Anyone for Anna?
From Mr Terence Teevan Sir: Michael Henderson (Sport, 6 July) ignores a simple fact: sporting competitors are seldom, if ever, judged solely on their sporting prowess. Factors such as nationality, charisma and perceived likability all contribute to popularity, often at the expense of more gifted, but less entertaining, peers.
Rather than addressing this phenomenon, of which Anna Kournikova is arguably the supreme example, Mr Henderson launches a personal attack and obscures a more interesting argument. His specific criticisms may be valid but they seem as much motivated by the basis of her fame (her comparative glamour) as they are by the disparity between her celebrity and her achievement.
Such personal criticism is unnecessary. Ultimately, Miss Kournikova will be judged on her tennis, a judgment foreshadowed by her plummeting world ranking and her early (singles) exit from Wimbledon.
Terence Teevan tteevan@lineone.net
Previous page
