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Back in the 1970s and 80s romances between tennis players were much more common but lately several stars of clay and grass have been spotted together – leading to a revival of mixed doubles
Wimbledon starts tomorrow and all the talk is of the hottest tennis matches on and off the courts at SW19.
According to Annabel Croft, player turned BBC pundit, there are so many romances between players, it’s like the 1970s and 80s all over again. She said: “It’s fun to watch and people love gossip.” Back in the day, our favourite mixed doubles were Chris Evert and Jimmy Connors – though she later wed John Lloyd – and Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf. Now it’s all about British No1 Katie Boulter, 27, who has been going out with Australia ’s Alex de Minaur, 25, since 2020.
They actually played in the Wimbledon mixed doubles together last year. Then there is the new world No1, the Italian Jannik Sinner, 22, and his romance with Russian star Anna Kalinskaya, 25.
Or the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, 25, who recently got back with Spain’s Paola Badosa, 26. Some matches are made to last. The Canadian Denis Shapovalov, 25, is engaged to Swede Mirjam Bjorklund, also 25, while Frenchman Gael Monfils, 37, and Elina Svitolina, 29, of Ukraine are now married with a young child.
Former British No1 Annabel, 57, said: “It reminds me of when I was a kid and my parents booked me tickets to the Love Doubles in Battersea Park. “It was Björn Borg and his fiancee Mariana Simionescu playing a charity match against John Lloyd and Chris Evert.
“It was really fun. Tennis players have a very circus lifestyle. It helps that your partner knows how difficult losses are.” Katie Boulter agrees, and says her relationship with world No9 Alex has helped her game. She said: “I have learned so much from him, how he works and trains.”
Asked about Challengers, the box office champion that stars Zendaya as a tennis player in a three-way match, Katie said: “I am a huge fan of Zendaya and it was a pretty cool movie. The relationship stuff? Oh, I don’t know, I don’t get involved in that. I am set in my ways – one way.” Scottish tennis legend Andy Murray saw the film with wife Kim and gave his verdict: “We had seen brilliant reviews, but I didn’t really understand it to be honest.”
