By Terrianna Daniels
FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS
Anna Sergeyevna Kournikova (Russian: Анна Сергеевна Курникова, IPA: [ˈanːə sʲɪrˈɡʲejɪvnə ˈkurnʲɪkəvə]; born 7 June 1981) is a Russian model and television personality, and former professional tennis player. Her appearance and celebrity status made her one of the best known tennis stars worldwide. At the peak of her fame, fans looking for images of Kournikova made her name one of the most common search strings on Google Search.
Despite never winning a singles title, she reached No. 8 in the world in 2000. She achieved greater success playing doubles, where she was at times the world No. 1 player. With Martina Hingis as her partner, she won Grand Slam titles in Australia in 1999 and 2002, and the WTA Championships in 1999 and 2000. They referred to themselves as the “Spice Girls of Tennis”.
Kournikova retired from professional tennis in 2003 due to serious back and spinal problems, including a herniated disk. She lives in Miami Beach, Florida, and played in occasional exhibitions and in doubles for the St. Louis Aces of World Team Tennis before the team folded in 2011. She was a new trainer for season 12 of the television show The Biggest Loser, replacing Jillian Michaels, but did not return for season 13. In addition to her tennis and television work, Kournikova serves as a Global Ambassador for Population Services International‘s “Five & Alive” program, which addresses health crises facing children under the age of five and their families.
TODAY’S ALMANAC
Question of the Day
Advice of the Day
Home Hint of the Day
Word of the Day
Puzzle of the Day
Born
- Beau Brummel (fashion leader) –
- Sir James Young Simpson (one of the founders of modern gynecology) –
- Jessica Tandy (actress) –
- Gwendolyn Brooks (poet and first African American to receive a Pulitzer Prize) –
- Dean Martin (singer & actor) –
- Rocky Graziano (boxer) –
- Tom Jones (singer) –
- Liam Neeson (actor) –
- Prince (musician) –
- Anna Kournikova (tennis player) –
- Jordan Fry (actor) –
Died
- Jean Harlow (actress) –
- Dorothy Parker (author) –
- Dennis Potter (writer) –
- Kenny Rankin (singer & songwriter) –
Events
- Louis XIV crowned King of France–
- In the Continental Congress, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia proposed a resolution calling for a Declaration of Independence–
- William Bruce Mumford became the first U.S. citizen hung for treason–
- Two men left NYC for a 55-day row across the Atlantic Ocean–
- Hudson Stuck’s expedition reached summit of Mt. McKinley, Alaska–
- King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain became the first reigning British monarchs to visit the U.S.–
- The $64,000 Question made its television debut–
- Priscilla Presley opened Graceland to the public–
- Patent for chain saw cleaning brush granted to an 11-year-old–
Weather
- The Year without summer hit Danville, Vermont, with drifts of snow and sleet up to 20”–
- 42-tornado outbreak began in Upper Midwest–
COURTESY www.almanac.com
