Tennis LOVEBirds. Part 1: The Legends

The Maiden Sweethearts

In the early 70s, Jimmy Connors and America's sweetheart Chris Evert became the ultimate tennis couple. When the 19 years old Chris fell madly in love with one of the greatest tennis players, the world stood still to witness their romance. Their story captivated audiences, as the duo generated a commotion wherever they went. Their popularity reached such unbelievable heights that when they've arrived for the 1974 Wimbledon, they were treated like Royal Highnesses. They didn't disappoint and, after an unforgettable fortnight, the couple took home the singles titles. It was a time of utmost joy and happiness, of personal and professional fulfillment, a time when the two lovebirds had the entire world at their feet. For Evert the success was even sweeter, as it marked her first triumph at the grass-court Slam. In a later interview, when looking back at that period, Chris said that she is happy she got to share her success with Jimmy. He was the first man she loved and, probably, the one that left the deepest cut in her heart.
Although they parted ways later that year, calling off their wedding plans, they will always be remembered as the first high profile couple that sparkled on the tour. In a time when tennis rarely made it in the news, they provided the needed  flame to ignite media's interest in the game. Their story paved the way for many couples who found love on the tennis courts.

My Dream Team

What were the chances of having my favourite players fell in love? Moreover, of them having such a beautiful, lengthy relationship? The answer is none. When I first heard the rumors, I was pleasantly surprised. Nevertheless, it all seemed a bit surreal. I had problems envisioning that Agassi, the wild wonderboy from Vegas, has finally found his soulmate in serene, shy and discrete German, Steffi Graf. It all happened after a tremendous 1999 French Open, when both defied the odds and took home the singles titles. Steffi beat Martina Hingis in one of the most dramatic matches ever, while Agassi wrote tennis history by joining the exclusive group of players who won all four Slams, the first one to do so in the Open Era.

As later revealed in his autobiography, ‘Open’, Andre had a crush on Graf since the early 90s. Nevertheless, life had other plans. After a series of high profile relationships comprising Barbra Streisand or wife, Brooke Shields, after going to sleep in Heaven and waking up in Hell, Andre was ready to get his life back on track. He made a welcome return to top form in Paris, thrilling the crowd with his I-wear-my-heart-on-my-sleeve performances. Nonetheless, he was determined to do the same off court and steal the love of the woman who remained stuck in his soul for all these years. This time around, Steffi didn't say no anymore and the two have starred in the perfect love story ever since. They got married two years later, on 22 October 2001, and they have two kids: son Jaden Gil (born four days after their wedding) and daughter Jaz Elle (born on 3 October 2003).
It rarely happens to have two superstars of this level, experiencing such a happy life together. Graf is probably the best female tennis players ever to grace the courts, while her husband's achievements should by no means be underrated. After the trials and tribulations of a fruitful professional life, they seem to have found the peace and stability they were striving for. As a consequence, they felt it is time to give something back and to repay the generosity they have been treated with. The duo has been actively involved in philanthropy work on behalf of the 'Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation'.

This is the perfect examples of a fairytale coming true. It marks the existence of two beautiful people who eventually ended up creating a beautiful life for themselves. They clearly top the list of my dream tennis couples, as only a Roger Federer - Martina Hingis match could dethrone them.

Restless Youth ♥

Kim Clijsters and Lleyton Hewitt were the ‘Teen Sweethearts’ of the New Millennium. As they were both fighting to make it big on the tour, romance inflicted. During the 2000 Australian Open, the two found love off court, making the delight of the tennis community worldwide. The duo became instant darlings, their story being extremely popular with both media and fans. With the press covering their every move, the cute couple managed to mesmerize audiences wherever they went. The Belgian's popularity in Australia reached incredible heights, the 'Aussie' Kim being practically adopted by her fiancée’s country. The partnership showed its strength also on court, Hewitt-Clijsters reaching the mixed doubles final at Wimbledon later that year.

What started as a fling proved rock solid and, after a three years relationship, Lleyton got down on his knee and proposed. It was the best Christmas present for Clijsters who accepted without hesitation. Living a fulfilling life off courts, proved beneficial for their careers too. In the time they’ve been together, the Australian made it to number 1 in the world and captured two Grand Slam titles, while Clijsters, an established presence in the top 10, was struggling to take the ultimate step and win a maiden Slam, having failed short in several occasions.

Things didn’t last though and, in 2004, the couple split. The news shocked the world, as everyone was assuming a long lasting happy life for them. The reasons were not revealed, but it’s clear that something ceased to function and the pair cancelled their wedding which was due in February 2005.

After parting ways, they both found happiness with other partners, Lleyton with actress Rebecca Cartwright and Kim with basketball player Bryan Lynch. While Hewitt’s career never reached the same magnitude, Clijsters' bloomed. She came back to the tour in 2009, a year after giving birth to daughter Jada, and has been more successful than ever. Moreover, as she admitted while receiving the Australian Open trophy earlier this year, it was only now that she got to leave up to her ‘Aussie’ Kim status.

photos (top-down / left-right):  ?, SI, PA, GETTY IMAGES (x2), Annie Lieb, GETTY IMAGES, Longines, DPA, AP, ? (x2), AP (x2), ?