Golden girl of tennis rallies against verbal volleys

WHETHER she wins tennis matches or not is no longer of any consequence. What really matters, where the buck stops with a grinding, shuddering halt, is that Anna Kournikova sells.

She sells everything from sports clothes to sponsors slots, seats to sports bras. It is a phenomenon known as the Kournikova Factor. And right now she is selling newspapers.

Rarely since bursting onto the global stage as a fresh-faced teenager has the Russian commanded more space in newsprint and glossy magazines.