Anna Kournikova

Don't hate Anna Kournikova because she's beautiful. There are so
many better reasons: She's a size 4 despite eating like a truck
driver (pizza, chicken fingers and nachos). She dates a Latin pop
star. She makes $9 million a year in endorsements and has her own
calendar. Simply put, Anna has it all (the lack of a WTA singles
title notwithstanding). ¶ Watching her on the beach is like
watching Cinderella at the ball. Everyone--the photographer, his
two assistants, the three video crew guys and the handful of
pale-white, beer-bellied vacationers from New Jersey who cannot
believe their luck--stares at her nonstop. Lying on her side,
Anna slightly shifts her body, the one that has simultaneously
fueled and hindered her career. "My back injury is chronic,"
she'll say later, "but I want to start playing again next year."
¶ Speaking of that back, one of the swimsuit fashionistas breaks
some news just before lunch: "She's dying to do a picture from
behind." Lunch will have to wait. So they squeeze Anna into
cream-colored shorts, and the result is a picture that evokes
visions of the classic backside photo of World War II pinup girl
Betty Grable. Who could've imagined it--Anna and Betty, joined at
the hip? --Gene Menez

COLOR PHOTO: PHOTOGRAPHS BY TIZIANO MAGNI ANNA KOURNIKOVA SWIMSUIT BY BECCA BY REBECCA V. ($160) ANKLET BY KC DESIGNS ($300) HAIR BY PATRICIA MORALES FOR CUTLER NYC, USING REDKEN MAKEUP BY JUN FUNAHASHI AT L'ATELIER, USING SHU UEMURAACCOMMODATIONS BY PALOMINO ISLAND, WYNDHAM EL CONQUISTADOR RESORT& GOLDEN DOOR SPA, PUERTO RICO ANNA KOURNIKOVA IS REPRESENTED BY OCTAGON

COLOR PHOTO: PHOTOGRAPHS BY TIZIANO MAGNI SWIMSUIT BY LULI FAMA($160) PENDANT BY KC DESIGNS ($295) ZODIAC PENDANT BY RON HAMI ($1,450) NECKLACE BY RENEE LEWIS ($16,000)</capt></figure>

COLOR PHOTO: PHOTOGRAPHS BY TIZIANO MAGNI SWIMSUIT BY BECCA BY REBECCA V. ($120) ANKLET BY KC DESIGNS ($300) HAIR BY PATRICIA MORALES FOR CUTLER NYC, USING REDKEN MAKEUP BY JUN FUNAHASHI AT L'ATELIER, USING SHU UEMURA