11 surprising facts you didn’t know about Anna Kournikova

Anna Kournikova changed the game for women's tennis in the 90s – bringing more eyes to the game than ever before. In fact, the Russian superstar transcended the sport and became a global icon – in demand for everything from fashion outlets to video games.

While it seemed like Kournikova was everywhere for a time, we're picking there are a lot of things you probably don't know about the former World No.8. Here are 11 things you may not know about Anna Kournikova.

Who knew a simple Christmas gift could change someone’s life? Little Anna got her first tennis racket at the age of five, and was soon getting down to some serious work on the courts.

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While other kids were watching cartoons, Kournikova was grinding it out on the tennis court – six hours a day, to be exact, in her childhood city of Moscow, before new opportunities came knocking per People magazine.

At just 10 years old, Kournikova packed her bags and left Moscow to train at the famous Nick Bollettieri tennis academy in Florida, renowned for coaching the likes of Monica Seles, Andre Agassi, Jennifer Capriati, and later the Williams sisters. A big move, but a huge opportunity.

She didn’t waste any time making history. In 1995, she became the youngest player to win the Junior Orange Bowl, one of the biggest junior tennis tournaments, at just 14 years old. A star was born.

Anna Kournikova wasn’t just a tennis player – she was a brand. At the height of her career, she was earning over $10 million (£8 million/€9.3 million) a year from deals with Adidas, Omega, and more. She became one of the first athletes to blur the lines between sports and fashion.

Back in the early 2000s, Kournikova was the most searched woman on Google. Fans couldn’t get enough of her on and off the court, making her one of the internet’s original superstars. In fact, in 2001 she used to lure a computer virus through emails with an attachment titled 'AnnaKournikova.jpg.vbs'.

Also at the peak of her playing days, Kournikova had her very own video game, 'Anna Kournikova's Smash Court Tennis' on PlayStation 2 in 1998. The game is fondly remembered by people who played it at the time, but we're not sure it would hold up today...

Kournikova and pop star Enrique Iglesias have been together since 2001, but despite both being famous entities little is known about their relationship. In fact, it's not even publicly known if they are married.

Persistent back and spinal issues forced Kournikova to retire at 21 in 2003, leaving fans wondering what could’ve been. But while her time on the court was short, and never resulted in a Grand Slam singles title, her impact on tennis and pop culture has been anything but small.

She was, however, a doubles specialist alongside Martina Hingis – a duo dubbed the 'Spice Girls of tennis' – and the pair won two Grand Slam doubles titles, both at the Australian Open in 1999 and 2002.

Since retiring from the sport, she has dedicated herself largely to philanthropic work. She’s a Global Ambassador for Population Services International’s 'Five & Alive' program, helping improve health for kids under five around the world. In 2009, she also spearheaded a campaign to raise awareness for HIV in Russia, as reported by Oprah.

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