Valentine’s Day: 4 Iconic Couples Who Found Love on the Tennis Court

Keeping aside the competitive side of tennis, it’s time to have a look at the romantic side of it. It’s Valentine’s Day after all. Today, we’re going to cover some of the most iconic couples in the history of the racket sport. Who are those? Let’s find out.

It’s pretty difficult for professional athletes to find time for themselves, as they’re mostly busy either training or traveling across the globe. Despite all these hardships, there are plenty of examples of players getting romantically attached to their partners through their shared love of the game. The life of a tennis professional is always tough but also rewarding. When we talk about rewards, it is not just about the financial success, but much more than that. 

Cupid on Court

With so many hectic schedules and frequent travels, tennis players often find it difficult to adjust to their partners who are from different professions. So, they often end up marrying someone from the tennis world itself. Is there anything more romantic than travelling the whole world together while chasing your dreams? Here are some of the top couples from the past and present generation. 

1. Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf

Bagging 30 Grand Slam titles altogether, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf are perhaps the most well-decorated couple in the history of the racket sport. This iconic couple ruled the sport during the ’90s. Both of them tied the knot on October 22, 2001, at their home in Las Vegas. Their mothers were the only witness to their marriage and currently, they live with their two children- Jaden Gil and Jaz Elle. But there is an interesting story surrounding their first meet at Wimbledon in 1992.

The one who has won 60 titles in his career was once forced to say, “She was the hardest to win.” Andre Agassi had tried to take Steffi Graf out with him during the early days, but she was quite hesitant initially. He had once stated, “I was thunderstruck, dazzled by her understated grace, her effortless beauty … I tried to get a message to her after [1991’s] French Open, but she didn’t respond.” 

But the funky Agassi finally got the chance to meet Graf after winning his first Grand Slam title at the Wimbledon in 1992. The American tennis superstar was then “dying to go” to the Wimbledon Ball, an event traditionally held on the closing day of the prestigious English tournament.

Agassi had heard about it for years because the men’s winner got the chance to dance with the women’s winner. He even purchased a tuxedo from Harrods for the event. But sadly for him, the event got canceled later on. However, they later on got the chance to meet each other and even after almost more than 22 years of marriage, they still don’t miss a chance to celebrate their love publicly. 

Last month Agassi was seen expressing his love for his wife, kissing her 1994 Australian Open winner portrait in Melbourne. He said, “I mean she has to accept a kiss right, I mean she can deny it maybe at home. I mean you walk around and you just get hit with your wife. You know you’re other side of the globe and you feel so close at times.“ A few days back, both of them even posed together with all smiles after winning their Pickleball Slam 2 title.

2. Roger Federer Mirka Federer

Both of them met each other while representing Switzerland at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. The 18YO Roger Federer fell in love with the 21YO fellow tennis player Miroslava ‘Mirka’ Vavrinec while staying in the Olympic Village. The couple dated for almost 9 years and then tied the knot in 2009. They are now the parents of two sets of twins. 

Federer has always attributed his longevity in the sport to Mirka’s support. After winning the 2017 AO title, he said, “She’s been there when I had no titles and she’s still here 89 titles later, so she had a big part to play in [the win].” Federer also thanked his wife after announcing his retirement in September 2022.

“She has warmed me up before finals, watched countless matches even while over 8 months pregnant and has endured my goofy side on the road with my team for over 20 years,” said Roger Federer.

3. Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina

Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina first interacted with each other on social media. They went into a relationship in 2019 and got engaged on 3 April 2021 before finally getting married on 16 July that year. Then, on 15 October 2022, the couple was blessed with a beautiful baby girl whom they named Skai.

Recalling their moments from their first meeting, Elina Svitolina said, “We met each other and we could not split anymore. It was an amazing coincidence that both of us were in Paris in the same time because I live in London now and Gael, despite he is from Paris, lives in Geneva.“ Svitolina feels she’s lucky to have Monfils, as they both have the same profession and almost the same goals. She believes this indeed helps them to support each other through their ups and downs in both professional and personal life.

READ MORE: Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina Marriage: How Did Paris Play Cupid With the Tennis Couple?

Recently, Monfils heaped praise on her partner for her incredible dedication and sacrifices that she made to maintain a balance between her professional life and motherhood. They often share glimpses of the beautiful moments of their life with their fans on social media.

4. Fabio Fognini and Flavia Pennetta

Both the Italian tennis stars were good friends for several years before they eventually started dating in 2014. Fognini and Pennetta used to train on the same ground in Barcelona with the same physiotherapist. They even shared the same personnel in their coaching team. According to various media outbreaks, it was Flavia Pennetta who wanted to date Fabio Fognini. Then, after a year of dating each other, they got married in 2015 in Ostuni, Apulia, Italy.

Pennetta says, “It was all very fast, I would like to remarry with him to relive those wonderful moments.” Fognini and Pennetta are now the parents of three children. Did we miss anyone from the list of power couples in the tennis world? If you think we’ve missed any names, do let us know in the comments section.

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