Anna Kournikova: In Miami I could walk around naked

Former Russian tennis star Anna Kournikova gave an exclusive interview to The Tennis Space, in which she talks about her stardom, her early retirement and her life in America.

On life in Miami:

«I’m happy here, absolutely. Oh god, I’ve been here for years. I love Miami, because it’s so low-key, everyone can walk around in shorts and flip-flops. It’s not a proper city like New York or Los Angeles, where if you go outside you have to be dressed and everything. Here, I could go around naked. The good thing here is that there aren’t too many photographers chasing you. If you’re in LA, the photographers are everywhere. I still get recognised a lot. It gets a little bit weird when it’s during your private time. Then again, I’m used to it by now. It’s easier to be nice, to stop and smile and laugh then they’ll let you go.»

On changing after retirement:

«When I was playing, I was 21 years old, and now I’m a bit older. It would be weird if I hadn’t changed, going from a tennis life when you spend 11 months of the year on the road, and from being 21 years old. Obviously, it would be weird if I hadn’t changed from 21 to 30, if I hadn’t grown up. You know, I like getting older. I wouldn’t want to be 22 or 25 in my head again. I really enjoy getting old. With me, I like myself so much better. I understand myself so much better. I feel like I’m getting smarter and wiser and better and learning a lot of things. Probably in a year’s time I’ll say that at this moment in time I was stupid. Maybe it would be nice to have the skin of a 20-year-old. I really like going forward and moving. It would be quite boring not changing.»

On being upset about people pointing out her lack of titles

«It doesn’t frustrate me now. And it didn’t frustrate me then either. True tennis fans know my results. I know my results. I know what I have achieved. I know how far I came. I know how well I played. True tennis fans know. People should look at the statistics, see who I have beaten, and everything. I don’t want to change anyone’s perception or opinion, really I don’t have time for that. That’s not something I’m worried about.

«Do I sometimes wish it were different and that people gave me more credit? Yes. I’m a human being. I’ve still got a heart. I’m not made of ice. But the most important thing is what you think of yourself and what you did, and what the people close to you, and the people you care about, what they think. You cannot be good for everybody. There are always going to be some people who like you and some people who don’t.»

On glamour and misrepresentation in the media:

«There are a million things that have been made up about me. I wouldn’t have time to respond to all the things that have been made up about me. There was someone screaming something every two seconds. You really think that I would answer when people screamed out at me? I didn’t read the papers. I was leading my life. I would wake up, have breakfast, go to practice, go ice whichever parts were hurting, go to have lunch, go play a match, have a massage, go to the gym, work-out, go to sleep at 9pm. That was my life. That was the most important thing, what was happening in my life. It was not glamorous. Being a tennis player was a 24/7 job. The preparation, the training, the performance, you treat your body as a tool. You have to make sure that you get enough sleep, you get enough rest. Everything was very limited.»

On keeping up with her friends in tennis:

«I’m in touch with Serena Williams, and some of the Russian girls, like Myskina, Kuznetsova, and Safina – those are my generation. I follow the results and watch some of the matches on television. I’m playing two or three times a week with some friends, some guys who are former players on the tour.»

On being a tennis fan

«I watch the grand slams. I follow the results in the newspapers and on the internet. I really don’t know the game that deep. I don’t watch the matches that much. I’m so super-happy for tennis that the Williams sisters are still around – they’re such amazing athletes. They’re active legends, they’re playing legends. It’s great for fans, it’s great for American tennis, it’s great for young kids. They’re great girls, they’re super-nice.»

On women’s tennis?

«Where there are women, there is always glamour. Absolutely. I don’t know if sex appeal is important, but it’s going to be there, people will create it. The most important thing is how you do on the court.»