Mark Philippoussis’ dating history: Everything we know about the Australian tennis player’s past and current relationships

Mark Philippoussis He was one of the biggest names on the world men’s tennis circuit in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Born in Melbourne Tennis The prodigy won 11 titles during his career and rose to No. 8 in the world tennis rankings.

His good looks also ensured that he was a hit with the ladies, and he had a string of high-profile relationships, including with fellow Australian singer/actress. Delta GoodremHe broke off two engagements before finding love with Silvana Lovin, his wife of 11 years.

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Philippoussis was born in Melbourne on 7 November 1976, to a Greek father, Nikolaos (Nick), and an Italian mother, Rossana. He has an older sister, Maria.

His father bought him his first tennis racket when he was six years old, after showing interest in it while watching a local tennis match, and began training him.

He turned professional in 1994, and quickly earned the nickname “Scud” for his powerful serve, which had a speed of 229 km/h, after a Scud missile launched by the Soviet Union. 

As his star rose professionally, interest in the handsome, 196cm tall Australian man also increased.

It is believed that one of his first high-profile romances was with Russian tennis star Anna Kournikova.

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The two reportedly started spending time together in 1999 when she was just 18 years old, after they met at a tennis tournament.

In the early 2000s, he was linked to the then American actress and model Tara Reid American Pie Fame.

Delta Goodrem

Philippoussis began dating Delta Goodrem in early 2004 after they met at a charity event.

At the time, the Australian singer, who was just 19 years old, was undergoing treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer, after being diagnosed last July when she was 18.

During their romance, Goodrem, who had short hair after undergoing chemotherapy, took Philippoussis to the Logie Awards at the Crown Casino in Melbourne in April 2004.

She even wrote the song Of blue color About the tennis star. “Suddenly I met you when I thought it might be the last,” she sang.

In June, Goodrem traveled to England to support Philippoussis at Wimbledon, where she was photographed in the stands alongside his father during a match.

By October, Sydney Morning Herald He reported that Goodrem was devastated after learning in the media that Philippoussis had begun seeing Paris Hilton.

The issue came to light after Hilton apparently bragged about her “new man.”

Sunday Telegraph Hilton and her sister Nicky were reportedly acting as personal shopping guides for two pageant winners from Melbourne when she showed a photo on her phone of the tennis star topless on the beach.

She reportedly said: “I’ve got a new man and I’m so in love. I’m in love with him, he’s so hot. His name is Mark Philippoussis.”

When told she was dating singer Delta Goodrem, she said: “It’s not like that anymore. It’s completely over,” before claiming the two broke up because he was bored.

Philippoussis later went on Alan Jones’ show on 2GB Radio to refute the allegations.

“Delta and I had something special and unfortunately it didn’t work out, and now everything feels like crap and difficult,” he said.

“We realized things were tough. We’re both young, and she was just starting her career.

“It’s going to get bigger and bigger and I need to get my career back on track which is the decision we came to.”

However, Goodrem said 60 minutes The following year the two were still dating when she read about Hilton in newspaper reports and broke up with him as a result.

“It broke my heart, of course it did.”

Alexis Barbara

The encounters with Hilton were short-lived, and by October 2004, Philippoussis was meeting Alexis Barbara, then just 17 years old.

Barbara, then a model and actress, was the daughter of a Miami, Florida, real estate magnate.

She put her career on hold to support Philippoussis on the tennis circuit, even traveling to Australia in early 2005 to support him when he played in the Hopman Cup and the Australian Open.

Despite the nine-year age gap, Philippoussis popped the question in March 2005 when Barbara was just 18 years old.

The Sun Herald It was reported in December 2006 that the two had broken up several months earlier. 

“I broke up with Alexis after the US Open,” Philippoussis said of the tennis tournament, which is held during August and September every year.

“She’s focusing on modeling and stuff, and I’m focusing on tennis.”

SHannon Elizabeth

Philippoussis was then linked to another American Pie Actress Shannon Elizabeth.

By the time they met, she had also starred Scary movie She had a small but pivotal role as Harriet in Love indeed.

The two reportedly met at a celebrity challenge in the Aussie Millions Poker tournament at Melbourne’s Crown Casino in January 2007 in Melbourne, Australia.

The era of love

Philippoussis, then 31 years old, was chosen to star in an American reality television show, The era of love.

Bachelor-The fashion show saw the tennis star date 13 women aged between 21 and 48.

The contestants were divided into two groups. “The Cats,” who were in their twenties, and “the Cougars,” who were in their late thirties and forties.

“Kitten” Amanda Salinas was the eventual winner of the competition.

Salinas said Sydney is secret In 2009, they dated for five months after filming wrapped before breaking up.

Jennifer Esposito

Philippoussis met actress Jennifer Esposito, who was three years older than him, in 2009.

The ex-wife of actor Bradley Cooper appeared in the TV series Spin City And movies like I still know what you did last summer and Shatter.

The two reportedly became engaged just three months after meeting Women’s Day It was reported in December 2009 that plans were afoot to hold the wedding in the Hamptons.

However, the wedding never took place, and the two quietly separated by the middle of the following year.

Silvana Lovin

Lasting love is finally just around the corner for Philippos, who reportedly met model and actress Silvana Lovin in 2012.

Lovin was born in Romania but grew up in Melbourne. According to her biography on IMDb, she began her modeling career at the 1999 Melbourne Fashion Festival.

They were reportedly introduced through mutual friends, and married in 2013.

They had two children. Son Nicholas was born in 2014, and daughter Maya was born in 2018.

After starting their married life in San Diego, Southern California, they moved to Australia in 2019 and later set up a home in Victoria’s Surf Coast Shire.

He said last year excellent Their marriage journal works because “they share the same values ​​and are on the same page.”

The couple launched their own clothing brand last year. As We Create is described as a “consciously and ethically created luxury essential brand” and is based in Melbourne.

She helped him through difficult times, including allegations that his father sexually abused children he coached in San Diego, before his death in 2022.

Philippoussis alone took home $10 million in prize money, despite not winning any of the Grand Slams.