Kournikova: 'Not Jewish - see my cross'

• Article
• Comments ()
• Click-2-Listen
• Videos

By Stephanie Green and Elizabeth Glover

Mean girls

G2 has been courtside lately at the opening games of the World Team Tennis league's Washington Kastles, where there's been lots of good dish to volley back at you.

On Wednesday, blond bombshell Anna Kournikova was in town with her team, the St. Louis Aces, for their match against the Kastles. The tennis glamour queen was unable to play due to a wrist injury, but we caught up with her at a press conference and asked about - what else? - her rumored engagement to heartthrob singer Enrique Iglesias.

"I don't normally talk about my personal life," she answered, trying to shield the ring the size of Texas she was rocking. "People are saying a lot of things. There is always something new."

When freelance photographer Carrie Devorah congratulated Miss Kournikova with the common Hebrew/Yiddish expression "mazel tov," the Russian beauty asked what that meant. When the photog explained it means congratulations and good luck, Miss K, according to Ms. Devorah, snapped, "I am not Jewish - can't you see my cross?"

When apprised of the tennis player's retort, a worried-looking Mark Ein, owner of the Kastles, declined to comment, saying he hadn't heard the reported exchange.

On Tuesday night, before the Kastles went down in defeat to the Philadelphia Freedoms, Mr. Ein hosted a press conference and VIP reception for tennis legend Venus Williams, who plays for the Freedoms.

The 29-year-old, who at over 6 feet is as regal in person as she appears on the court, wandered casually around the VIP tent posing for pictures with children who came up to her hip and signing pictures for older fans who came up to her shoulders.

If there's one thing that will get the affable athlete a little prickly, it's the subject of her sibling rivalry with her sister Serena, who bested her for the championship trophy at Wimbledon last Saturday. She told a reporter who queried her that she's getting sick of taking questions about it. Period.