It’s not unusual for sporting icons to couple up. There’s no doubt that athletes at the top of their game have many things in common, which makes these partnerships all the more special.
However, some sports couples can be quite different. But, despite their differences, they can have long-lasting relationships that defy even the best NFL odds offered by bookmakers and betting companies.
In this guide, we’ll explore a handful of some of the most iconic sports couples in history.
Let’s kick things off with one of the most iconic couples who plied their trade in the world of tennis.
Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi
Arguably one of the most iconic couples in the sporting world is made up of tennis legends Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi.
The pair married in 2001 and have since had two children together.
There’s no doubt that the competition in the relationship must be fierce. Both Graf and Agassi are tennis Hall of Famers. Despite being such high-profile figures, they were married in a quiet setting, with only their mothers as witnesses.
Originally from Germany, Graf was a dominant world number one, holding onto the number one spot for an incredible 377 weeks, or just over 7 years. During her career, she won an impressive 22 grand slam titles⎯including a Golden Slam, which involves winning all four major singles championships and, on top of that, an Olympic gold medal. She’s also won the third most singles titles in history⎯107⎯putting her just behind Martina Navratilova.
No doubt Graf could have won more, but she decided to retire at the age of 30 in 1999. She is widely regarded as one of, if not the greatest women’s players of all time.
Andre Agassi is another tennis legend. He also dominated the men’s tennis game for a number of years, holding the number one spot for 101 weeks. He won a total of eight grand slams in his career, and an Olympic gold medal, like his wife. He also managed to achieve a Golden Slam, winning all four major titles and an Olympic gold medal in the same era.
Agassi was famed for his ability to adapt to hard, clay, and grass surfaces, and he is the most recent American to have won the French Open, which is a clay court. Agassi retired in 2006 due to sciatica.
Sarah Huffman and Abby Wambach
Another popular sporting couple is Sarah Huffman and Abby Wambach. Both soccer players have played together for a long time and dated for a while too.
The two US international players tied the knot in Hawaii in October 2013. The wedding was a close affair with only family and friends attending, as well as close teammates like Alex Morgan.
Announcing their marriage was a big deal for the pair. Back in 2013, the LGBTQ community was subject to wholly unjustified abuse by certain sections of sports fans. Thankfully, some improvements have been made since then.
Out of the pair, it’s arguably Abby Wambach who has achieved the most in her career. Playing for Western New York Flash, she set a new international goal-scoring record for the United States, which saw ESPN make a film about her.
Huffman, also known as “Huffy”, also played for the Flash with her partner, and she finished her career in 2014 with the Portland Thorns. She played just once for the US national team.
Unfortunately, the pair divorced in 2016, but they are reportedly still on good terms.
Curtis Conway and Laila Ali
Many sports fans will be more familiar with Laila Ali’s father, legendary boxer Muhammad. But Laila herself forged an incredible career in the world of boxing. During her career, she won the WBC, WIBA, IWBF, and IBA female super middleweight titles and on top of that, she won the IWBF light heavyweight title too.
Back in 2007, Ali tied the knot with former NFL player Curtis Conway, and their relationship is still going strong. They have two children together and have recently celebrated their anniversary.
Ali revealed in her Hall of Fame induction ceremony that Conway didn’t want her to keep boxing for fear she might get hurt. He even offered to pay her not to fight. But passion prevailed and Ali went on to do what she loved—winning and boxing.
Conway himself played as a wide receiver and made the All-American first team in 1992. He was an early first-round draft pick but never won any titles or championships in his football career. He retired in 2004 with the San Francisco 49ers.
