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Love: Anna

Kournikova and some dudes hit the clay

A A A Comments Thursday, Apr 8 2004

At the north end of River Oaks Boulevard is a bastion of elitism: the River Oaks Country Club. As you enter through the guard gate (in your Benz, of course), you'll find the pristine facilities where rich people gather. Oh, and this week, you'll also find Anna Kournikova, the hottest honey to ever clutch a Head racquet. SI swimsuit model, hockey-stud aficionado and frequently downloaded babe, Anna arrives on the red-clay courts of River Oaks this Thursday to play a one-match exhibition against…does it really matter? Her opponent could be Bobby Riggs or Mothra, and fans will only remember that trademark golden ponytail dancing as she volleys forth. The event that ostensibly surrounds this Annarama is the River Oaks International Tennis Tournament, a men's singles and doubles tournament in which greats from Laver to Agassi have served up aces. Men's tennis, of late, hasn't had too many celebrities, and this tournament features some top 100 players that you might not have heard of. But for now, what you do know is that Anna will be there for a one-night stand. She bounces onto the court at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 8. The tournament goes through Sunday, April 11. 1600 River Oaks Boulevard. For information, call 713-529-4321 or visit www.riveroaksinternational.com. $25 to $40. -- Eric Norvell

Courtesy of nidhin.com

Anna Kournikova

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Missile Command

If you really want to be a part of the pub experience, you need to learn how to throw sharp, pointy projectiles at corkboard. Ancient measuring sticks of sobriety, darts also allow us to express our deeply repressed hunter instinct in the cozy confines of the local -- without, say, breaking a chair over someone's head. Unless, of course, that someone dares to taunt you after he scores a triple. Good dart bars abound, but Rudyard's is a Montrose classic. With five boards in two rooms, there's plenty of playing to go around. The serious in the neighborhood can point to the trophies from champion teams. The nonserious can point to the tap for another pint. Wednesday is League Night from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., for those affiliated with the Houston Darts Association (www.houstondarts.org). 2010 Waugh Drive. For information, call 713-521-0521 or visit www.rudyards.com. Free. -- Eric Norvell

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