis career.

Her name was frequently associated with internet searches during the early years of Google's popularity, and she became a subject of online celebrity coverage.

In 2000, she made a brief appearance in the comedy film Me, Myself & Irene, starring Jim Carrey and Renée Zellweger.

She also appeared in sports documentaries, advertising campaigns, and entertainment television programs.

Television Appearances and Later Activities

In 2011, Anna Kournikova joined the American reality television program The Biggest Loser as a trainer during its twelfth season.

She appeared in the program alongside other fitness professionals, helping contestants with physical training and exercise routines.

Following her television appearance, Kournikova maintained a relatively private life in Miami, occasionally participating in charitable activities and making public appearances.

Personal Life and Relationships

During the late 1990s, Anna Kournikova's relationships attracted considerable media attention.

Reports suggested that she had been engaged to Russian ice hockey player Pavel Bure, although the reported engagement was denied.

She was also linked to Russian NHL player Sergei Fedorov. In 2001, rumors circulated that the two had married secretly.

Kournikova's representatives and father denied the marriage reports at the time. However, in March 2003, Fedorov stated in an interview with The Hockey News that the couple had briefly been married and subsequently divorced.

Kournikova did not publicly confirm the account.

Relationship with Enrique Iglesias

In 2001, Anna Kournikova appeared in the music video for Escape, a song by Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias.

The two began a romantic relationship after meeting during production of the video.

During the following years, reports circulated suggesting that the couple had married privately in 2003 or 2005. Neither publicly confirmed those reports at the time.

They have generally kept their relationship and family life away from extensive media coverage.

Kournikova and Iglesias live in Miami, Florida, where they have raised their children.

Children and Family Life

Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias welcomed twins, Lucy and Nicholas, on December 16, 2017.

Their third child, a daughter named Mary, was born on January 30, 2020.

On December 17, 2025, the couple welcomed their fourth child, a son named Romeo.

They initially announced the birth without revealing the child's name. In March 2026, Kournikova shared a family photograph identifying all four children: Lucy, Nicholas, Mary, and Romeo.

Professional Tennis Statistics

Professional Career: 1995–2003
Country Represented: Russia
Height: 1.73 m
Playing Style: Right-handed, two-handed backhand
Highest Singles Ranking: World No. 8 – November 20, 2000
Highest Doubles Ranking: World No. 1 – November 22, 1999
WTA Singles Titles: 0
ITF Singles Titles: 2
WTA Doubles Titles: 16
Singles Record: 209 wins, 129 losses
Doubles Record: 200 wins, 71 losses
Grand Slam Doubles Titles: 2
Career Prize Money: US$3,584,662

Grand Slam Results

Singles
Australian Open – Quarterfinals (2001)
French Open – Fourth Round (1998, 1999)
Wimbledon – Semifinals (1997)
US Open – Fourth Round (1996, 1998)

Women's Doubles
Australian Open – Champion (1999, 2002)
French Open – Finalist (1999)
Wimbledon – Semifinals (2000, 2002)
US Open – Quarterfinals (1996, 2002)

Mixed Doubles
Wimbledon – Finalist (1999)
US Open – Finalist (2000)

Major Tennis Titles and Achievements

1995 – ITF Junior World Champion
1995 – European Junior Champion
1995 – Italian Open Junior Champion
1996 – First Professional ITF Singles Titles
1996 – Represented Russia at the Atlanta Olympic Games
1997 – Wimbledon Singles Semifinalist
1998 – Miami Open Singles Finalist
1999 – Australian Open Women's Doubles Champion – With Martina Hingis
1999 – WTA Tour Championships Doubles Champion – With Martina Hingis
1999 – Reached World No. 1 in Doubles
2000 – WTA Tour Championships Doubles Champion – With Martina Hingis
2000 – Reached World No. 8 in Singles
2002 – Australian Open Women's Doubles Champion – With Martina Hingis

Film and Television Appearances

2000 – Me, Myself & Irene – Cameo Appearance (Film)
2001 – Escape – Music Video by Enrique Iglesias
2011 – The Biggest Loser – Trainer (Television Series)

Source: Biyografiler.com