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Interview before the match
August 13, 2007

 

 

THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, our final participant tonight in the Rogers Cup Tennis Legends presented by Acura exhibition, Anna Kournikova. Same as other formats we've had for the first few participants. We'll open the floor for questions.
 
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "Hi."
 
THE MODERATOR: Anybody or are we just taking pictures? Questions, please.

Q. Why do you get involved in exhibition tournaments like this?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "Well, for me personally, it's a great opportunity to be back on the court to be in front of fans again, and feel the atmosphere. I haven't played professionally now for four years, so for me this is the only way, obviously, to be back on the court. To you know, under this level at this level. So it's really something that I love doing. I love playing, and I'll always, always want to go back out there as much as I can and take every single opportunity. So, it's really a no‑brainer for me."

Q. You're playing with John tonight. Have you had a lot of opportunities to play with John? And are you worried that he might lose his cool at any time tonight?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "We actually have been playing a ton of exhibition matches with John and Jim, both of them and myself. And we'll have different girls like in different places. So we kind of have our own score going on and everything.
I love playing with both, with John and Jim, they're just amazing. And they really are still such Amazing level of game and they really make it so fun for the fans. It's a pleasure to watch them, and I love being part of the exhibitions with them."

Q. Are you surprised that since you played on the WTA that there are so many great youngsters from Russia that have done so well on the tournament?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "No, not at all. I think it's only natural, you know. Like I always say that in the last ten years or in the last seven years there's been so many more opportunities just for players in general, from Eastern Europe.
There are so many more opportunities for them to travel. They can afford it now a little bit more, and it's easier to get a visa to other countries. When I started playing, I mean we couldn't even get visas to some countries. It was that difficult to go play tournaments. So I still need visas to every country, but it's normal.
And I think it's great, because those girls are so talented. They work really hard. And I guess they're a little bit hungrier from Eastern European countries or Russia or Czech Republic, from all of those countries. I guess they're a little bit also hungrier for success to achieve something, to earn good money, to travel the world, you know. So it's normal.
Those countries have always had great talent, and all kinds of sports. Whether it's gymnastics, athletics and tennis also. It's just tennis was always very expensive. But, like I said, now they have many more opportunities."

Q. It's been 11 years since you've gone professional, and obviously a lot has happened since then with your tennis here and other things that you've been doing here. And I was just wondering due to your injury since you had to stop playing, did you, after all you had two Grand Slam titles, did you ever feel satisfied with that? Or did you ever feel the need to you wish you could go back and do more, or are you happy with what you accomplished? There was, after all, a lot, and then other things came into play. So how do you feel like today?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "Definitely not satisfied with the injuries that I've had. I mean, it's always very, very hard as an athlete to get injured and to go get through it. But, you know, it goes with it. It comes with the job. And as an athlete, you have to expect being injured.
And some people are more prone to injuries, some bodies are more prone to injuries, some bodies are stronger. I was never a big, strong girl. I was always kind of skinny and little. You know, so the amount of hours that I used to spend on the court, it was probably a little bit too much for my body type for, you know, my joints and my bones.
So probably one of the regrets, is probably overdoing it sometimes and that way getting injured. But you can ‑‑ you can't look at it that way.
But I feel like I've accomplished a lot. I mean, I came from nowhere. Got to play the game that I absolutely love. And tennis gave everything, tennis gave me a life. I wouldn't be the person that I am. I wouldn't ‑‑ I mean, I can't even imagine.
I started playing tennis when I was 5 years old. So, you know, and like people say, oh, people don't remember you or your results or your wins or whatever. You haven't done much. But at the end of the day, you know, real tennis fans know my results on court and wins and everything. And as long as I feel good about it, I don't really care about anything else."

Q. I read just quickly a story that you, your parents sold their TV to get you your first tennis racquet; is that true at age of 5?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "Yeah."

Q. So obviously, this is huge for you. You've come here?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "Oh, huge? Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't have a life if I didn't play tennis. I would probably be cleaning toilets somewhere in Russia, you know. Really, that's reality."

Q. John McEnroe addressed this, the number of women who pulled out of this tournament. He called it an epidemic. How do you feel about the women who have pulled out of the Canadian tournament?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "Oh, I'm so sorry. I have no idea."

Q. Several of the big stars have dropped out?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "I can just say stuff happens, you know. It's a sport, and athletes and injuries and certain circumstances. It's bad from player's side, you know, because if they're injured. It's bad from the tournament's side, the tournament loses, I mean, nobody wins. It's a no‑win situation. It's bad for the sponsors. But that's the way it is, and it's a risk. Having a tournament, it's a risk. It's no‑win for anybody."

Q. Can the tour do more to, I guess not make that happen? I mean, is there too much of a workload for some of the females?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "Well, I've always felt that the tennis tour, the women's schedule was very long. It's almost 11 months long. And that one month that you don't have actually big tournaments on the calendar, you've got to get ready for Australia. And it's over Christmas and you fly ‑ during Christmas, you're flying to Australia.
So I always felt like the season was a little long. I think that it would benefit if the tour would have a few more extra weeks off. I think that maybe people could recuperate and recover and heal some injuries, at the same time get ready for the new season. But that's me four years ago speaking. Right now I have no idea about the schedule and stuff."

Q. You are one of the very first women tennis players that really got so much more attention outside of tennis magazines glamour. I want to know if you feel that people like Maria Sharapova, and perhaps the Williams sisters now that have huge endorsements, if all of this would have been possible without you? In other words, were you the one that made tennis a very, very glamorous profession? Not just for the athlete, but for the fact that you're known all around the world?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "Well, I don't think, if it wouldn't be me, it would be somebody else, first of all. I think you just kind of have to be in the right place at the right time and have the whole package. At the end of the day, you know, before me there was Gabby Sabbatini. She had perfumes and she still has them. You know, she had a lot of endorsements. And Monica had great endorsements. There were a lot of girls before that, you know.
I don't think that I personally ‑‑ personally, I don't really feel like I really had a lot to do, you know. I couldn't take all the credit for it. Maybe yeah ‑‑ did I make people aware, like you said, outside of tennis? Great. Then that I'll take credit for. I'm happy to attract people to tennis to the game and to women's sports, because we do work hard. You know, girls on the courts do work hard. They work just as hard as anybody, and they deserve attention and credit."

Q. Do you miss anything from the tour, your competition side?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "I'm sorry?"

Q. Do you miss anything from the tour? Either the competition or the traveling or anything?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "Well, you know, once you've lived this life, it's very hard to replace it or try to imitate. Of course I miss playing. Of course I miss being in front of thousands of fans and those 7‑6 in the third matches and stuff.
Do I miss traveling 11 months out of the year? I don't know, you know. But do I miss like 100‑degree heat playing in it? I don't know like all the time, you know. I think it's just too long sometimes and too much. But I definitely miss the game, that's for sure."

Q. I heard you had just signed with K‑Swiss, and you're planning to design some new fashions for them. What are your plans for that? What are the fashions you're planning?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "We're coming out with a line in 2008 at the beginning of the year. It is a sportswear line. It will be tennis, workout stuff, yoga stuff. It will basically be stuff that you can be in the gym in and then go to a coffee shop in. It is a lifestyle line and stuff. So you can mix and match it. It will all be together and hopefully it will be cool."

Q. Just wondering if you could tell us who really stand out on the women's tour this year, and today's game and if you were to come back and play doubles, who would be your partner?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "The last tournament I watched was Wimbledon, and that was amazing. I mean, Venus did amazing. Really, it's hard for me to say. I just like watching tennis right now as a fan from the side. And I just always like to see good matches.
I don't know ‑‑ I'm sure that if I wanted to come back and play ever doubles, which I'm not saying that I am, please don't print that. But of course, I would like to play with Martina. She'll always be one of my best friends on the tour, and she's just incredible. So she would be the one, for sure, I would want to play with."

Q. Just wondering is that a ring on your finger and are you engaged to Julio?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "No, I think he's a little too old for me (smiling), and he has like six kids or something."

Q. Are you still together, are you engaged?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "We're together."

Q. And?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "And nothing. And everything is great."

Q. Did you watch him this morning on the TV?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "I was traveling actually. I was very bummed my flight left at 9:55. Why, was it fun?"

Q. He was tired, I think?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "Yeah, well, yeah. I mean, I slept one hour also. I went to sleep at 5:00 and I had to get up at 6:00, and I was packing. And he pretty much did the same thing."

Q. I've asked this question to John, actually. Your first coach in the states compared your playing, he said the only person he could compare your playing your shots and your volleys was to John McEnroe. So I don't know if you heard that?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "No."

Q. He had said it , I guess, just to the press. How do you feel playing with him tonight? Are you taking this game very seriously or is it more just like to have a really good time tonight and do your best kind of thing?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "Well, like I say, I love playing with John. I've played with him a million times, and we get along so good. I respect him completely.
I'm like so excited. So excited to be on the court with both John and Jim. They're really fun and great. And we are ‑‑ we get very competitive, but at the same time, it's very entertaining, and it's fun. So it's ‑‑ it's everything together. It's a great package."

Q. I was just wondering if you had seen Mark Philippoussis reality show? And if you had ever been approached to do something like that yourself and if you would be interested in doing that?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "No, I wouldn't be interested in doing it, and, yes, I have been approached a lot of times. But I don't see myself (laughing). I think for a guy it's okay to be kissing ten girls at the same time, but I don't think it's good for a girl, is it (laughing)?"

THE MODERATOR: Well, we'll end it there.
 

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: "You know the double standard, you know, right there, so. I don't think that's something."

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Anna.

 

 

 


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