Tennis giants tied in a knot: Did their lady-loves bring them luck?

It is said that there’s a woman behind every successful man. Does the same apply on the tennis court as well? Let’s find out if marriage was as enriching to the games of the big names in the world of tennis as it was to their personal lives (or not).

Here is an analysis of five players’ careers after they tied the knot with their lady-love (luck).

Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi with his ex- wife Brooke Shields

Andre Agassi turned pro at the age of 16 in 1986. He won his first major Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 1992. Agassi silenced his critics with this win.

After that win, Agassi won several other Major titles in the early 1990s. He hogged the limelight at the 1994 US Open. He grabbed the Australian Open in 1995, which helped him climb the ladder of the rankings that year. Being at his peak, Agassi won the gold medal at the 1996 summer Olympics at Atlanta, Georgia.

The charismatic Agassi married actress Brooke Shields in 1997. He wasn’t sure about the nuptials initially, but eventually he went with the idea of marriage and tied the knot.

In the year 1997, Agassi went through a rough phase. He faced complexities professionally and personally. He  didn’t win any tournament that year. His ranking was knocked down as low as 141. Agassi tested positive for drugs in 1997. He was introduced to crystal meth by a friend, according to reports and his autobiography Open. He claimed that his drug use was purely accidental. He told the Association of Tennis Professionals that he unknowingly drank his friend’s drink.

It was believed that his career was over. However, Agassi turned his career up-side down, with a massive comeback in 1999. He won two Grand Slam tournaments – the French Open and the US Open, in the year 1999.

Agassi divorced his wife Brooke Shields after nearly two years of marriage, and continued focusing on his career, giving hits continuously. He won Australian Open titles in the years 2000, 2001 and 2003.

Back problems and other health issues forced Agassi to discontinue his professional tennis. He lost one more Grand Slam title and on September 4, 2006, he played his last professional match and bid goodbye to his fans across the world. Following his retirement, Agassi married women’s legend Steffi Graf, and the couple has two children now.