Kournikova denies Hingis rift

Kournikova: Ranked eighth in the world

Russian tennis star Anna Kournikova has denied reports she has fallen out with Martina Hingis after the world number one dumped her as her doubles partner.

Hingis announced last week she would be ending her highly successful partnership with Kournikova to link up with Monica Seles.

But Kournikova played down talk of a rift, claiming: "A lot of players change partners all the time. This is our sport and that's just the way it is.

"It's not like a break-up, it's just that we've both got different partners," the 19-year-old Russian said.

I'm working hard but you never know when [winning my first tournament] is going to happen

  Anna Kournikova

"It's not like we're never going to see each other or talk to each other."

Kournikova said the split had been amicable because she had also wanted to cut down on her doubles commitments to concentrate on singles.

Despite earning millions in endorsements and finishing last year ranked eighth in the world, Kournikova is still chasing her first singles title as a professional.

She was beaten by Australian teenager Jelena Dokic last weekend in the final of an exhibition event in Hong Kong and admitted she was becoming frustrated by her long run of failures.

"I know I'm working hard but you never know when it's going to happen," Kournikova said.