Anna Kournikova in Malaysia

Anna Kournikova began playing tennis at the age of 5 and moved to Florida at the age of 11 to train. Often ranked in the top 10 female tennis player.

Race is not an issue where love is concerned – that is the stand of sexy Russian tennis star Anna Kournikova.

Anna Kournikova from Russia posing for photographers with a giant tennis ball during a photocall at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, October 26. 2009.



“(Malaysian men are) very cute but at the end of the day, it is all about the person and it has nothing to do with the race,” she said when asked what she thought of Malaysian blokes at the launching of the Showdown of Champions 2009 – The Grand Slam here yesterday.

The 28-year-old, who is the ambassador for the event, also spontaneously brought up her love life during the 15-minute press conference.

Enrique Iglesias and Anna Kournikova

“He is half Spanish and half Filipino,” she said, referring to her long-term partner, singer Enrique Iglesias.
Kournikova, who is currently involved in campaigns to encourage children to play sports, said she is “passionate about working with kids.”

On whether she has any plans to have her own children, the Miami-based tennis beauty said:

“Someday. Maybe 20 years from now. Anything is possible.”

Russian tennis player Anna Kournikova, wearing a Malaysian traditional “baju kebaya” dress, poses during the launch of The Kuala Lumpur Showdown of Champions The Glam Slam 2009, in Kuala Lumpur October 26, 2009.


Kournikova, who has stopped playing competitive tennis due to injury since 2003, said she has no plans to make a comeback even though she misses the sport.

“Obviously I miss playing tennis. How can I not miss the game? I’ve been playing since I was five years old and I’ve been playing the game for 23 years of my life.

“There are moments I miss playing in front of 20,000 people, playing a night match and playing 7-6 in a third (set).

“But when I look back, I am really happy with the way I played.

“I played some amazing games,” she said.

She is also grateful to have found her new passion – to raise awareness on malaria, sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS among youths.

“I can pick and choose now and give my time to causes that I have a passion about,” she said.

The Showdown of Champions 2009 will feature Elena Dementieva, Maria Kirilenko, Sania Mirza and Zheng Jie at the Malawati Stadium in Shah Alam on Dec 19 and 20.