by AFP
From fellow tennis players and coaches to entertainers and other sport stars, top women at the US Open have found romantic liasons off the court much different than the love matches in tennis.
While pouring their heart into their sport, they find time to share their emotions, often with others who can understand the busy celebrity lifestyle.
Northern Ireland golfer Rory McIlroy, a two-time major champion, stopped by the year’s final Grand Slam event to watch Danish sixth seed girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki, who was later upset in the third round.
Wozniacki later went to see him play after her ouster.
Wozniacki said that watching McIlroy play is not the easiest thing for her to do because she cares so much yet is helpless to do more than inspire.
Injured Russian beauty Maria Sharapova skipped the Open but was watching Bulgarian boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov play at Wimbledon and said, “I’m sure people want to know more, but yet I try to keep my personal life private.”
On the eve of the US Open, Russian 14th seed Maria Kirilenko tweeted a photo of the spot near court five where she met Alex Ovechkin in 2011. Now she and the National Hockey League Most Valuable Player are engaged to be married.
Serena Williams says little about her romantic life, but she has been linked with Paris-based coach Patrick Mouratoglou, a father of three in the process of getting divorced, and spends plenty of time at her flat in Paris.
After a first-round exit from last year’s French Open, Williams turned to Mouratoglou for advice and then won the Wimbledon, Olympic and US Open crowns.
But just ahead of this year’s Wimbledon start, Sharapova took a swipe at Williams for the relationship.
Williams says Mouratoglou has made a difference in her performance as she has lost only 13 games in five matches and appears poised to win her 17th career Grand Slam title.
Two-time reigning Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, the second seed from Belarus, has had to cope without singer-boyfriend Redfoo, who is in Australia during the Flushing Meadows fortnight.
Redfoo was around her during much of her 2012 run to the US Open final, but Azarenka joked about his absence this time, saying, “Why? Because he’s a judge on the X Factor. I don’t know why he’s there. I’m not so happy about it either.
Redfoo, whose real name is Stefan Gordy and who is the son of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jnr, combined with his nephew to form music group LMFAO.
The 38-year-old American tweeted his love to Azarenka for a victory over Williams in a US Open tuneup final, saying, “Congrats to baby love for winning the Cincinnati Open.”
Azarenka tweeted back a heart to Redfoo after he posted from Australia “breakfast time!!!! Whoooooo! I love your outfit baby!” and he praised an earlier win saying, “Omg yes.. what a great match today!”
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