Roger Federer was born on August 8, 1981, and is a Swiss professional tennis player that is currently ranked No. 2 in the world behind Rafael Nadal. He was previously the World No. 1 ranked player for a record number of weeks, 237 weeks to be exact. He took the World No. 1 ranking in February of 2004 and held it until August of 2008 which is when his long time tennis rival, Rafael Nadal, took over. He has won a total of 13 Grand Slam Singles Titles, which includes 3 Australian Open Titles, 5 Wimbledon Titles and 5 US Open Titles.
Where He Is Now -
Roger Federer has had a fairly average year so far, with some excellent wins and some disappointments. In August of this year he lost the World No. 1 title to his long time tennis rival, Rafael Nadal. In the 2008 Madrid Masters, he reached all the way to the semifinals without losing a single set, before he lost to Andy Murray. He became the all time leader in career prize monies at the same time, having earned more than $123 billion dollars by the end of the tournament, surpassing the former World No. 1 champion Pete Sampras in this regard. The 2008 season was the first season since 2003 that Federer did not win a regular season Masters Series title, but he still won a number of tournaments and titles throughout the season.
Career Highlights -
- Ranked World No. 1 for a surprising 237 consecutive weeks
- Currently ranked World No. 2 behind Rafael Nadal
- 13 Grand Slam Singles Titles,
- 3 Australian Open Titles
- 5 Wimbledon Titles
- 5 US Open Titles
- 4 Tennis Masters Cup Titles
- 13 ATP Masters Series Titles
- Olympic Gold Medal in Doubles
- 10 Consecutive Grand Slam Men's Singles Finals
Interesting and Inspirational Quotes -
"I like to play against guys who have beaten me, especially early in the career, try to get them back, ... He was a tough opponent for me for a long, long time."
"I wasn't feeling so good like the last few times but maybe that's got something to do with him because he really came in a lot and never gave me the rhythm."
"That game was huge, absolutely, ... I was not so happy the way I was playing, especially in the second set. Third was getting better, especially after that pass. I really felt that shift in momentum. I took advantage of that. In the fourth set, I started to feel like I'm really in control again where I didn't feel that way at all before. I had the feeling actually momentum was all on his side."
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Tennis Racquet Racket Review Having the right tennis equipment is a vital part of improving one's game. Sure, experience and skill are the most important part of playing well, but with the wrong equipment, a good player can easily have trouble winning matches. Everyone is going to have different requirements when it comes to choosing......
Top Spin 3 for Nintendo Wii The Nintendo Wii system has become very popular among sports fans, simply because of the advanced functionality of being able to actually swing instead of using a controller with many of the games. Top Spin 3, one of the latest tennis games for Wii has skyrocketed to success, so we......
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Player Profile: Tiger Woods Tiger Woods may be out of commission for the 2008 season, but he is never really out of mind. When he first burst onto the scene and turned golf on its ear, no one really knew what to expect. This upstart kid went on to numerous championships, endorsement deals and......
Skier Profile for Lindsey Vonn Lindsey Vonn was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on 10/18/1984. Her hometown, however, is Vail Colorado which is where she got her start in skiing. She has been skiing for a total of nine years, and has claimed titles both as a junior and upon reaching adulthood as well. Lindsey......
Player Profile for Seve Ballesteros Severiano Ballesteros is a Spanish professional golfer, and a former World No. 1 title holder. Following in the footsteps of his father and brother, Severiano Ballesteros turned professional as a golfer young, entering into his first Open Championship when he was only 16 years old. He announced himself in to......
Rafael Nadal was born on June 3, 1986. He is a Spanish tennis player that has been regarded as the No. 1 ranked men's tennis player in the world since August 18 of 2008. He has already won five Grand Slam Singles titles and won the 2008 Olympic gold in singles tennis. He has also won the last four French Open titles in singles, joining the player Bjorn Borg as one of the only two men to have won four titles consecutively. He is the second Spaniard to have won the Wimbledon tournament, another win that he took this year in 2008. He is known for having a rivalry with Roger Federer, which is considered to be the greatest rivalry in the history of tennis according to many tennis critics. He was ranked world no. 2 behind Roger Federer for 160 weeks up until he took the World No. 1 space in August of this year. Nadal is known for being particular successful on clay courts, and has a 22-1 record on clay courts.
Where He Is Now -
The year 2008 has been a great year for Rafael Nadal, who finally overcame Roger Federer for the World No. 1 position in August. As of September of this year he had a win loss record of 77 - 9 and had won eight singles titles, including a Gold in the Olympic games, Wimbledon and the French Open. He also had a winning streak of 32 matches which was his career best, and during this period of time he managed to capture five titles. Rafael Nadal began his year in India, then reached the Australian Open semi finals for the first time, before reaching the 2008 Master Series Miami for the second time. He did especially well during the spring clay court series, as his specialty is playing on clay courts.
Career Highlights -
- Ranked World No.1 since August, 2008
- 46 Finals
- 39 Singles
- 31 Wins
- 5 Grand Slam Tournament Wins
- 1 Olympic Gold (2008)
- 12 ATP Masters Series
- 13 ATP Tour
- 8 Runners Up
- 7 Doubles Wins
Interesting and Inspirational Quotes -
"To be honest, I haven't felt at my best since this tournament began. I didn't feel good with the court or the balls. But those are excuses. You have to accept when you don't play well and somebody else does."
"I don't want to think about it because I always want to stay the same, ... I only want to think about next week. I'm happy I've won a grand slam, three Masters Series and five [other] tournaments, but I can't think about that now. I'll think about it at the end of the year."
'I lost a little bit of confidence about me, ... I am not playing good this week...There are moments when you don't have the confidence and this is one of those moments."
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Andy Murray Tennis Player Profile Andy Murray was born on May 15, 1987 and is a professional tennis player from Scotland who also happens to be the highest ranking player in Britain at current. He officially broke into the ATP Top 10 on April 16, 2007, and reached a career high of No. 4 ranking......
5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Tennis Game While many people are under the impression that learning tennis is nearly impossible, there are actually quite a few incredibly easy tips that can drastically improve your game. While these tips may not turn you into a star over night or land you at Wimbledon, they will help solid players......
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Tennis Player Profile for Lleyton Hewitt Lleyton Hewitt was born on February 24, 1981 and is a former World No 1 tennis player that hails from Australia. He became the youngest male ever to obtain a number 1 ranking in 2001. He has numerous career achievements, awards and wins, including a 2001 US Open win, a......
Review: Go Play Tennis: Read it, Watch it, Do it by Rolf Flichtbeil Go Play Tennis: Read it, Watch it, Do it is by Rolf Flichtbeil, and is part of the Read it, Watch it, Do it series of books. What makes this a unique book on the subject of tennis is the fact that it is a fully integrated book that incorporates......
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Player Profile: Greg Norman Greg Norman, arguably one of the most famous golfers in the 1980’s and 1990’s, was born in Australia in 1955. His nickname, The Great White Shark, referred to his heritage, his white blond hair and his killer instinct on the course. There were few that could top Norman when he......
Andy Murray was born on May 15, 1987 and is a professional tennis player from Scotland who also happens to be the highest ranking player in Britain at current. He officially broke into the ATP Top 10 on April 16, 2007, and reached a career high of No. 4 ranking following the 2008 United States open where he reached all the way to the final, but eventually lost to Roger Federer in that round. Although previously coached by American coach Brad Gilbert, who is a prolific author of tennis instruction books as well as a pro tennis play himself, Andy Murray is now coached by Miles Maclagan along with a team of fitness experts. While born in Glasgow in Scotland, Murray's current residence is in London, UK.
Where He Is Now -
In late November of 2007, Andy Murray decided to leave his coach Brad Gilbert in place of what he referred to as "a team of coaches". He trained hard during the off season, working with numerous fitness experts, and came into the 2008 series feeling better prepared than he ever had before. He sealed a fourth career title in 2008 at the 2008 Quatar Exxon Mobil Open, defeating the top seed and current World Number 4, Nikolav Davydenko by 6-4, 6-3 in the semi final round. Then he went on to defeat the up and coming Stanislas Wawrinka from Switzerland by 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in a final that was really tight, pushing Murray back up into the Top 10. He won his fifth career title in Marseille and defeated Roger Federer in Dubai but had to leave in the quarter finals.
Career Highlights -
Andy Murray's career record in singles is 146-63 and his career record in doubles is 20-30. He has 7 singles career titles, and his highest ranking was No. 4 as of September of 2008. He has played in a total of four singles grand slams, the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. His results were 4R, 3R, QF and F respectively. He holds no doubles titles currently, and his highest ranking in doubles has been No. 89 as of April 2, 2007.
Interesting and Inspirational Quotes -
"I like playing against serve-and-volleyers because returning is one of my best things that I do on the court. So playing against him, it kind of suits me a bit more than him playing against me." - Andy Murray
"Pretty much all the matches I have lost in ATP tournaments have been very close so I know this is not out of my depth now and I am just looking forward to starting again next year." - Andy Murray
"I'd probably live a few years longer if we had more of them. We knew it was imperative to get off to a good start and we certainly had some jump in our step. We were skating. We are afraid of being embarrassed here if we didn't play hard." - Andy Murray
Athlete Profiles: Pete Sampras Pete Sampras was born in 1971 and grew up in the Washington DC area of the United States. He is considered to be one of the most gifted male players in the sport and has one numerous titles, medals and cups throughout his long and illustrious career. Although he is......
Review: The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Tennis by Robert G. Price The Ultimate Weight Guide to Weight Training for Tennis is a tome which describes well over 80 different exercises and techniques for developing your tennis technique. These techniques span from weight training to flexibility and are used by athletes across the globe. The program that is outlined in the book......
7 Things to Look for When Picking the Perfect Tennis Shoes One of the most popular questions that brand new tennis players ask has to do with how to choose the perfect tennis shoes. With the right tips and tricks, choosing the right tennis shoes should not be difficult by any means. Tennis shoes are some of the most important pieces......
Tennis Season Wrap up Now that the year is almost through, it seems like an excellent time for some reflection and wrap up on all things tennis from 2008. In women's tennis, for example, Alla Kudryavtseva made history in Wimbledon when she revealed the true reason behind wanting to beat Sharapova in the second......
Lleyton Hewitt was born on February 24, 1981 and is a former World No 1 tennis player that hails from Australia. He became the youngest male ever to obtain a number 1 ranking in 2001. He has numerous career achievements, awards and wins, including a 2001 US Open win, a 2002 Wimbledon Men's Singles Title, and 34th place on Tennis Magazine's top 40 Players since 1965. As of August of 2008, Lleyton Hewitt is ranked as number 56 in the world, mainly because he sustained a hip injury that is requiring him to sit out the rest of this year's season in favor of hip surgery.
Hewitt is very well known for his competitive nature and the fact that his matches are won using consistency, fitness, aggression and highly skilled foot work.
Where He Is Now -
After Wimbledon this year, Lleyton Hewitt had to miss out on the Montreal and Cincinnati Masters because his hip required a sufficient amount of rest after an injury if he was going to play in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In the Beijing Olympics he managed to defeat Jonas Bjorkman in the first round, but he lost to the second seed, Rafael Nadal. In the opening round of his doubles match with Chris Guccione against Agustin Calleri and Juan Monaco from Argentina, Hewitt and Guccione prevailed 18-16 after the match went into an advantage third set. After the Olympics had ended, because Hewitt had sustained further damage to his already injured hip, he was forced to pull out of the United States open. At this point, Lleyton Hewitt is taking some much needed time off, skipping the remainder of the season to focus on having hip surgery instead. He plans to return in time for the Sydney Invitational, however, and has high hopes of doing well in the Australian season come summertime.
Career Highlights -
Lleyton Hewitt has won numerous awards and has a variety of different tournament wins under his belt. He has won 26 career singles finals, including 2 Grand Slams, 2 Tennis Master Cups, 2 ATP Masters Series and 20 ATP Tours. His most recent career singles finals win was March 5, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States against a player named Jürgen Melzer. He has been a runner up when competing in fourteen separate events, with the most recent being a match against James Blake in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 6, 2006. He has won two career doubles finals, in August and September of 2000.
Interesting and Inspirational Quotes -
“Every tournament I've played so far this year I've put myself in a position to win. The last six Grand Slams I've played I've lost to the eventual winner, so I'm obviously doing something extremely right. I've just got to take that next step to hold up the trophy.” - Lleyton Hewitt
“I've had a different preparation this year. I did a lot of hard work and training so that I'd last right through the Australian summer.” - Lleyton Hewitt
“Especially big ties. When we've played the finals before, quite often I'd played the Masters Cup and the whole indoor circuit and a lot of matches and maybe I was physically run down a little bit going in,” - Lleyton Hewitt
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Carole Caldwell Graebner passed away at the age of sixty five following a brief but courageous battle with cancer on November 19, 2008. Carole Caldwell Graebner served as a chair of the United States Tennis Association's Fed Cup Committee. Graebner was born on June 24 in 1943 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was raised in Santa Monica in California. She was well known and regarded as a fixture in the American Tennis community and has been such for many years. When she was playing, she was ranked No. 1. in the country in women's doubles tennis, and she teamed with Nancy Richey in the 60s to take the women's doubles championships in 1965 in the United States Championships, which are now known as the U.S. Open. She also went on to take the same championship in the 1966 Australian Championships which is now the Australian Open.
She also managed to take doubles titles in 1965 and 1966 in the U.S. Clay Court Championships, and was a finalist in singles in the US championships in 1964. She took a Gold medal at the Pan American Games in 1963 and took two singles titles at the Pacific Southwest Championships. Between 1961 and 1965 and then again in 1967 she was ranked in the top 10 in the United States.
Carole Caldwell Graebner was a part of a stellar group of young women players that came from California in the latter half of the 1950s to represent the United States in tennis tournaments all over the world. She was part of an undefeated Junior Cup team including a number of top notch players including Karen Hantze, Barbara Browning Rohland, Billie Jean King, Pam Davis Elliot and Cathy Chabot Willette as well. She also went on to join the U.S. Federation Cup team in '63, and played college tennis with Billie Jean King at California State University in Los Angeles. Even long after her playing career had ended, Carole Caldwell Graebner continued to remain very active in the American tennis community, serving as a chair of the Fed Cup Committee for the United States Tennis Association (USTA), and as a vice chair of the Wightman Cup Committee, of which she used to be a team member. In 1989 she received a USTA Service Bowl Award, and in 1991 she won the Sarah Palfrey Danzig Award. She also did some work as vice president of Tennis Week, a magazine, and did television and radio commentary for the sport.
Carole Caldwell Graebner leaves behind a daughter and son, as well as four grandchildren, a son in law and a daughter in law. According to Billie Jean King, they met early and were life long friends. Carole Caldwell Graebner is known for being a driving force behind the Fed Cup, which is an international competition for women's tennis teams.
Photo Credits: (AP/ File 1965)
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Andrew Stephen Roddick, better known as Andy Roddick, was born on August 30, 1982. He is an American professional tennis player, and has been considered to be the World No. 1 as well. Right now he is considered to be the eighth ranked player in the entire world, as of August 18 of this year. In the 2006 and 2007 ATP Race he finished sixth, and in the 2003 United States Open he became a Grand Slam Singles champion. He has reached as far as thee additional Grand Slam finals, including Wimbledon twice and the United States Open once, but each of those three times he lost to Roger Federer.
Andy Roddick is best known for his powerful serves and forehands, and he currently holds the record for the fastest serve ever recorded in professional tennis, which clocked in at a startling 155 miles per hour, or 249.4 kilometers per hour. Roddick was a member of the victorious United States Davis Cup team when the team won the 2007 Davis Cup. Roddick was responsible for defeating Dmitrv Tursunov of the Russian Davis Cup Team; the Russian Davis Cup team was the defending champion team at the time of the finals.
Where Is He Now -
Roddick started out his 2008 Tennis career quite strongly with a defeat against Croatian Ivan Ljubicic in a match of 6–3, 6–0 along with a Russian Marat Safin in a match of 6–3, 6–3 which allowed him to reach AAMI Kooyong Classic final for a total of four seasons consecutively. In the Final, he managed to beat Marcos Baghdatis 7–5, 6–3 which allowed him to win the tournament for the third consecutive year.
In the 2008 Australian Open, he was seeded sixth. He defeated Lukas Dlouhy from the Czech Republic at 6-3, 6-4, 7-5. In the second round he went on to defeat Michael Berrer, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. Unfortunately in the third round he lost to the number 29 seed by the name of Philipp Kohlscreiber of Germany to 4–6, 6–3, 6–7, 7–6, 6–8. Despite losing during the third match, Roddick managed to serve a career high of 42 aces. In San Jose California he won his 24th career title as well as his 3rd overall title at the SAP Open, defeating the Czech Republic's Radek Stepanek in straight sets, 6–4, 7–5. In order to concentrate on the 2008 United States Open, Roddick bowed out of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Career Highlights -
Roddick has the fastest serve ever recorded in professional tennis at 249.4 kilometers per hour or 155 miles per hour. He also has the fastest serve in the history of the United States open at 152 miles per hour. Roddick also won the 2004 ESPY award for Best Male Tennis Player. In 2005 he won the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award of the Year due to his charity efforts. His Andy Roddick Foundation sells blue wristbands like the Lance Armstrong Livestrong wristbands which say "No Compromise" on them.
Interesting and Inspirational Quotes
“Call me All-American, but I love Ham and Cheese sandwiches. And not just any old ham and cheese sandwich... My mother's is the best. I've tried many times to make these sandwiches on my own, but it's never the same.”
“That's the weird part for me, ... Being famous never feels normal. I don't know if it will ever become normal.”
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If you are an adult looking to break into tennis, it can be pretty frustrating to find a racket made for you. Most of the rackets for this niche are designed for players that are already experienced, and the rackets that are made for beginners are typically sized for junior players. Entry level rackets that are high quality are hard to come by and we were very happy to come across this one from Wilson.
There’s a reason that this is the number one selling entry level racket for adults in the United States. It’s one of the best we have actually used and it’s weighted perfectly for beginners. If you have not been using a racket that was designed for this purpose, it’s all too easy to get frustrated and quit your lessons, especially if the head of the racket is too small. It is so much easier to go with a racket that is designed to make it simple to get started, and Wilson has done a great job of appealing to this market.
We found that the racket was very well made and the balance was superb. It’s lightweight without feeling flimsy and unlike many low priced rackets, it was strung very tightly and very well. You won’t have to worry about dealing with a lousy racket if you can’t afford a nicer one since the Impact is budget priced, without being made of “budget” material.
We loved the fact that the frame was made of titanium alloy, since this can be a big factor when it comes to learning the “feel” of a racket. It’s just about right in terms of what you feel when you connect and the grip made it very easy to hold. Overall, even though we are not beginners, we found this racket to be ideal for any casual adult player, and it’s price point makes it very attractive to those that don’t play enough to justify an expensive one.
Specifications from the Manufacturer
* Frame: titanium alloy
* Strung weight: 10.7 oz
* Head size: 110 sq in
* Length: 27.5"
* Stringing: factory
* String pattern: 16 x 19
* Tension range: 50-60 lbs
* Grip: 4.25"
* Stiffness: 53
* Balance: head heavy 1 cm
We highly recommend this racket to beginners and feel that it will give them the support and functionality they need to get a good start in the game. Whether you play occasionally, or you are interested in getting serious about the game, this entry level racket from Wilson is the ideal choice. The tension range is just about perfect and the head size gives you plenty of room for error while still allowing you to connect solidly with the ball. One of our favorite all time rackets and that is not something that we say easily. It’s cheap enough you can easily buy one just to try it out and we recommend doing just that so you can see how it will affect your own game.
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Pete Sampras was born in 1971 and grew up in the Washington DC area of the United States. He is considered to be one of the most gifted male players in the sport and has one numerous titles, medals and cups throughout his long and illustrious career. Although he is now retired, he remains to this date one of the winningest tennis players in the world.
He discovered tennis early on, but it wasn’t until he hit the age of seven, when his family moved to California that he began to take it seriously. He was considered by many to be a prodigy in the game and from the first time he picked up a racket, it was clear that he was destined for greatness.
At the tender age of 16, Sampras turned pro and by 1990 he was beating fan favorite Andre Agassi. It was at this match that he even beat the illustrious John McEnroe, a feat that not many other players have ever managed to accomplish. Although his career had its ups and downs, Sampras remained a strong player through it all.
What is he doing now?
Sampras is now retired, but he is still active in charity work and still plays in exhibition matches throughout the world. His form is still top notch and he frequently beats opponents without breaking a sweat. Truly, Sampras is one of the best tennis players to come along in many generations.
Championships:
Year Championship Opponent in Final Score in Final
1990 US Open (1) Andre Agassi 6–4, 6–3, 6–2
1993 Wimbledon (1) Jim Courier 7–6, 7–6, 3–6, 6–3
1993 US Open (2) Cédric Pioline 6-4, 6–4, 6–3
1994 n Open (1) Todd Martin 7–6, 6–4, 6–4
1994 Wimbledon (2) Goran Ivanišević 7–6, 7–6, 6–0
1995 Wimbledon (3) Boris Becker 6–7, 6–2, 6–4, 6–2
1995 US Open (3) Andre Agassi 6–4, 6–3, 4–6, 7–5
1996 US Open (4) Michael Chang 6–1, 6–4, 7–6
1997 n Open (2) Spain Carlos Moyá 6–2, 6–3, 6–3
1997 Wimbledon (4) Cédric Pioline 6–4, 6–2, 6–4
1998 Wimbledon (5) Goran Ivanišević 6–7, 7–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
1999 Wimbledon (6) Andre Agassi 6–3, 6–4, 7–5
2000 Wimbledon (7) Patrick Rafter 6–7, 7–6, 6–4, 6–2
2002 US Open (5) Andre Agassi 6–3, 6–4, 5–7, 6–4
Interesting and Inspirational Quotes:
“The difference of great players is at a certain point in a match they raise their level of play and maintain it. Lesser players play great for a set, but then less.”
“I let my racket do the talking. That's what I am all about, really. I just go out and win tennis matches.”
“I just had to hang in there and make sure I was dictating play,”
“This is more about just getting myself a little busier and focused on something I used to be good at. It's time this year to do a little more. Last year, I was kind of floating along.”
“When you retire, you take time away, you don't want to have anything to do with tennis. After two years of having fun and not doing much in the sport, you get a little bored and want to know what's the next chapter in your life. Last year was a turning point 'What am I going to do next?' and I had to make a decision.”
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The youngest of the famous Williams sisters, Serena was born in 1981. She and her sister have made history many times and currently, Serena is ranked number 1. They frequently play against one another and finding someone that can beat either one of them is no easy task. Serena has competed in numerous Olympics, and world class games, often taking home the championship.
Serena won her first tournament at the tender age of 4 and a half years old and since then has gone on to be an almost unstoppable force on the courts. Her father dedicated his life to coaching the girls and his dedication has certainly paid off. Both sisters were homeschooled, focusing primarily on their tennis careers, but have recently gone into design and become renowned as fashion designers in their own right.
In 1995, Serena turned pro and went on to rack up numerous different championships. She earns millions of dollars every year on the tour, and also has numerous endorsements. Tragedy struck the lives of the Williams sisters in 2003, when their oldest sister, who did not play tennis professionally, was gunned down outside of the place where the girls played tennis. This event hit the family hard, and it has been difficult for them to recover from the shock. However, they are struggling through and the future looks very bright indeed for this talented tennis player.
What is she doing now?
It’s been a busy year of ups and downs on the tour for Serena, but she is holding her own. She did not win gold at this year’s Olympics for the singles, but did take home the gold medal in doubles with her sister Venus. She is currently running her own fashion line and is a popular fixture on red carpets and charity events.
Championships:
Year Championship Opponent in Final Score in Final
1999 US Open Martina Hingis 6–3, 7–6(4)
2002 French Open Venus Williams 7–5, 6–3
2002 Wimbledon Venus Williams 7–6(4), 6–3
2002 US Open (2) Venus Williams 6–4, 6–3
2003 Australian Open Venus Williams 7–6(4), 3–6, 6–4
2003 Wimbledon (2) Venus Williams 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
2005 Australian Open (2) Lindsay Davenport 2–6, 6–3, 6–0
2007 Australian Open (3) Maria Sharapova 6–1, 6–2
2008 US Open (3) Jelena Janković 6–4, 7–5
Interesting and Inspirational Quotes:
“Family's first, and that's what matters most. We realize that our love goes deeper than the tennis game.”
“I can't become satisfied, because if I get satisfied, I'll be like, "Oh, I've won Wimbledon, I've won the U.S. Open. Now can I relax." But now people are really going to be fighting to beat me.”
“All my life I've kinda dreamed of being the best, and doing the best, and it hasn't always been easy for me. So I've been trying, but it's really special to have come such a long way, it's just really fulfilling. And the fact that I'm just making history right now and the fact that I was able to win four in a row, it doesn't happen every day.”
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Although many only look at Anna Kournikova’s beauty, citing the fact that she’s never really done much in the sport of tennis, she is an accomplished player that has a remarkable attitude about the game and an innate talent. Born in Moscow in 1981, Kournikova began training as a tennis player early in life. She later moved to the United States with her mother, settling in Florida, where she continued her studies.
At this point in her career, Anna is now semi retired, but she does play in certain games and at exhibitions. She is perhaps best known now as a model and the sometimes girlfriend/wife of singer Enrique Igelsias. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the couple, and even the press isn’t sure as to whether the two were actually married or not.
In the world of tennis, Anna was known as a hard working player and although she has not won many titles, she is still a solid player with a great work ethic and a drive to succeed. She has consistently been named as one of People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People and is profiled and photographed regularly for magazines around the world. At the end of the day, it appears as though she won’t be remembered for her contributions to the game of tennis, which are many, but rather her personal life and her beauty.
Recently, Anna was named among one of the most overrated stars in history and had the dubious honor of being listed as one of the top 25 biggest flops of all time. Whether or not these rankings are fair, it is clear that she is frustrated by her status and celebrity and would rather focus on the things that are important to her.
What is she doing now?
Anna is now the spokesperson for many brands, including K-Swiss. She was the face for a sports bra campaign that was very successful and is a common fixture at charity events and on the red carpet. She plays off and on at exhibition events and has expressed a desire to return to the tour, if she can get back to being 100% healthy.
Championships:
Wins (2)
Year Championship Partnering Opponents in Final Score in Final
1999 Australian Open Hingis Davenport /Zvereva 7–5, 6–3
2002 Australian Open (2) Hingis Hantuchová/ Sánchez-Vicario 6–2, 6–7, 6–1
Runner-up (1)
Year Championship Partnering Opponents in semi final Score in Final
1999 French Open Martina Hingis S.Williams/V. Williams 6–3, 6–
Interesting and Inspirational Quotes:
“God gives all to those, who get up early.”
“I think that tennis is a lady's sport, so we should look out there like ladies.”
“I have lost this battle but I will win the war.”
“Well, I'm playing for the fans so whenever they come and ask for autographs I always try to give it to everybody because I'm out there for the people.”
“I think it's really important for me not to forget where I came from.”
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