Double Trouble
Four of tennis’s biggest names go head-to-head at the Rogers Cup in an exhibition match for the ages By Kelly Pullen
For this year’s Rogers Cup, organizers have lined up four players who, by way of personality, reputation or endorsements, transcended their athletic achievements to become celebrities. Jim Courier, Anna Kournikova, John McEnroe and Carling Bassett-Seguso have agreed to don microphones for a mixed doubles novelty match. Here, a refresher on these crowd-pleasing racqueteers.
| JIM COURIER | ANNA KOURNIKOVA | JOHN McENROE | CARLING BASSETT-SEGUSO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitals Hailing from Sanford, Florida, the 37-year-old currently lives it up in Miami. |
Vitals The Muscovite, 26, moved to Florida in 1992 to study at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. |
Vitals Born in Germany, raised in Queens and Long Island. Now 48, he lives in Manhattan. |
Vitals Born in Toronto, the 39-year-old brewery scion has traded in Hogtown for Boca Raton. |
| Nickname The Grinder |
Nickname No sporty moniker, though “tennis babe” is bandied about frequently. |
Nickname Johnny Mac, Superbrat, McNasty |
Nickname Darling Carling |
| Net Worth 29 career titles, including four Grand Slam singles titles. |
Net Worth Zero career titles, but she did snag 13 doubles titles, including two Grand Slams. |
Net Worth 155 career titles, including seven Grand Slam singles and 10 doubles titles. |
Net Worth Three career titles; made it to the semi-final of the U.S. Open in 1984 and was ranked eighth in the world in 1985, the highest ever for a Canadian woman. |
| On-and off -court antics A consummate athlete during his days on the tour, he was known as the original baseline grinder, often winning intense rallies by attrition. The wildest thing to be said about Courier is that he introduced baseball caps to tennis. (And he plays guitar.) He also founded a successful sports event planning company in 2004 and, like McEnroe, is employed as a part-time commentator for NBC. |
On-and off -court antics Made it to the Wimbledon semi-finals at 16, but faded early, retiring due to back injuries. Has the distinction of getting more ink for her love life than her physical prowess. The “AK,” named after her, is a Texas hold ’em hand containing an ace and a king—it “looks good, but hardly ever wins.” |
On-and off -court antics Famous for his fiery temper and the line “You cannot be serious,” asked repeatedly of a Wimbledon umpire in 1981. Owns an art gallery in SoHo, and has shilled for Nike and Amex (among others), reportedly to the tune of more than $100 million. Provides what is widely considered the ne plus ultra of sports commentary for NBC. |
On-and off -court antics The bubble gum chewing teen had a killer instinct and a backhand to match, not to mention her own JCPenney line, a Ford modelling contract and a role in the 1982 comedy Spring Fever. Later married American tennis pro Robert Seguso; they now run an academy with Chris Evert. |
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