7 ultimate tennis power couples: Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, Roger and Mirka Federer star
Tennis is a sport of love – in more ways than one.
Off the court at the French Open, Jannik Sinner and Anna Kalinskaya are certainly turning a few heads – with their new relationship well and truly getting tennis fans talking.
Sinner and Kalinskaya certainly aren’t the only tennis couple to have taken the sporting world by storm recently, and historically there have been plenty of tennis powers couples to wow fans.
We look back at some of tennis’ most memorable love matches.
Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf
Undoubtedly the ultimate tennis power couple, Graf and Agassi have now been together for 25 years.
The pair first properly met after both winning Wimbledon in 1992, but it wasn’t until after the 1999 French Open – where Graf won her 22nd and final major, and Agassi completed the Career Grand Slam – that the two started dating.
Graf and Agassi married in 2001, have two children and live in Las Vegas – where both have a relatively low profile.
Read More: Tennis love stories celebrated on Valentine’s Day – from Roger Federer to Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi
Maria Sharapova and Grigor Dimitrov
A decade ago, Sharapova and Dimitrov were undoubtedly the highest-profile active couple in the sport.
The duo started dating in 2012 and were seen together regularly, with five-time major winner Sharapova often appearing in Dimitrov’s box during his Wimbledon campaign in 2014.
The couple split up the following year, but remained on good terms.
Chris Evert and John Lloyd
A few years after her relationship with Jimmy Connors, Evert again attracted attention on and off the court thanks to her relationship with former Australian Open runner-up and British No 1 Lloyd.
The pairing first started dating around 1977 or 1978 and married in 1979.
Evert and Lloyd initially reconciled after a split in the early 1980s, but ultimately divorced in 1987.
Read More: John Lloyd opens up on his broken marriage to Chris Evert
Bjorn Borg and Mariana Simionescu
One of the first huge superstars of the game, Borg was an 11-time Grand Slam winner on the court – but was a major international celebrity off it.
And his relationship with Romanian WTA ace Simionescu, a former world No 36 and junior Roland Garros winner, was one of the highest-profile sporting relationships of the era.
The pair started dating in 1976 and married in Simionescu’s home country in 1980, but their marriage ended in 1984.
What a night!
In a match where love meant a lot more than zero, @ChrissieEvert and John Lloyd defeat Mariana Simionescu and Bjorn Borg 6-4 6-3, raising funds for charity ❤️#WimbledonRematch pic.twitter.com/qRtsOuQz73
— Rematch – The Sporting Time Machine (@RematchLive) May 19, 2019
Lleyton Hewitt and Kim Clijsters
Two of the biggest stars of the early 2o00s, Hewitt and Clijsters’ relationship attracted huge attention, particularly in Hewitt’s native Australia – when Belgian ace Clijsters was affectionately nicknamed ‘Aussie Kim.’
The two met during the Australian Open in 2000 and started dating shortly afterwards, reaching the mixed doubles final at Wimbledon the same season.
Their engagement was announced in December 2003, but their split was confirmed in October 2004.
Fabio Fognini and Flavia Pennetta
After previously dating Carlos Moya, Pennetta started dating compatriot Fognini in early 2014, and announced their engagement the following season.
Fognini was in the stands as Pennetta claimed a stunning US Open title in 2015, and following her retirement at the end of that season, the Italians married in 2016.
The pair are still married and have welcomed three children, in 2017, 2019, and 2021.
Roger and Mirka Federer
One of the most famous tennis couples of recent times, Mirka Federer was a constant presence in Roger’s player box throughout his epic career.
Mirka and Roger first started dating when they were representing Switzerland at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, and married in 2009 – seven years after Mirka retired aged 24 due to a foot injury.
The Federers are still together and welcomed twin girls in 2009, before welcoming twin boys in 2014.
