5 of Anna Kournikova’s Best SI Swimsuit Photos in Puerto Rico

It’s been nearly 20 years since Russian tennis player Anna Kournikova posed for the SI Swimsuit Issue, but it sure feels like just yesterday. While the 42-year-old turned pro at the young age of 14, she retired from her sport in 2003—but not before competing in the 1996 Olympics and becoming a two-time Grand Slam doubles champion.
She traveled to Puerto Rico for her SI Swimsuit feature in the early 2000s, where she worked with photographer Tiziano Magni. Kournikova, a fan of the brand prior to her feature, modeled several white bikinis and even a futuristic silver one-piece.
“It’s like the most amazing magazine and I read it every year,” she said of the publication while on location. “Just amazing shots and very artistic, and so it was a great opportunity for me, too.”
She also noted at the time that she felt comfortable on set and enjoyed the creative collaboration with Magni throughout the photo shoot.
Today, Kournikova shares three children with her partner, Enrique Iglesias. Below are five of our favorite photos captured at the retired athlete’s SI Swimsuit photo shoot in Puerto Rico.

Cara is a trending news writer/editor for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. A passionate writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in print and online media, she loves storytelling and believes that words have the power to change the world. Prior to joining the team, Cara worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, Cara loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University's School of Journalism.