"Construction workers were watching, business people were watching" - When Anna Kournikova's coach made bold claim about Russian's impact on tennis

Anna Kournikova was one of the biggest draws in tennis during her career, her popularity extending far beyond her results on the court. Such was her influence that one of her childhood coaches once claimed she brought together fans from all walks of life, elevating the sport’s reach through her star power.

Kournikova was born in Moscow in 1981 and picked up a tennis racket at the age of five. By nine, she had moved to Florida to train at Nick Bollettieri’s famed Tennis Academy in Bradenton, a decision that set the course for her career.

Alongside Nick Bollettieri, Anna Kournikova was also coached by Ken Merritt, who spoke highly of her in a 2015 interview with CNN. He noted that she had a rare ability to draw in all kinds of fans, from “business people” to “construction workers,” uniting them around her matches. Merritt also credited her with helping take women’s tennis to new heights in terms of sponsorships and commercial appeal.

"Construction workers were watching tennis, business people were watching tennis. It wasn’t just normal country club corporate clients that were watching tennis now,” Merritt said.

“Women’s tennis had a lot of TV deals after she was playing. There’s a lot of things Anna did for the sport that went well beyond the box scores of wins or losses," he added.

Nick Bollettieri’s Tennis Academy, now part of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, has produced some of the biggest names in the sport. Among its famous alumni are Andre Agassi, Monica Seles, Jim Courier, Pete Sampras, Maria Sharapova, Serena and Venus Williams, Boris Becker, and many more.

About the author

Pritha is one of the driving forces behind Sportskeeda's tennis coverage, serving as an assistant content manager and editor. What began as a casual escape from her tiring biotechnology degree course in early 2022 has blossomed into a passion she loves, cherishes, and breathes every day.

Pritha’s love for the sport was spawned by her dad who showed her clips of "GOAT" Steffi Graf’s matches. Despite a thwarted dream of playing professionally due to injury, she finds solace in reporting the sport, while also mentoring other writers to ensure every article is error-free and top-notch. She double-checks credible sources, such as the tournament/player handles and big tennis media outlets, and gives proper credit where required.

Pritha's journey at Sportskeeda is marked by more than 2000 articles and close to 16 million views, with the "dream-come-true" moment of having her article shared by Chris Evert serving as a highlight of her career. A lifelong Wimbledon fan, Pritha also adores Rafael Nadal, Elena Rybakina, and Naomi Osaka.

When she's not seeking unique angles to elevate tennis coverage at Sportskeeda, she loves to channel her inner astrophysics "nerd" by exploring new sci-fi series and movies. A big Lionel Messi, Lewis Hamilton, and Randy Orton fan, she is always ready to engage in sports conversations anytime, anywhere, albeit not without a cup of coffee.

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Edited by Pritha Ghosh