Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Kournikova avoids Gimelstob following insult

WASHINGTON (AP) -Anna Kournikova doesn't care about Justin Gimelstob or what he thinks about her.

Last month, Gimelstob insulted the 28-year-old tennis diva on a radio show, but fans who were hoping to see the two face off on court were likely to be disappointed.

Kournikova was in Washington on Wednesday night with World Team Tennis' St. Louis Aces, who were playing the Washington Kastles, featuring the 31-year-old Gimelstob. The two were not scheduled to play each other in mixed doubles.


In the radio appearance, Gimelstob used a derogatory term to describe Kournikova and made suggestive comments about another player, Nicole Vaidisova.

Kournikova declined to engage in a verbal volley.

"I really don't want to discuss the matter,'' Kournikova said. "I don't want to give it any more attention or meaning that it already has received. I'm just treating this like any other match.''

Television commercials featuring Gimelstob promoting the U.S. Open Series were scrapped by the U.S. Tennis Association following his remarks and he was suspended for one match without pay by World Team Tennis, but stayed on the air during Wimbledon for his job with the Tennis Channel.

Gimelstob, who retired last year from the tour and sits on the board of the ATP, made no effort to reach out to Kournikova during pre-match festivities. When Kournikova was questioned about Gimelstob, she tried to deflect attention from him.

"I actually forgot about it until you just mentioned it,'' Kournikova said. "It's really no big deal to me.''




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