Kournikova hoping to return to court by March

BOMBAY, India (AP) -- Anna Kournikova hopes to return to tennis by March after an absence of nearly 10 months because of injury.

The Russian, on a five-day visit to India, is recovering from an ailing back and her ranking has dropped to No. 135.

"I hope to be back by March, but I still can't say for sure," she said at a resort 90 miles from Bombay.

A two-time Grand Slam doubles champion, Kournikova was once ranked No. 8. She has yet to win a singles title.

Kournikova shrugged off criticism that she is not fully devoting herself to tennis.

"Everyone has his or her opinion," she said. "I can't live life and be worried by what others say."

Kournikova is representing a leading Indian business group with interests in entertainment, aviation and real estate. She flies to Los Angeles on Saturday.