Anna Kournikova Wins in Popularity, Loses at Tennis

Still as popular as ever, Anna Kournikova is struggling to find her tennis game. You have to wonder how long she can stay in the Top 20, and how much longer she's going to keep trying. She started off the year 2001 with mixed results, did respectively well at the Australian Open, then missed several months of competition due to injury. In her first tournaments back on tour, one in July and one in September, she has lost each time in the first round to lower-ranked players.

While winning tennis seems to elude Kournikova, she continues to be popular both on and off court. But how long will tennis fans support the Russian for beauty alone? Though winning isn't everything, it's a pretty big thing for a professional athlete. No doubt she has talent, but does she have a champion's attitude and work ethic to overcome her current situation?

Kournikova has played 14 matches on tour in the first nine months of 2001, and only two matches since February. While the Russian is talented, she has missed more than just a few tournaments. In her absence, new teenagers have arrived on the scene and the level of women's tennis continues to reach new heights. Big babe tennis is taking over and the power players are becoming more dominant than ever.

A lot has happened since Kournikova reached her career high No. 8 at the end of 2000. Regaining that level of play won't be good enough for a Top 10 spot anymore. Not only does she have to come back, but she has to go beyond. That is quite a daunting task for anyone to accomplish, but an even more difficult one for a player with few weapons to start with. Kournikova doesn't have a blistering serve, nor can she hit winners from anywhere on court. The strongest part of her game may be footspeed and court sense, but even that is not going to be enough.

Then there's the modeling career and acting aspirations. Climbing back to the higher echelons of women's tennis will not be possible for Kournikova without total and complete dedication to her tennis. Look what it did for Jennifer Capriati. She dropped the boyfriend, worked hard on her fitness, focused on her tennis, and won back-to-back Grand Slam titles. It is possible if you want it bad enough.

Kournikova is still looking for her first title. In fact, at this point, she'd probably settle for just winning a match. Confidence is a funny thing, and you can't get it if you don't win and you can't win without it. The mind is a funny thing and it can play tricks on you. Kournikova is balancing a substantial amount of weight on those tanned and toned shoulders of hers. With it, she can't move, but without it she will run like a gazelle.

Tennis fans everywhere are pulling for Kournikova to win that first tournament. Unfortunately, now she is in an even worse position to do so than a year ago. She seems a bit like Little Bo Beep. She's lost her game, and doesn't know where to find it. Her game is good, but good just won't cut it anymore. She has the support, now she must find the desire.