(August 29, 2002)                                                                                             Hot News Main Page

Feeling sorry for Anna Kournikova

NEW YORK NY (August 29, 2002) After bouncing out in the first round of her fourth consecutive Grand Slam, even an official with one of Anna Kournikova's top sponsors is feeling bad for the 21-year-old Russian beauty.

"It's really sad to see her lose like this because earlier in the year she proved that she could do it," said Claus Marten, head of global sports marketing in adidas' tennis division, after 37th-ranked Kournikova lost 6-3, 6-0 to 75th-ranked Angelique Widjaja. "It's not like we're trying to beat a dead horse here."

Kournikova, who earns an estimated $15 million in endorsements including adidas, Omega and Berlei, finished last season ranked No. 74 after sitting out the majority of the year due to a stress fracture in her left foot. But she was able to climb back, thanks to reaching the semifinals in Auckland, Tokyo, Acapulco and most recently in San Diego.

Still, with Monday's loss at the U.S. Open, Kournikova has now failed to win a WTA ...singles title in 115 tournament tries. Instead of playing some smaller tournaments and getting some wins under her belt, Kournikova has chosen to face the top players. After her comeback faltered, she skipped the German Open, choosing instead to play a smaller event in Bol, Croatia, to build her confidence. She lost in the second round.

"I feel very sorry for her right now," said Marten, who has known Kournikova for nine years. "I've tried to do all I can to help, but it's tough. Everyone wants her to perform, everyone wants her to win, but it's not that easy. She's played in top tournaments and in order to win those, she has to beat many top 10 players."

Despite the disappointment, Marten said he has no plans of severing the company's ties with Kournikova. He says research studies show that she is adidas' most recognizable athlete and she's still the biggest name in the entire tennis world.

That was clear just by a simple glance at Monday afternoon's crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium, which gave one of its biggest roars of the day when Kournikova first came onto the court in one of her midriff-baring outfits.

As Kournikova warmed up, fans on all sides of the stadium pushed out their camera lenses as far as they could go for the pictures, which would no doubt soon emerge on Internet sites.

"If it weren't for her, I'd be on the way back to my hotel," said John Park, a 30-year-old from Atlanta attending his first U.S. Open.

After her match, in which she committed 40 unforced errors, Kournikova insisted she is working as hard as she can to get better.

"I think if I didn't think I could improve, I wouldn't be trying" Kournikova said Monday night. "And I think anybody can improve at anything if they work hard and do the things they have to do."

When asked if the lack of winning could cost her endorsements and could cause the fans and photographers to find a new subject, Kournikova replied, "Good if they don't show up anymore."

[Source: Darren Rovell, ESPN.com]