3 tennis star couples and how they fell in love ft. Steffi Graf-Andre Agassi
From Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi to Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina, the tennis court has often helped many prominent tennis players find love while being on tour and chasing titles. In this regard, numerous tennis power couples had their fairytale love stories marked by personal and professional growth before they finally decided to tie the knot.
Considering the fan-following of several tennis players and the attention received by tennis stars in terms of their personal and professional lives, the love stories of many such tennis couples are given a lot of significance by the media and continue to be admired and loved by tennis fans.
Here are a few tennis star couples and the stories underlying how they fell in love.
#3 Gael Monfils & Elina Svitolina
Former World No.6 Gael Monfils and former World No.3 Elina Svitolina got married in 2021 after two years of dating, and are parents to their one-year-old daughter Skai.
The journey of the power couple started with an Instagram post by the Ukrainian when she was with her friends in Paris, following which the French decided to try his luck. They started talking and were inseparable thereafter.
Despite difficult schedules centered around their careers, the two continued making time for each other, but the honeymoon phase did not last for long as, after two years of dating, the couple announced their decision to take a break from their relationship.
However, the two could not stay apart for long and shocked their fans soon after by announcing their engagement on social media. They got married a couple of months after the engagement in a beautiful wedding that took place in Geneva.
Speaking about their relationship, Svitolina said (via Tennis 365):
“Well, for us there are no issues… I feel like it helps both of us to analyse and to help each other in tough moments,” Svitolina explained.
“We’re used to it now. It’s been years that we had together, few years that we are married, as well.. When we have tough moments, we know what to say. We know also, you know, you start to know a person what we like, what we don’t like.
In addition to checking up on each other despite being busy playing their matches, the couple also share a joint Instagram account titled G.E.M.S life which translates to Gael Elina Monfils Svitolina.
#2 Roger Federer and Mirka Federer
Roger Federer is one of the best tennis players of the Open Era and has numerous records associated with his name including that of eight Wimbledon titles, most to have ever been won in the said Championship.
Over his illustrious career that spanned over two decades, his wife Mirka has been a constant and extremely significant presence both on and off the court for the Swiss. However, while the love they share is seen and admired by all, it is unknown by many that Federer met his better half in the first few years of his career, back when Mirka too was a professional tennis player.
The two met at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 wherein both represented Switzerland and shared the same accommodation in the Olympic village. There, an 18-year-old Federer fell for a 21-year-old Mirka and the two started dating soon after.
Two years later, Federer and Mirka teamed up for the 2002 Hopman Cup but owing to injuries, the latter was forced to seek an early retirement and bid adieu to the game. However, as fate had it, she continued being a part of the international tennis arena as Federer's PR manager and strongest support system.
The two got married in 2009 and have four kids together - two sons and two daughters.
Speaking about the impact that Mirka has had on his life, Federer said (via Tennis World USA):
"She had no particular requests, the only thing she wanted was to spend time with me. Mirka has always been fantastic wife is important to a man and obviously my case is no different. She has been mentioned a lot in my career and she has done a really great job. She has been coming to every training and every match of mine for years."
He added, "She is a strong and intelligent woman, who had a huge impact on me both inside and out off the court. She trusted me and taught me to always do my best. Also, she has been close to me after every defeat. She has never allowed my career to interfere with our daily life.”
#1 Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi
Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi exemplify the true meaning of a tennis power couple, with both having secured the World No.1 rank at different stages in their career and having reached the pinnacle of success in their respective categories. While Graf is the only tennis player to have won a Golden Grand Slam, Agassi was the second man in the Open Era to achieve the Career Grand Slam.
The two tennis stars met each other when both were doing fairly well in their careers. According to the American, he had a crush on Graf even before meeting her in person as he had seen her interviews and even tried messaging her but received no response. However, the two were formally introduced to each other at the Wimbledon Ball in 1992, the year he won his first Grand Slam. Talking about the same in his book, Agassi said (via People's Magazine):
“I don’t get to dance with Steffi, but there will be a kind of consolation match: a formal introduction. I look forward to it all night. Then it happens. "
He added, “Shaking her hand, I tell Steffi that I tried to reach her at last year’s French Open and I hope she didn’t misunderstand my intentions. I say, I’d really love to talk with you some time.”
A couple of years later, when Agassi was going through his divorce from actress Brook Shields, their coaches set up a practice session for them in 1999, following which the German found a bouquet of roses with a letter by Agassi in her hotel room.
According to Agassi, the universe screamed that Graf was the one for him. Soon after the aforementioned practice session, the two started dating and two years later in 2001, they got married. The couple have two kids together, a son, Jared born in 2001, and a daughter, Jaz Elle Agassi born in 2003.
Among the various times, the two expressed their love for each other includes Agassi's introduction for Graf as part of the latter's induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame wherein he said (via People's Magazine):
"As I attempt to find words worthy to introduce the person that has changed my life, I realize the words have yet to be invented that are large enough, colorful enough, or true enough to express the heart and soul of this woman that I love."
He concluded the speech by calling her the "greatest person" he has ever known while Graf expressed how she has no regrets in her career as it led her to Agassi.