Which figure is a Russian tennis player known for fame despite not winning a singles championship?

• A. Babe Didrikson Zaharias
• B. Gertrude Ederle
• C. Anna Kournikova
• D. Jack Dempsey

Answer: (C)

This item looks for a tennis figure whose fame comes from being a celebrity as much as from athletic achievement. Anna Kournikova fits this distinction: she is a Russian player who became internationally famous largely because of her marketability, image, and media presence, not because she won major singles championships. She did achieve high visibility and even reached a high singles ranking, but she never secured a WTA singles title. Her fame is often cited as an example of celebrity status influencing sports popularity, even when the top competitive milestone isn’t achieved. The other options aren’t Russian tennis players and aren’t known for achieving fame primarily without singles titles in the same way.