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Why is Anna Kournikova on the cover of SI China?

Tuesday, 22nd July 2008 ~ Maggie ~ Link ~ Comments (4)

"寻找库娃 (Searching for Kournikova)"
Three weeks before Beijing hosts the Olympics, two weeks after Zheng Jie stormed Wimbledon, and the same week that Yao Ming returned to action with the Chinese national team, Sports Illustrated China put on its cover a tennis player who hasn't played a professional match in four years and never won a Grand Slam. Apparently in the magazine's Olympics-run-up newsroom, great legs beat greatness—oh, and relevance.

Anna Kournikova is pretty, and so is SI China (体育画报). But the only thing harder than finding a media kiosk in Beijing that sells the magazine is finding Kournikova on a tennis court. With the Olympics countdown clocks all over the capital now inside of 20 days, is it really time for a "Where are they now?" story? The cover line reads: "Searching for Kournikova." Even in a country of 1.3 billion people, it's pretty safe to say that no one is.

Our simple theory: The intended cover boy or girl pulled out at the last minute. Someone at SI China suggested using its US sister magazine's Rafael Nadal shots for the cover. But the boss pointed out that SI China's runaway best-selling issue is the swimsuit issue, so the art department called the US office asking for the next best thing. Thus did an irrelevant athlete appear on newsstands amidst China's countdown to its most exciting sports moment.

The guy who we buy our magazines from in Beijing's Central Business District keeps it simple. Here's a translation of our conversation with him:

CST: What is she doing on the cover?
News guy: What sport does she play? Is she in the Olympics?
CST: She plays tennis. And she's not good.
News guy: She doesn't have to be good. She's pretty! Don't forget your Titan [sports newspaper].

Thank you, SI, for bringing to China the best in sports media.

Tags: Anna Kournikova, SI China, sports media, tennis

Comments

  • ZhengJieNaked
    Tuesday, 22nd July 2008
    Most people "searching" for Kournikova on the Internet are not interested in her current whereabouts.
  • TheHumanaught
    Thursday, 24th July 2008
    I think you guys nailed it with your guess as to why it happened. Still, you're absolutely right, it makes no sense at all - hot or not, leave Kournikova to the Swimsuit edition.
  • paddy
    Wednesday, 30th July 2008
    stop bashing Kournikova so what that she is on the cover i suppose you just have a chip on your shoulder and you probably dont have a clue about Tennis.
  • ZhengJieNaked
    Thursday, 31st July 2008
    I have a 4.5 USTA ranking and played tennis this morning, so I'm sure that "clueless about tennis" comment wasn't directed at me.

    There is no doubt that Zheng Jie should have been on the cover. A smaller square photo of Kournikova could have been placed in the bottom right corner of the cover in order to appease the idiot who made the irrational decision by the SI China man in charge.

    When will a tennis player from China ever make it to the Wimbledon singles semifinals again?
    If Zheng Jie wins the Olympic gold medal for singles, she would likely have to remove her shirt on the podium in order to have any chance at making the next SI cover in September.

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