"I've only had two serious boyfriends before Andre Agassi" - When Steffi Graf made honest admission about her low-key romantic life

Steffi Graf once reflected on her love life before meeting Andre Agassi, the man who would become her lifelong partner. The tennis legends have since built one of the sport’s most enduring and admired relationships.

Graf admitted that until she was at least 20, she never really thought about boys, as her focus was entirely on building her iconic tennis career. She also stayed away from dating because she wanted something meaningful, avoiding short-term relationships with people she barely knew.

"Boys didn't even come into my mind until I was about 20 years old," she told Sportstar in 2020. "I think the tennis kept me too busy and focused. My shyness played a part, too. Plus, I've never been one to go out for a wild night of dancing, whatever, with someone I barely know. I always looked for long-range relationships."

"I'm interested in building trust, letting a relationship grow, getting comfortable with each other. And that wasn't easy with my way of life," she added.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion then shared that she had two boyfriends before meeting Agassi. One was German motorsport racing driver Michael Bartels, and the other was an American photographer, though she chose not to name him.

"I've only had two serious boyfriends before Andre. One was an American photographer, whose name I'd rather keep private, whom I saw for about four years early in my career. And then I was with Michael (Bartels) for seven years," Graf said.

She added:

"It's a long time, which is why this breakup has been very tough on both of us. We had some intense times in that period, and I have to say he was always there for me. But it got to the point where it just wasn't working anymore."

Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi have 2 children together

Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi pictured together | Image Source: Getty

Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf’s love story was a long time in the making. In his 2009 autobiography Open, Agassi confessed that he had a crush on Graf even before they ever met.

Their first encounter took place at the 1992 Wimbledon Championships, where they were both champions. Years later, their coaches set up a practice session for them, which sparked the beginning of their relationship.

The pair began dating in 1999 and got married two years later. They are proud parents of two children: their 23-year-old son Jaden plays baseball, and their 21-year-old daughter Jaz is a talented dancer and fitness coach.