Enrique Iglesias & Anna Kournikova Step Out for Rare Date Nigh

Enrique Iglesias escorts his longtime girlfriend Anna Kournikova out of The Palm restaurant after a romantic dinner together on Friday night (July 1) in Beverly Hills, Calif.

The 41-year-old singer and the 35-year-old former tennis player were hounded by photographers while trying to get in their car.

PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Anna Kournikova

Coincidentally, one of the last times that the couple was spotted was nearly a year ago at the same restaurant!



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Nick Kyrgios compared to Anna Kournikova after US Open

TENNIS sensation Nick Kyrgios has always been one of the most sledged figures in Australian sport, but a new assessment comparing him to former tennis beauty Anna Kournikova could be the biggest sledge he’s received.

An assessment of Kyrgios’ career trajectory from Sports Illustrated America senior writer Jon Wertheim paints Kyrgios as nothing more than a sideshow alley attraction.

The 21-year-old arrived in New York for the US Open one of the most talked about figures in tennis after featuring in a front-cover feature story in the New York Times.

He left Flushing Meadows with his reputation in a worse position than when he arrived, according to Wertheim.

The Sports Illustrated executive editor wrote in a US Open 2016 tournament wrap that Kyrgios’ status as tennis’ most exciting rising star is on track to burn down to nothing if he does not change his attitude.

Crowd favourite.Source:News Limited

The world No. 16 was eliminated in the third round of the grand slam when he retired hurt because of an ongoing hip injury.

He left in yet another cloud of controversy after US tennis legend John McEnroe told the Australian to quit the sport if his heart isn’t in it.

Wertheim wrote Kyrgios is in danger of becoming a tennis gimmick similar to the career of former women’s world No. 8 Anna Kournikova.

The Russian glamour was a tennis sensation without ever threatening to win a grand slam.

“Nick Kyrgios may have graced the cover of the pre-tournament New York Times magazine, but I’m not sure how much we learned about him this event,” Wertheim wrote.

“Or this year, for that matter. Until the delta between the talent and the conviction/commitment narrows, it will be hard for him to be a top 10 player, much less win majors.

“If not, in an Anna Kournikova kind of way, he can still be a star, a credible player whose image and popularity outstrips his achievements. And that’s fine. Kournikova wasn’t fraudulent; she was a player in that 11-20 range — the same terrain which Kyrgios currently occupies.

Anna Kournikova has a few years on Nick Kyrgios.Source:News Limited

“Perhaps Kyrgios invites a think piece on culture, ethnicity, generational confrontation, challenging an establishment. But is it more complicated than this: he is a kid — his arrested development was laid bare in the first paragraph of that Times article — still deciding whether he wants to dedicate himself fully to a pursuit.”

Wertheim said at the end of the day the money Kyrgios is likely to earn because of his marketability is no less real than the money his fellow ATP Tour players earn through prize money.

“Know this: Kygrios may be shrouded in question marks — which could be painful given those corners and arcs and angles — but agents like his upside,” Wertheim wrote.

“He and his family took multiple pitch meetings — including one by a former player — with mid seven-figure guarantees in the offing.”

Not interested.Source:Getty Images

Meanwhile, Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt rates Kyrgios a 50-50 chance of playing in the Davis Cup tennis world group play-off against Slovakia in Sydney.

Australia’s highest world-ranked player at No. 16, Kyrgios suffered a hip injury which forced his withdrawal from the US Open.

“I was a lot more positive today than I probably had been when I was in New York,” Hewitt said.

The misconception of Anna Kournikova the tennis player

When it comes to the women's game in tennis these days, there seems to bemore pressure than ever before, for these women to not only be at the top of their game, but to also be very beautiful along with it. It could be said that one of the first female tennis players to bring the real beauty to the court, was the very sexy Anna Kournikova, although this did not did her playing reputation much good.

There have been so many people over the years, who have claimed that Anna Kournikova was never actually that good at tennis and that she only really got any attention in the sport due to her stunning good looks. However, this is not exactly true and is certainly not fair on a women who dedicated much of her life to the sport which served her so well in return.

 

While Anna Kournikova did not quite manage to get her hands on a Grand Slam title as a singles player, she did make it as high as number 8 in the world rankings. Meanwhile, in the doubles game, Anna was ranked as the number 1 player in the world, winning the Australian Open on two occasions, showing what a promising young star she was.

Unfortunately, not too many people realise that Anna Kournikova had to cut her tennis career short at the age of just 21, which always leaves us questioning just how far she could have gone in the game and just how good she could have been. Anna showed a huge amount of promise and potential and if it wasn't for injuries she could have been a top player for many years.

So, next time you are talking about Anna Kournikova and someone suggests that she was not actually that good at tennis, make sure you put them right!

Too short: Nike has a Wimbledon dress problem

The brand has been forced to make last-minute alterations to its little white dress.

Nike has been been forced to recall a proposed dress for tennis stars to wear at Wimbledon after players complained about its length.

The dress, which 20 players including Eugenie Bouchard and Australian Open semi-finalist Johanna Konta were to don on court, is so short it has been used as a top by one player.

A number of players complained the dress flies up above the waistline during play, distracting them from their game.

In a rush to fix the mistake, Nike wrote to its players to request they return the dress immediately so it can undergo alterations, the Daily Mail reported on Thursday.

Nike has just three days to make the changes ahead of the grand slam tournament with the most stringent dress code.

‘We need to make a small change’

The dress, which could easily pass for a top, was paired with long white leggings by Czech player Lucie Hradecka during Wimbledon qualifiers this week.

Meanwhile, British player Katie Boulter’s dress repeatedly flew up during her match, exposing the garment’s faults.

According to the Daily Mail, Nike wrote a letter to the 20 players issued the dress requesting they return them for alterations.

“We need to make a small change to your dresses per Wimbledon rules,” the email reportedly read.

“Could you please bring them by the Nike Wimbledon House.”

Next, in bold and underlined type, read the words: “this is VERY important”.

Fortunately, Serena Williams – the game’s biggest female name – had a different version of the dress designed specifically for her.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Wimbledon’s All England Club said it had approved the dress because it complied with its famous colour regulations: it’s white.

Wimbledon’s most controversial outfits

For those lucky enough to compete, following Wimbledon’s strict dress code is quite simple: don’t wear anything that isn’t white.

In case that rule isn’t clear enough, rule number two reads: “White does not include off-white or cream.”

But the code hasn’t stopped a number of controversial outfits from rocking the past tournaments – and entering into fashion history.

In 1949, American player Gussie Moran shocked the English crowd with her frilly underpants.

She famously became the first woman to play with pants designed to be visible.

Shocking for a different reason was Anne White’s Wimbledon get-up in 1984.

Technically not breaking Wimbledon’s rules, White donned an all-white, full-length polyester suit that more resembled a racing car driver’s outfit.

And in 2002, new kid on the block Anna Kournikova earned her place on teenage boys’ bedroom walls around the world when she wore a two-piece outfit that bared her midriff.

Wimbledon begins on June 27.

Scott Robertson Memorial notebook: Weather will likely be a factor during tourney

Oklahoman Austin Eckroat and North Carolinian Emilia Migliaccio each were stuck on dead red en route to victory in last year’s Scott Robertson Memorial.

Eckroat birdied 23 of 54 holes in posting rounds of 68-63-66 and winning the boys’ 15-18 division title. Meanwhile, Migliaccio was conducting her own tweet-fest, producing 16 birdies in stringing rounds of 68-68-66 to capture the girls’ older division crown.

Already sitting lush and plush from recent rainfall, and the early forecast calling for another 1 to 2 inches of rain Friday night, venerable Roanoke Country Club once again figures to be quite accommodating for the field of 159 players spread over four divisions at the 33rd Robertson.

“The greens should be slower and players should be able to throw the ball right at the hole,” said Tim McAfee, RCC’s director of golf.

“This course’s best defense is players leaving their ball above the hole. That’s usually trouble here. With balls holding better, we could see more low scores this year.”

So let it rain, the competitors say.

“That’s how it was last year … I think we had four rain delays in three days. Maybe I like rain delays,” said Eckroat, an Edmund, Oklahoma, native who launches his college career in 2017 at longtime national power Oklahoma State.

“It doesn’t bother me because I’ve been playing in the rain and cold all year, so I will be better prepared than a lot of kids,” noted Eckroat, whose 16-under 197 total last year was a division record.

Migliaccio, who is ranked 20th in the nation, said her game works in any condition.

“I’ve been playing in 30 mile-per-hour winds and pouring rain so there’s nothing that’s really intimidates me,” said the Cary, North Carolina, standout who will play in college at Wake Forest.

Migliaccio’s winning score of 202 fell five shots shy of the division record of 197 posted by Moriya Jutanugarn in 2011. Jutanugarn was the LPGA’s Rookie of the Year in 2013.

Young Gator

Fourteen-year-old Joseph Pagdin, whose family lives in the same Lake Nona, Florida golf community as his close pals Justin Rose and Ian Poulter, recently became the youngest player ever to make a verbal commitment to play golf at the University of Florida.

Pagdin closed 72-71 last year to tie for seventh in the boys’ 14-and-under class.

Kournikova in house

Allan Kournikova, the 10-year-old half brother of former professional tennis player Anna Kournikova, is competing in the boys’ 14-and-under field.

The younger Kournikova is a four-time U.S. Kids Golf age-division champion (2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015).

Last-chance qualifiers

Great Falls’ Chris Lane (69) and Chad Couch Jr. (70) of Bristol, Tennessee, earned the final two spots in the boys’ 15-18 field in a final qualifier held Wednesday.

Timesland-area players and their scores included: Wytheville’s Christopher Boothe (80); Salem’s Garrison Conner (82); Roanoke’s Brad Williams (82); Roanoke’s Derrick Chocklett (83); Martinsville’s Ezra Park (85); and Martinsville’s Solomon Park (85).

India’s Ivana Shah shot 82 to win the last spot in the girls’ 15-18 field. Troutville’s Alisa Marie Caraballo (90) and Blacksburg’s Katie Muscatello (94) finished sixth and seventh in the field.

Significant scratches

Fourteen-year-old Lei Ye of China, who has quickly surged to No. 54 in the girls rankings, and No. 74 Maria Balcazar of Mexico each have withdrawn from the event to due to injury.

Kengo Aoshima (Honolulu), Walker Lee (Houston), Robin Wang (Lake Mary, Florida) and Fisher Vollendorf (Fayetteville, Arkansas) won’t be teeing it up the in the older boys’ field.

RANKING WATCH: SLOANE RANGER

Sloane Stephens is finally starting to deliver on her boundless potential, a title run in Charleston setting up a possible clay court run towards the Top 10.

Last summer in Washington DC, Sloane Stephens finally delivered on her boundless potential, lifting her maiden WTA title - and the monkey from her back. Intent on making up for lost time, the young American's mantelpiece is starting to get rather crowded.

After beating Elena Vesnina in the final of the Volvo Car Open, Stephens now has three titles to her name in 2016 alone. The silverware collected in Auckland, Acapulco and Charleston has taken Stephens to the brink of a return to the Top 20.

The 23-year-old's success in Charleston led to a jump from No.25 to No.21 in the rankings - her highest position since the summer of 2014. And with relatively few points to defend in the build-up to the French Open she has a good opportunity to improve upon her previous best raking of No.11. 

If she is rise further still, the next challenge is replicating this Charleston form at the majors. During Stephens' initial breakthrough on tour, she suffered from the opposite problem - in 2014 she reached the fourth round or better at all four Grand Slams, only to flatter to deceive away from the big stage. 

Stephens' victim in the final, Vesnina, is no stranger to major success, lifting the French and US Opens in doubles. Despite turning 30 later this year, the Russian has no intention of becoming a doubles specialist, something she proved with wins over Belinda Bencic and Sara Errani this past week.

This run resulted in a rankings jump from No.85 to No.51. Throw in her impressive showings in Doha and Miami, and Vesnina's ranking has improved over 60 places this year.

Vesnina, though, is not the only player on the charge:

Dominika Cibulkova (+15, No.53 to No.38): Dominika Cibulkova has had a number of false dawns since returning from a serious Achilles injury last year. In Katowice, she finally made her big statement. After a first-round scare against Carina Witthoeft, the Slovak improved with each match, outplaying Camila Giorgi in the final to lift her first title since 2014.

Yulia Putintseva (+8 No.61 to No.53): Yulia Putintseva learnt her trade at Moscow's legendary Spartak club, and she now looks ready to follow in the footsteps of her fellow alumni, such as Anna Kournikova, Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina. Wins over Venus Williams and Sabine Lisicki helped the Kazakhstani to the quarterfinals, the 100 points picked up in Charleston also takes her to a career-high No.53 in the rankings.

Francesca Schiavone (+11, No.101 to No.90): One of Cibulkova's victims, Francesca Schiavone, played some typically imaginative tennis to win a couple of rounds and continue the momentum heading into the clay court season.

Pauline Parmentier (+12, No.113 to No.101): While Parmentier was unable to maintain her electric start to defeat Cibulkova in the Katowice semifinals, victories over Magda Linette, Naomi Broady and defending champion Anna Karolina Schmiedlova ensured the tournament remained a highly encouraging one. She is now within touching distance of the Top 100 for the first time since last May.

Tennis star Kournikova ready for Legends showdown

More than a decade after she retired from competitive tennis, Anna Kournikova is still one of the most recognizable faces in the game.

Known for her beauty and off-court celebrity as well as her on-court exploits, the Russian superstar will be one of the main draws at the Legends tennis tournament starting Friday evening at Camana Bay.

“I’m so excited. I’ve been playing four times a week in the buildup,” said the 34-year-old, who will feature alongside former Grand Slam winners Andy Roddick and Jim Courier in a star-studded lineup for the event.

“I don’t do many of these type of tournaments, so I can’t wait,” she said.

These days, Kournikova, a teen prodigy who reached the Wimbledon semifinals at age 16 but was forced out of professional competition through injury at 21, plays mainly for fun.

“It is nice just to play with your friends and family and do the occasional exhibition,” she told the Cayman Compass.

“I have a bunch of family members who play, it is not like we play for real, it is more to have fun and enjoy.”

She does not have to look too far for a competitive match and occasionally hits with her pop-star boyfriend Enrique Iglesias at their Florida home.

“He played as a kid growing up in Florida. He is naturally very good. He beats me occasionally,” she admitted.

The Legends tournament, also involving former U.S. Open finalist Mark Philippoussis, trick shot specialist Mansour Bahrami, and Ashley Harkleroad, is mostly for fun. But Kournikova believes the competitive spirit will come out on the court.

“We all take it seriously, nobody ever wants to lose,” she said. “It is about who wins on that day, and once the match is over we are all friends and the boys will have a beer together.”

During her brief career, Kournikova, became one of the most photographed women on the planet. With endorsement contracts on everything from tennis clothes to sports bras and luxury watches, she achieved a level of fame that transcended tennis.

On court she was consistently ranked in the world’s top 10 and won three doubles titles with her partner Martina Hingis.

Though she has been dubbed a legend, at 34, ahead of Friday’s tournament, she says she does not spend too much time thinking about how she will be remembered.

“For me, it is more about the people around me and the people who know me best,” she said. “The real tennis fans know my accomplishments and people who don’t know much about tennis just know the name.

“It is never really in my thoughts to leave some kind of legacy other than to be a good person, a good friend and family member.”

Kournikova was by any measure a prodigy. She started playing tennis in Russia at age 4 and was recruited into a Nick Bollettieri Florida academy at age 9 before turning pro at 15, reaching the fourth round of the U.S. Open in her first Grand Slam tournament.

But after a series of struggles with injury, her career was brought to a premature end in 2003.

“It was very strange back then to have to stop at such a young age. It was a good thing because I was so excited at the many other things I was able to explore, but it was definitely strange in a sad way.

“Tennis was what I had always wanted to do and the only thing I knew how to do for real. That’s life and things happen. I was fortunate enough to have people I love and trust around me during that period.

“I have no regrets, everything turned out good. I have had my ups and downs, but life is great.”

Kournikova and the other stars will be involved in clinics with sponsors and junior players over the weekend.

For youngsters coming into the game, she says the key to success is an almost single-minded focus.

“Hard work, dedication, sacrifice, commitment, you’ve got to love it, you’ve got to be a little bit obsessed even. You have to enjoy it because it is going to take over your life and it should if you want to succeed. You don’t really have a balance or time for much else.”

Going professional is not realistic or even the main goal for most people, but there are plenty of other reasons to get on the court and play.

“Tennis and sports in general gives you so many other things,” Kournikova said. “It creates a sense of belonging and gives you a new circle of friends. It’s a great way to stay healthy, and it is fun.”

She may have lost that pure focus in retirement, but she will never lose her love of the game.

“I don’t know that I am obsessed with it anymore. I am really into pilates, yoga and running with my dog, but I do love playing when I get the chance. It’s something I’ve done my whole life so it comes naturally, like brushing my teeth.”

General Admission tickets are $75 each and are on sale at the Discovery Centre in Camana Bay or through Blackbeard’s outlets across the island. VIP tickets are $250 for standing or $350 for seated and can be purchased via emailing info@legendscayman.com.

Anna Kournikova's Ex-South Beach Penthouse Sells for $11M

Courtesy of ONE Sotheby's International Realty

A South Beach penthouse at Portofino Tower that Anna Kournikova used to call home just sold for $11 million, reports The Read Deal. The seller is her ex-husband, Sergei Fedorov, a retired Russian NHL star who purchased PH-5 for $2.3 million in 1997, the same year the tower opened. It has four levels encompassing 5,680 square feet, with four bedrooms and six bathrooms.

"The sale of the Portofino penthouse is the most significant sale in South of Fifth for the year 2015," said The DS Team, Dina Goldentayer and Sladja Stantic, of ONE Sotheby's International Realty. "Reaching the $2,000-per-square-foot mark in the building that originally put South of Fifth on the map in 1997 is a tremendous milestone."