Kournikova vs Sharapova: A Match Between Tennis Players or Sex Kitten Athletes?

"The second-seeded Sharapova won with breaks in the final game of each set, including the only break of the second set, and snapped Clijster's 24-match winning streak in North American summer hard-court events.

The title was Sharapova's first since winning at Indian Wells in March, and the 12th of her career. It was also the first time the Russian defeated Clijsters, a former No. 1, in five matches." -AP

Maria Sharapova is a good tennis player. Obviously, this is not breaking news. But in the era of the Sex Kitten Athlete (i.e. Anna Kournikova and Danika Patrick), the ones that are more likely to win endorsement deals than tournaments, matches or races, it is refreshing to see a female sports star who has the game to back up her pin-up looks. And for my money, Maria Sharapova is better looking than all of them.

I'd like to clarify something about Danika Patrick before I go on. I don't think she's in it for the advertising revenue. She seems to have some genuine enthusiasm for her sport (you can check out my article on her here). But as far as I know, Ms. Kournikova has retired to a life of parties and picture taking, comfortably attached to the elbow of that singer who had his mole removed. That's lame. I knew a guy who was so obsessed with Anna Kournikova during her playing days, and this guy wasn't into competitive tennis (if you know what I mean, winkage). It was complete celebrity worship and it really got me thinking. Was Anna Kournikova's tennis career just a huge scam?

I don't really follow the women's side of the ATP (or the men's for that matter) but it seems that she was rarely competitive, and to the best of my knowledge she never won a professional tournament. Sharapova, on the other hand, has done nothing but find success, and lots of it. A few years ago she won Wimbledon when she was 17, and with 12 titles under belt at the age of 19, she's well on her way to having one hell of a women's tennis career. And, as a guy and an admitted chauvinist pig (not really, but let's go with that), she's smoking hot.

Like I said before, for my money there is not one girl in, not just professional tennis, but the entire sporting world who can hold a candle to the beauty of Maria Sharapova, and the fact that she's a consistent winner only makes her more attractive (IMO). Winning is sexy.

However, as good as she is, Sharapova is not immune to the whole Sex Kitten Athlete phenomenon, and this is fine. Have you seen those camera commercials? They're spectacular. I have no problem with a legitimate female athlete using their appeal (whether it be sexual or personality wise) for financial gain. It's only fair really. Look at the truckloads of money that male athletes get in endorsement deals; why shouldn't females cash in as well?

I do have a problem with the Kournikova's of the world. When advertising deals, modeling careers, photo ops and parties become the sole reason for participating in sporting events something is most definitely wrong. It takes away from the integrity of the sport. The obvious response to my opinions would be, "but Anna Kournikova was a good tennis player. She was good enough to compete; a lot of athletes never win a tournament." There's some truth to that. I just hate to see athletes put themselves above their sport. Whether it's the cheating steroid freak, the publicity seeking end zone dancer or the model chick tennis player. In this ever-changing, mostly depressing world that we live in, I still find some solace in the integrity of athletics- even if this ridiculously naïve. I don't care. It brings me some peace, get off my back.

Now I'm gonna go whack it to Sharapova. What?