'Next Kournikova' Violetta Degtiareva passes away at 23 during training session

Russian tennis player Violetta Degtiareva, who was hailed as the next Anna Kournikova, reportedly passed away during a training session as a result of a heart failure at 23 years of age.

Degtiareva, who was known for her staggering beauty and plush payroll, had been one of the highest-earning stars on the International Tennis Federation pro circuit when she suddenly passed away on January 12.

Despite her popularity, news of Degtiareva's death was not immediately released and only became public when her close friend and tennis player Anastasia Vdovenco posted her shocked reaction on Facebook, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Vdovenco posted that she could hardly believe it, adding 'Rest in peace' to her post.

Details about what caused Degtiareva's heart failure are reportedly and Russian media outlets have not specified where she was training before she died.

Even though she was ranked 1,084 in the world at the time of her death, with her highest ranking at 947, Degtiareva never actually managed to win a major title.

As Degtiareva's career began to blossom, the tennis player garnered overwhelming comparisons to Kournikova, another blonde bombshell from Russia who achieved celebrity status despite not winning the big one, the report added.