5 leading tennis players who had relationships with famous celebrities ft. Serena Williams

The relationship between tennis and the world of glitz is ever-lasting. The leading professional tennis players travel around the globe to compete at the highest levels of the game. Regarded as the sport of the elite, tennis players are almost always on the edge of being plunged into the world of glamor and charisma.

The biggest tournaments in the sport are the four Majors - the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. Every year celebrities from pop culture are regularly spotted enjoying high-quality tennis in action. Leading tennis players are also ambassadors of non-sporting brands too, which once again juxtaposes them with the world of fashion and movies.

Some leading tennis players have previously dated some celebrities. They were at some point tagged as a power couple, became the focus of gossip, and were always sought after by shutterbugs.

On that note, let's take a look at the players who at one point in time were the talk of the town dating celebrities:

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#1. Mark Philippoussis and Jennifer Esposito

Before Mark Philippoussis married Silvana Lovin in 2013, he dated quite a few models and actresses. Siobhan Parekh, Tara Reid, Delta Goodrem, Paris Hilton, and Shannon Elizabeth are some of the names with which the former Top 10 player has been associated.

However, the Australian's most featured relationship was back in 2009 when he started dating actress Jennifer Esposito, Bradley Cooper's wife from 2006 to 2007. Esposito and Philippoussis got engaged in 2009. However, they called off their relationship in 2010.

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#2. Grigor Dimitrov and Nicole Scherzinger

Grigor Dimitrov dated American singer Nicole Scherzinger from 2016 to 2019. Scherzinger is the lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls, one of the leading girl groups of all time. After a seven-year high-profile relationship with Lewis Hamilton, Scherzinger started dating Dimitrov in late 2015.

Scherzinger has been a regular judge on Australia's Got Talent apart from her roles in seven feature films. Dimitrov's relationship with Scherzinger was turbulent in 2018 before the official split was announced the following year.

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#3. Andy Roddick and Mandy Moore

Andy Roddick's breakthrough year in tennis was 2003. It was during that time when he was involved with American singer and actress, Mandy Moore.

The two began their relationship in 2002 when Moore herself was at the budding stage of her acting career. However, Roddick's constant travel on the tour strained their relationship.

She made it clear in an interview with Teen Vogue that by no means considering marriage to someone who is traveling from January to November. Even after they split in 2004, the duo remained in touch. Moore also attended Roddick's fundraiser in 2006.

"He broke my heart, so I think we parted ways because of that. [The heartbreak] got poured into everything. It got poured into a record that eventually became an album that came out like three or four years after that. They get a wandering eye. It’s human nature, part of the human condition. You’re onto the next!" she said, via The Independent.

"It’s OK, wasn’t meant to be. He’s moved on, he’s married [to Brooklyn Decker] with kids and he seems super happy and I’m happy for him. We were kids! I don’t care... 10 years ago, I would have had an axe to grind, but now I’m like, 'Whatever'" she added

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#4. Naomi Osaka and Cordae

Former World No. 1 and four-time Slam champion Naomi Osaka began dating American rapper Cordae Dunston in April 2019. Interestingly, Cordae, who received two Grammy nominations in 2019 for his album The Lost Boy, apparently had no idea of Osaka's tennis achievements and widespread fame.

After much speculation and rumors in August 2022 about their possible breakup, TMZ Sports confirmed that the two are still in a relationship.

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#5. Serena Williams and Common

Lonnie Rashid Lynn, more popularly known by his stage name "Common," was at one point in time a committed partner of 23-time singles Slam champion Serena Williams.

The tennis legend met the rapper in 2007 and also starred in his music video "I want you." They were spotted together yet again in Miami in 2008. In 2010, they attended the premiere of Date Night together. However, by April of that year, Williams confirmed they were breaking up.

"His schedule is actually worse than mine. He didn't want the responsibility. It's really tough," Williams said in an interview with Harper's Bazaar.

"It was kind of a mutual break-up but she initiated it. It’s okay though, we’ve got a great understanding and I care about her as a person. So we can keep that friendship," Common said in a 2015 interview with Meredith Viera.

The two have surely been good friends, as they reunited on the red carpet and also held a charity event together in 2018.