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Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev are both outstanding tennis players on the court. But did you know they have been great inspirations outside the court too? Yes, they have shown that love knows no boundaries by dating women who are older than them.
However, Tsitsipas and Zverev are not alone in this journey; there are a few other tennis players who have also broken the stereotypes by being with the women they love, and not letting naysayers get in their way.
On that note, let us take a closer look at five tennis players who are dating older women:
#5. Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter
While Alex de Minaur's achievements on the tennis field are widely celebrated, his personal life, especially his relationship with fellow tennis player Katie Boulter has also received a lot of attention.
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De Minaur is 24 years old whereas Boulter is 27. Since making their relationship public in 2021, the couple has routinely uploaded photographs of each other on their social media accounts.
They celebrated their three-year anniversary in March 2023 and have never shied away from appreciating each other. It was evident from De Minaur's comments before his 2023 US Open loss against Daniil Medvedev. He said his partner has taught him not to take failures too personally, something he had struggled with in the past.
"She [Katie Boulter] doesn't mind the results. She goes out there competing and enjoys herself. I've learned a lot from that. Over the years, I've learned that as much as it hurts in the moment, I can get off the court and the more I spend some time with Katie, we're both able to kind of forget about it and move on," the Australian told the media.
"And it's helped me a lot to not have to linger with some of these matches. I've been able to turn the page and move on and look forward to the next challenge," he added.
The duo competed in the mixed doubles of the Wimbledon Championships earlier this year. They got off to a good start, outwitting the Australian pair of Storm Hunter and John Peers, but were defeated in the third round by Joran Vliegen and Xu Yifan.
Katie Boulter even shared on her Instagram story that playing with her boyfriend at SW19 has been the most enjoyable tennis experience she has ever had.
"Most fun I've ever had on a tennis court," the Brit wrote.
#4. Sebastian Korda and Ivana Nedved
Sebastian Korda is in a relationship with Ivana Nedved, a corporate personnel and social media influencer who has worked with numerous well-known brands such as Alfa Romeo, Conde Nast Italia, Vogue Italia, and others.
Nedved is the daughter of legendary Czech footballer Pavel Nedved. The 50-year-old played for the Czech Republic at the World Cup and also won the Ballon d'Or in 2003.
The couple has been together for quite some time now, albeit the exact time they started dating is unknown. They are three years apart in age, as Korda is currently 23 and Nedved is 26.
Ivana Nedved has been very supportive of her boyfriend since they started dating, cheering him on in his matches, with her first public appearance coming at the 2021 Parma Open.
The American tennis star called his girlfriend his 'lucky charm' after he won the title at Parma and she was even pictured in tears when the 23-year-old overcame Daniil Medvedev in the third round of the 2023 Australian Open.
While the two are yet to reveal how and when they met and how their story began, which fans have been longing to hear, their lovey-dovey social media posts showcasing each other serve as a delight.
#3. Matteo Berrettini and Melissa Satta
Matteo Berrettini has been linked to Melissa Satta since January 2023, following a four-year relationship with fellow tennis player Ajla Tomljanovic.
Satta began her career as an Italian television presenter in the early 2000s. She is currently associated with Sky Sports and recently hosted the 2023 Ryder Cup opening ceremony in September.
The Italian was married to renowned soccer player Kevin-Prince Boateng, with whom she had a son named Maddox before parting ways in 2019.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Melissa Satta, 37, told how she met Matteo Berrettini, who is ten years her junior.
They first met at a dinner party in Miami thrown by a mutual friend and exchanged phone numbers. Soon after, the duo began dating and made their red carpet debut together in May 2023 at the amfAR Gala.
"In Miami, at a dinner with mutual friends. We talked to each other, we exchanged phone numbers and we started talking from there. The next day we were both leaving. My life is in Milan, he lives in Monte Carlo," she said.
"A thousand chats on WhatsApp. Which never ended. I've met people at dinner and exchanged numbers, but often it ends as it began. Not with Matteo. If we are still here, it is because then we managed to meet in various cities," she added.
However, the couple kept receiving criticism as the former Wimbledon finalist had a rough 2023 season in terms of performance, with some fans blaming his new relationship for his downfall.
But, Matteo Berrettini quickly came to his and his girlfriend's defense, expressing his disappointment that his relationship was being seen as a 'distraction' which was quite 'disrespectful.'
"At this point in life, seeing a relationship as a distraction for a professional athlete seems disrespectful to me," Berrettini said, adding, "It would be like saying that a journalist writes worse articles because he has a wife and children. It is something that does not make any kind of sense, does it?" (Quotes via Style Magazine)
Despite this, they are relishing each other's company and consistently quieting the naysayers with loving posts on their social media accounts.
#2. Alexander Zverev and Sophia Thomalla
Let's just say Alexander Zverev's relationship luck has been a bit bad as he was accused of abuse allegations from his ex-girlfriends, Olga Sharypova and Brenda Patea, which are yet to be proven.
However, the 26-year-old has allowed himself to fall in love again with German actress, model, and television presenter Sophia Thomalla, who is eight years his senior.
The couple has been dating since October 2021, and Thomalla has been spotted in the German player's box at tennis tournaments. She was also featured in 'Zverev: Der Unvollendete', a documentary on RTL+ that chronicled Zverev's life and tennis career.
Sophia Thomalla revealed in the documentary how the former US Open finalist is always there for her, saying:
"I can talk to him about anything and he also has an ear for it."
Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev also thanked his girlfriend for being in his life and mentioned how she taught him that there is much more to life than tennis.
"She gave me the chance to realize that there is much more out there than tennis."
The couple is going strong, and Zverev recently celebrated Thomalla's 34th birthday and wrote her a lovely message on his Instagram account.
"Happy birthday to the multitalented physio, panda mom and dog sitter. Lack of career options was never a problem but I thought people should know the most important ones," he wrote.
#1. Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa are the tennis power couple right now. They don't even need an introduction, as fans are well aware of both of their exploits on the court.
However, their romance came as a surprise since Badosa was already in a committed relationship with Spanish model Juan Betancourt, and Tsitsipas was dating Theodora Petalas. Interestingly, both tennis stars called it quits in their respective relationships in early 2023.
After that, the rumors of a blooming romance between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa began during the French Open this year when the Spaniard was spotted in the audience during one of the Greek's matches.
Since confirming their relationship, the duo have publicly and constantly expressed their affection for each other on social media platforms.
They have shared loving messages, updated their Spotify profiles with selfies as a couple, and created a joint Instagram account named 'Tsitsidosa', among other things.
Stefanos Tsitsipas has time and again said that Paula Badosa, who is approximately nine months older than him, changed his life by bringing a bright light into it and that he did the same for her. He is also 'excited' about their future together.
"Paula changed my life a lot, she brought bright light and the same for her. I'll be completely honest, I've never been more excited about the future, both in my private life and in my professional life. I really want to make the most of it," Stefanos Tsitsipas told ESTO during the Los Cabos Open.
"Paula inspires me to be the best version of myself, when I am surrounded by people like her she helps me a lot in a positive way, she is the kind of people who guide me," Tsitsipas added.
Meanwhile, Paula Badosa has also expressed her love for Stefanos Tsitsipas saying they have so much fun together and are always there for each other, forming a 'strong team' which is a 'blessing'.
"We have so much fun together, feels like having a best friend by my side. We understand each other and we are always there for each other. We are a strong team together. It's a blessing," the Spaniard said in an Instagram Q&A session.
Badosa withdrew from the 2023 US Open before her opening-round match against Venus Williams due to a recurring back injury. However, she remained in her boyfriend's box during his matches to cheer him on.
