Kournikova interview row escalates

The Womens' Tennis Association yesterday lodged a complaint with the BBC over the airing of an interview in which Anna Kournikova had a tantrum.

The Russian stood up during the interview and demanded it be started again because she did not like the questioning. Kournikova almost immediately sat down again and the interview resumed, but the BBC showed it in full and repeated it several times later.

The vice-president of communication for the WTA, Chris de Maria, said: "Anna was upset and she has spoken to our people. We feel it was inappropriate because she had got up to end the interview and started again but they showed the whole thing. She expected them to start over and not show the behind-the-scenes footage."

However, the BBC said it saw nothing wrong in showing the full interview.