She may have never risen to the ranks of players like Serena Williams and Martina Hingis, but who cared? With her blonde Russian bombshell looks, Anna Kournikova paved the way for female athletes that were both hot, athletic, and every bit as good as their male counterparts. Her ranking never mattered - when she played, who was watching the scoreboard, anyway?
Because she graced our magazine covers so often, a picture of her without airbrushing and without makeup can seem nothing like the Anna we dreamt about. But we often forget that she never wore makeup on the court. It wasn't just her face that we were attracted to. It was her style, her fluidity of movement, and her quick and graceful movements around the net. Up close she may have looked worn out, but from our seats she played like an angel.