Anna Kournikova, who is known as much for her beauty as her tennis skills.
Anna Kournikova, who is known as much for her beauty as her tennis skills. Greenobles.com

Though Anna Kournikova officially retired from professional tennis in 2007 and has not competed since 2003, she remains one of the most famous and Googled female athletes of all time.

Known for her model-like features more than for her tennis game, the 31-year-old has modeled, starred on a popular television series, and participated in multiple charity events since leaving the game.

The Russian born beauty and now American citizen burst onto the tennis soon after she picked up her first racket. At the age of ten, she moved to Bradenton, Fl., to train at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy.

Kournikova was nothing short of a tennis prodigy. At 14, she was the youngest player to win the 18-and-under Orange Bowl, one of the most prestigious junior tennis tournaments in the world, and was crowned the ITF Junior World Champion at year's end.

After turning pro in 1995, Kournikova quickly made a name for herself on the WTA Tour, making her Grand Slam debut just one year later and reaching the fourth round of the US Open. She was soon ranked in the top 50, and reached her highest singles ranking of No. 8 in 2000.

She went on to win 12 doubles titles including two Australian Open doubles titles with Martina Hingis.

Eventually, her professional tennis career ended because of back and spinal cord problems. Though she was a top-10 player and held impressive wins over greats such as Lindsey Davenport, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, and Kim Clijsters, many criticize her professional career because she was unable to win a WTA singles title.

Despite this, she was able to bring attention to women's tennis that few other players have managed to do, though this was in large part due to her supermodel looks.

The media loved Kournikova and followed her personal and professional life closely. Marriage and engagement rumors about the tennis star circulated for years, but eventually, she began dating Spanish superstar, Enrique Iglesias.

The two have been in a relationship for well over ten years now and have managed to keep most details about their personal life, private. In 2011, the two invested to build a home together in Miami.

According to most recent reports, their relationship is strong, but both do not foresee wedding bells in their future.

In November of 2011, Kournikova spoke with Women's Health Magazine and said, I'm in a happy relationship -- that's all that matters...I believe in commitment. I believe in being open and trusting each other and respecting each other completely.

Iglesias seems to feel the same way and has expressed a similar sentiment. In March of 2012, the singer said, I've never really thought marriage would make a difference, in an interview with Parade Magazine. Maybe it's because I come from divorced parents, but I don't think you love someone more because of a piece of paper.

The 31-year-old former tennis star also plans on having children. I absolutely want to have children, whether I have my own or adopt,' she says, adding, 'I love taking care of people, she told Women's Health Magazine.

As for her professional career, Kournikova has dabbled outside the field of tennis.

In 2008, she became a spokesperson for K-Swiss along with Jillian Michaels and other current tennis professionals.

She gained further publicity in 2011 after she signed on to be a regular celebrity trainer in season 12 of NBC's popular weight-loss competition, 'The Biggest Loser.' After one season however, she unexpectedly left the show.

After she left, she told The Hollywood Reporter, I enjoyed my time on the Biggest Loser ranch...I will always be a part of The Biggest Loser family and my commitment to bettering lives through health and fitness will continue.

Though Kournikova has not played a competitive match since 2003, she plays in occasional exhibition matches for charity and in World Team Tennis. In addition to her tennis, modeling, and work on 'Biggest Loser,' Kournikova serves as an Ambassador for Population Services International's Five and Alive/ Youth AIDS programs.

She has travelled to Haiti with the organization, which seeks to help to improve the lives of kids ages five and under by educating families about AIDS and preventable diseases such as malaria, malnutrition and diarrhea, most of which are caused by unsafe drinking water.

While Kournikova had to put her tennis career to rest at an early age, she's a sports star that continues to captures the public's attention even when she is not in the spotlight.