Whatever Happened To Anna Kournikova?

Professional tennis player Anna Kournikova picked up a racquet at the age of 5 and shot to fame when she was just a young teen. As she advanced in her career, the two-time Grand Slam Australian Open doubles champ began to blossom both on and off the court, becoming as well known for her beauty as for her backhand. Her athleticism, talent, and model-esque looks made the Moscow-born beauty one the most popular women to watch in the late '90s and early '00s. The attention led to numerous endorsements, as well as modeling and television gigs. Then, just when it seemed like she was literally at the top of her game. Kournikova all but vanished from the public eye. So, where did she go? 

After giving up the sport that made her a star more than 20 years ago, Kournikova has remained busy, finding fulfillment in philanthropy and family over her forehand shot. She and her partner, Spanish singing sensation Enrique Iglesias, have been together for more than two decades and share three young children. Although she keeps her private life just that, Kournikova will occasionally post photos to her social media accounts that offer the public a small glimpse into her world. Hers is a quiet life lived primarily out of the limelight, and the transformation seems to suit the blonde bombshell just fine. Here's what you may not know about Anna Kournikova's post-tennis life. 

From serving up aces to serving up aid, Anna Kournikova stepped up her philanthropy game after leaving the game of professional tennis. The star once known as a tennis diva certainly had more time on her hands once she retired from the sport, and she decided to use that time for a good cause, get in the trenches, and get her hands dirty. She participated in the Nautica South Beach triathlon to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, traveled to impoverished areas of Haiti with Population Services International, and entertained troops overseas through United Service Organizations. She told People in 2011, "I loved getting involved in charity work and I felt like that's what my name is good for and that's what I wanted to channel it into," adding that it helped her find happiness off the court. 

Of all the causes she continues to support, it's the charities that impact children that are near and dear to the heart of this mother of three. As an ambassador for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, she has helped the organization open a youth facility in Tijuana, Mexico, and has devoted countless hours to traveling across the country speaking to children about the importance of physical activity, a topic on which she is well-versed. "For me it's all about working with the kids," she told Social Miami. "I guess that I'm a kid at heart."

Since moving to the United States to play tennis as a child, Anna Kournikova has immersed herself in the country and the culture. So it comes as no surprise that she made her love affair with America official in 2010 by becoming a U.S. citizen. And while it might have been tennis that brought her here, it was the love of the country that made her stay. Posing on the cover of Maxim in a star-studded, barely-there bikini and holding an American flag, Kournikova looked positively patriotic as she explained to the magazine that becoming a citizen just felt right. "You know, I've always considered myself half Russian and half American," she said. "It never seemed to really matter if I had a passport or not. But when I started working with the USO and the troops overseas, it just seemed the logical next step."

In an article she wrote for USO.org, Kournikova recalls how she first became involved with the organization to preach the religion of fitness to the children and families of service members. However, the athlete says she learned even more important lessons from the people she met during her trips. "On each trip I have taken with the USO, I have been so inspired by how positive everybody is despite the reality of their jobs during these uncertain times," she wrote.  "I can truly say I am proud to be an American."

While she may have seemed like a natural choice to help contestants on "The Biggest Loser," it turns out that Anna Kournikova just wasn't the right fit for the role of fitness trainer. After only one season, she threw in her sweat towel and parted ways with the NBC hit reality show. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, she said, "I enjoyed my time on the Biggest Loser ranch." She went on to add, "I will always be a part of 'The Biggest Loser' family and my commitment to bettering lives through health and fitness will continue." So what happened?

Camp Kournikova told People, "Anna was 100 percent not fired from the show." However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, some members of the show's staff found her difficult, with one source telling the outlet that she was "a nightmare." Then there were the contestants, some of whom didn't feel she was supportive or nurturing enough. Former contestant Patrick House told People that the problem may have been her lack of experience working with obese people, something he says requires a very specific skill set. "I think you have to adapt to that, and I think that's what she struggled with," he said. 

Audience reviews were mixed from the start. Some viewers even took to social media to praise her performance; others felt she wasn't exactly a great fit for the gig.

A year and three months after she gave birth to her twins, Anna Kournikova posed in a swimsuit for an Instagram post. In the Boomerang-style clip, the former tennis pro stands on top of an outdoor table in a bikini and high heels, clearly enjoying the Miami sun. While most of the comments on her post were supportive and kind, there were a large number of haters who shamed the superstar, using words like "skinny," "boyish," and "unhealthy" to describe her appearance. She did not address the hurtful comments left on the post. 

While some people might think that being called "skinny" isn't body shaming, the bottom line is that commenting on another person's body — especially in a judgmental or negative way — is not okay. Unfortunately, Kournikova is no stranger to knowing what it feels like to have her looks criticized by the public. "I know what it's like to be judged, dissected, picked apart for all of my life," she told the Los Angeles Times in 2011. "It was so painful. I was just a kid at the time. I was being judged over here for being too pretty, or over there for not looking good enough. And God forbid I gained a pound. I heard about it."

Today, Anna Kournikova and her partner Enrique Iglesias are still happily together. Although Kournikova has added the last name Iglesias to her Instagram profile and sports a large diamond ring on her hand, neither she nor Iglesias have ever confirmed reports of a marriage. On the contrary, both have been very vocal over the years on the topic, saying they don't need to get married to prove they love one another. In 2011, Kournikova elaborated on the topic to Women's Health (via People). "[Marriage] isn't important to me," she said. "I'm in a happy relationship — that's all that matters." Iglesias echoed her sentiments the following year, telling Parade, "I've never really thought marriage would make a difference. Maybe it's because I come from divorced parents, but I don't think you love someone more because of a piece of paper."

It is hard to say whether they have tied the knot or not, but what is clear is that Kournikova is in a loving, committed, long-term relationship with the father of her children, and the family seems to be thriving. As to what the future holds for the former athlete, she hasn't announced any plans to return to tennis or television. For now, it seems she is happy to be a star who chose family over fame.