Tennis is a sport that breeds individual stars. Mix in its ability to create equality among the sexes and the glamour and fashion off the court and professionals have the potential to become famous and rich beyond our wildest dreams. The one pre-requisite you would think would be necessary is a world class skill with a racquet and ball. Maybe even some major or tour wins on the CV to really get your name out there. This is not always the case however. Tennis players come in all shapes and sizes and some have become famous for almost everything but Tennis, and here are my top four.
Grigor Dimitrov
The Bulgarian really has become the Casanova of tennis. Blessed with good looks as well as tennis ability the 24-year-old has been linked with Serena Williams in the past, and dated poster girl Maria Sharapova as recently as 2015. To be fair Dimitrov is not completely useless with a racquet and has been likened to the great man Roger Federer before, garnering the nickname ‘baby fed’. His best ever ranking was 8th in 2014 after he had reached the semi-final at Wimbledon. While still young and with plenty time to make himself a household name in Tennis, his reputation as a Casanova doesn’t seem to be waning. If you google him currently you will see his new flame, former Pussy Cat Doll Nicole Scherzinger grace your screen. It seems Dimitrov has chosen his path and with players nowadays becoming millionaires without having to win, Dimitrov is a breed of professional whose motivation seems be in the bedroom more than the practice courts.
Nick Kyrgios
Another young man on the list, but for different reasons. Like Dimitrov, Kyrgios has shown flashes of brilliance and has finished strong twice in majors, reaching the Quarter Finals in both the Australian Open and Wimbledon. His short career has been riddled with controversies however. At Wimbledon 2015, a year after reaching the QF, Kyrgios was booed by fans after looking like he has given up and was ‘tanking’ the match. While he professed his innocence stating “Of course I was trying” many who watched the match saw an insolent teenager who was letting his hot head rule him. In the same year Kyrgios clashed with Stan Wawrinka in the Rogers Cup. Sledging his opponent using many slurs toward Wawrinka’s personal life, and it was picked up by the match’s mics. Kyrgios was fined $10,000. Kyrgios definitely has talent and with Australia lacking a hero, he coud truly be the next ambassador for the great Tennis nation. At just 20 years old the Australian is more known for his controversies, fashion and endorsements, than any Tennis match he has played in however.
Sue Barker
In 2016 Barker turned 59 and received an OBE from the Queen in broadcasting and charity work. You would be forgiven for thinking therefore that those two things are what she does. In Europe Barker maybe remembered fondly as a tennis player, but in Britain her success post Tennis career has seen her name better known for television presenting. Her credits include BBCs Sport’s Personality of the Year from 1994 – 2013 and the long running quiz A Question of Sport, but do people watching truly know who their watching. Sue Barker is the last women to win the French Open from Great Britain. In 1976 she won the Roland Garros title after beating Romata Tomanova 6-2 0-6 6-2. While this should be celebrated just as much as any Andy Murray triumphs unfortunately due to her prowess in front of a Camera, most people now will assume Sue Barker is just an opinion in a power suit.
Anna Kournikova
Last but certainly not least, Anna Kournikova is probably the best example of a Tennis player whose fame came off the court. Although unlucky with injury, if someone says the name Anna Kournikova to you, chances are you’re not picturing her in tennis attire. She was incredibly young when she arrived on the professional circuit and was gaining notoriety as a pretty face even at the age of just 15. She moved to Florida from Moscow at the age of ten to train at Nick Bolletieri’s famed tennis academy. She reached No.8 in the World at her peak but at 21 a herniated disc forced her to leave the circuit. To any other player this would be devastating news and they would be figuring out what they would do next. For Anna it was not the end of the world, she had garnered global fame despite her short stay because of her looks and at her peak Anna Kournikova was one of the most searched words on google. Her retirement was followed by a high profile relationship with singer Enrique Iglesias, and the young Russian even appeared in his music video ‘Escape’. Her notoriety became so high that she had her name given to various items. A white Russian cocktail that uses skimmed milk is called an Anna Kournikova and so is receiving a hand of an Ace and a King in Poker, because ‘though it looks nice, it rarely wins’.
