27 APRIL 2004            

Locked in a legal battle with her parents over her Miami home, tennis babe and model Anna Kournikova has now counter-sued in response to their bid to take part possession of the property.

Sergei and Alla Kournikova filed a lawsuit in the Miami-Dade Circuit Court on April 15 demanding the waterfront mansion be "partitioned". This would force Anna to pay them for what they insist is their share of the property.

But Anna has returned serve by filing papers to have her parents' names removed from the deed. The 22-year-old argues that she paid the entire $5 million for the residence, and she only included her parents' names because they asked her to do so. She also reveals that they only lived in the home for a brief period, before being asked to leave in 2002.

"Anna tried to resolve this dispute out of court and is disappointed that it has become a matter of public record," said her lawyer. "She is terribly saddened by the situation."