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OK! Magazine Interview - July 2006
July 2006

 

 

The Tennis Ace from Russia with Love: Anna Kournikova
Netting Gorgeous Enrique Is Not The Only Reason Why Life Is Smashing For The Blonde Bombshell


Wimbledon is upon us and with it an appetite for strawberries and cream and the smell of freshly cut grass. While England's tennis championship conjures up images of idyllic summer afternoons sipping Pimm's and basking in the sunshine, the game itself is often synonymous with Russian firecracker Anna Kournikova.
Tough Anna, 25, retired from professional tennis three years ago, the image of her long ponytail shimmering in the sun and her fantastic physique clad in only the skimpiest of tennis whites has become an iconic image of the sport.
As OK! chats to Anna, she's thoroughly enjoying life, which no doubt has a lot to do with her long-term boyfriend Enrique Iglesias. And though Anna is just a spectator this time around at Wimbledon, she's still hard at work busily getting involved with Ariel's Championship White campaign - a search for the next generation of tennis stars. Here Anna reveals how she's happy as Larry with Enrique, shares her diet and fitness secrets, and tells us why she's not bothered about being a sex symbol...

Q: You're looking very happy at the moment, Anna - we presume it's because of your relationship with the gorgeous Enrique...
Anna: I am definitely very happy at the moment! But I think the trick of keeping it good and healthy is not discussing it in public. I have certain things that I want to keep quiet because it's very personal. I've always been quite protective of my personal life and made a decision a long time ago to keep it secret.

Q: Do you think that's the secret to a good celebrity relationship?
Anna: I think the secret it whatever works for that person.

Q: You've been together for quite a while now - have you any plans to start a family?
Anna: Some day I hope so, but I'm only 25 years old so I'm still quite young. We'll see...

Q: You're looking amazing as usual - are you following a particular diet?
Anna: Not really, I don't think. I eat right and I exercise a lot and play tennis. I like sport because I love the feeling I get from it - it makes me feel so good.

Q: You became a pin-up very early on in your career - where you ever prepared for all the attention?
Anna: I don't think anyone can ever prepare you for being thrown into that sort of world and to be the centre of so much media attention when you're ten years old.

Q: Did you ever feel being seen as a sex symbol got in the way of people viewing you as a professional athlete?
Anna: No, I don't think it ever got in the way. I suppose people just wanted to write something about me. It happens to most in the public eye.

Q: You also came in live for some pretty harsh criticism about yout capabilities as a tennis player - that must have been pretty horrible...
Anna: Of course it bothered me a little bit but it's not something I thought about every day and it isn't the sort of thing that made me worry or cry. All of the stuff that gets written doesn't bother me at all. It's how you are on the inside that counts.

Q: You've said you're open to trying new things - what sort of things have you been trying your hand at?
Anna: Oh, just a bunch of really different things. I never used to have the opportunity to do anything beside play tennis and be on the road 24/7. But now whether it's reading classics or being on the beach or working with kids, it's all really exciting. It's all about experiencing new things and building my character. I am still playing tennis, though, and working with charities.

Q: Wimbledon is upon us again and you've been supporting Arial Tennis Ace campaign. Why were you so keen to get involved?
Anna: It was a great project to be involved with because it's focused on children. It's really important to get them interested in sport and leading healthier lifestyles. I think that sport teaches children valuable lessons that they can apply to life. It's a great campaign and I'm thrilled to be involved.

 

 

 


Find out more at Anna's offical website:
www.kournikova.com