Some of the most successful athletes gravitate towards one another to form powerful relationships. From basketball to tennis, football and soccer, stars from across a range of sports have fallen in love to create these iconic unions. Here are some of the best!
Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird
Two-time Women’s World Cup winner and Olympic gold medallist Megan Rapinoe and three-time WNBA championship winner and four-time Olympic gold medallist Sue Bird have to be one of the ultimate power couples. They were the first openly gay couple to appear in the Body Issue – an edition of ESPN The Magazine – back in 2018 and have been dating since 2016 when they met at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Jrue Holiday and Lauren Cheney
The veteran Pelicans point guard is ready to be their key player for the new NBA season – indeed would you bet on one of the most underrated guards in the league get among the MVP conversation? Whatever happens, he’ll be supported by his wife, and former soccer star Lauren Cheney, now Holiday. The loved-up pair met at UCLA when they were both students and married in 2013. After the birth of their daughter in 2016, Lauren underwent surgery to remove a brain tumour and Jrue took time out of basketball to look after his family. Iconic power couple? We think so!
Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi
Tennis’ ultimate love story, Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi began dating after the French Open in 1999 and were later married in 2001 and had two children. They have won a jaw-dropping 30 titles between them. Graf took a staggering 22 Grand Slam singles titles, while Agassi took eight Grand Slams and the ‘career Grand Slam’.
Ashton Eaton and Brianne Theisen-Eaton
Retired athletics stars and married couple Ashton Eaton and Brianne Theisen-Eaton both hung up their spikes in 2017. Ashton won Decathlon gold at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games while Brianne took Heptathlon bronze in Rio. The couple met in 2006 at the University of Oregon and began dating in 2008 and later married in 2013.
David Lee and Caroline Wozniacki
Former NBA player David Lee won the Championship back in the 2014/15 season with Golden State and was also a two-time All-Star. Lee met Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki (who was interestingly once engaged to golf great Rory McIlroy) back in 2017 and got married in June this year in Tuscany. Wozniacki is a former world number one and has won 30 career singles titles across her career. Power, power, power!
From new couples to long-established loved-up pairs, these couples are, or have been at the pinnacle of success individually. Together their successes combine to create sports ultimate power couples. Who will be the next sporting duo to combine their talents in an off-field relationship?
