Who says the tail end of the season isn’t newsworthy? Certainly not the players, as there are still three weeks of competition to fuel the race to the year-ending championships on both tours.
But it’s not all work and no play. Life on the professional circuit can be grinding, so a little bit of off court distraction helps. Romance? That qualifies, and more than a few of the world’s best tennis players seem to be engaging in this other game of love.
In Tokyo just a couple of weeks back, longtime couple Lucie Safarova and Tomas Berdych were almost inseparable, attending one another’s matches, hitting the tournament player party together, and dining out for some sushi.
Also arm-in-arm were Fernando Gonzalez and Gisela Dulko, both of which were spotted at the player party, and were seen taking a walk just outside of the tournament’s official hotel.
Far away from Tokyo, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, both dear to many women's hearts, were spending some quality time with the ladies in their lives. (Sorry.)
Nadal should be getting used to the cameras off the court, as paparazzi pictures of the Spaniard were once again big sellers. In a rare venture into the world of tennis, People magazine even ran a photo of the chiseled Mallorcan on the beach in his hometown with girlfriend Francisca Perello. Similar pictures surfaced on the internet after Nadal’s epic win at Wimbledon earlier this summer.
Gulfnews.com is reporting that Roger Federer and his long-time girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec have been spending some quality time in their second home in Dubai. According to the website, the couple was shopping at the ritzy Atlantis Resort and made a stop at the opulent jeweler Levant, where they browsed the various diamond pieces on offer. One of these included a 60-carat D-flawless diamond ring. Could an engagement be in the near future?
Fom engagement to wedding news, Mardy Fish married his fiancée, model Stacey Gardner, in Beverly Hills in late September. The 27-year old American took two weeks off to enjoy his matrimonial bliss; he returns to the court this week at the Mutua Madrilena Masters event at Madrid.
Two new tennis romances may be in the makings as well. At the China Open in Beijing, rumors of a budding romance between Ana Ivanovic and Spanish player Fernando Verdasco were brewing after the pair spent quality time together at the player party. Verdasco was then seen alongside Ivanovic’s mother while taking in a practice session. The Serbian beauty is slated to compete in Zurich this week, and it will be interesting to see if she makes a surprise appearance in Madrid, where Verdasco is playing in his hometown event.
The other Serb making news these days is the new WTA No. 1 Jelena Jankovic, who pulled off a hat-trick by winning three tournaments in as many weeks. She graced the cover of Hello! magazine’s Serbian edition along with a photo of her reportedly new boyfriend, Montenegrin water polo player Mladjan Janovic. The couple supposedly met in Beijing at the Olympics - maybe this explains her great form thereafter.
Last but certainly not least, after being linked to many eligible bachelors, Maria Sharapova may be in an official relationship. The Russian is said to be dating Charlie Ebersol, a documentary film maker and son of NBC executive Dick Ebersol. Sharapova and Ebersol both attended the All Star Tennis Smash, a charity event put on by twin tennis brothers Bob and Mike Bryan. The two were seated next to one another for dinner (alongside tennis great Andre Agassi), and one photo showed Ebersol’s arm tightly around Sharapova. Though their romance is only speculation, it has sent rumor mills into overdrive.
Although love games on the court will end come November, the love off the court may only intensify during the holiday season, if these sightings are any indication.