Glam Girls of Tennis

Game or glamour – what attracts you to women’s tennis? Anna Kournikova has never won a single grand slam in her entire career; still the Russian beauty is famous as any of her counter parts. If you are a passionate tennis fan, Anna won’t be anywhere near your list of favourite players, but there are millions who adore her for her glam quotient. But unlike Anna, the world of tennis has other players who are blessed with talent and looks at the same time. Who’s your #1?

What’s unique about  Argentine beauty Gabriela Sabatini? Her brunette hair or appealing smile? She took the world by storm when she beat the then world # 1 Steffi Graf in the finals of the 1990 US Open. That was the only Grand Slam crown she’s ever won in her career, but managed to grab a slew of endorsements. Gaby even has her own line of perfume!

There is no match for Steffi when it comes to grace and genius. She was the true queen of tennis who never got carried away by any distractions. The game always remained her top priority; still the leggy German blonde was hailed for her amazing figure, too.

Monica Seles

On popular demand, I’m adding Monica Seles too to the list. Seles was my favourite player! With her pixie hairdo and smile, Monica posed a big challenge to Steffi Graf. At 16, she won the French Open, becoming the youngest ever to win the title. She went on to win 8 Grand Slams in her teens, but her career came to a halt when she got stabbed by a ‘crazy’ fan of Steffi Graf – Gunter Parche. Though her wound wasn’t fatal, it affected her mentally and Seles became a shadow of her old self. However, she made a great comeback winning the Australian Open in 1996.

Tennis’s original glam girl Chris Evert is often regarded the diva of ’70s. Coupled with brilliance and talent, she has to her credit 18 Grand Slams altogether. Her haircut was immensely copied by women around the world then.

Sexy, graceful and suave…French lady Mary Pierce had it all! Remember her ‘French braids’? She can also be regarded as a trend-setter. Mary was popular among non-tennis fans too. Back then in the ’90s, photographers never used to miss a chance to get a perfect ‘Mary Pierce’ shot!

Anna’s name is synonymous with glamour. She was only 16 when she reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 1997, and took the world by storm with her sex-appeal. She never made it beyond that, but her career took a different course and she got approached by fashion magazines and agencies. Anna has officially retired from tennis but still plays charity matches.

What Anna lacked, Martina Hingis had. Hingis won several Grand Slams in her teens, but recurring injuries cut short her career. Hingis had great charm and a captivating smile!

Daniela Hantuchova’s innocent looks and slim figure caught the world’s fancy. She too has never won a Grand Slam in her career, yet has a huge fan following on the tennis court and off it.

Our very own Sania Mirza too has fans all around the world. Her marriage might have cut short what seemed to be a promising career on the tennis court, but this Hyderabad lass still has the sub-continent swooning at her feet.

Unlike her compatriot Anna, Maria has game. Standing tall at 6 ft 4 inches, this lissome lass is a trend-setter when it comes to the game and outfits. She has a best-selling perfume named after her. This leggy blonde once made news when she turned up in a tux on court.

There are many things that make Ana Ivanovic lovable. Her aggressiveness on court contradicts her stunning looks. She could very well be tennis’s supermodel.

Maria Kirilenko

Maria Kirilenko is another promising Russian beauty who is a favourite with photographers. Slender, with an enigmatic smile, she is pretty conscious when it comes to fashion. She was featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. Need we say more?