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Lucky in love
Lucky in love, unlucky in the sport. That's the motto of many old-school coaches, the traditional wisdom being that the physical and mental energy expended in romantic relationships drains athletes of the strength and competitive edge needed to succeed. But in the caring, sharing Noughties, as the new decade has been nicknamed by some, is that thinking valid? Let's look at some past examples for an insight. The most recent sporting union is that of former world No. 1 tennis player Marcelo Rios, who's currently attempting to revive his ailing career less than a week after getting married. And whether or not the 17-year-old Anna Kournikova lookalike who's now Mrs. Rios has anything to do with it, I'd have to say that at the time of writing, marriage agrees with him, the mercurial Chilean having reached his first quarterfinal for six-months at the Qatar Open.
How long will the honeymoon period on and off the court last? Well, with moody Marcelo it's too tough to call. Of course, Rios isn't the only top tennis player whose game has changed for better or worse along with his love life. When Andre Agassi married movie star Brooke Shields, his game went to the dogs. After they'd parted company, however, his improvement was spectacular, with Andre winning three of his next four Grand Slams events, while finishing runner-up in the other. That improvement, of course, coincided with Agassi hooking up with Steffi Graf. So, as far as Andre was concerned, love was better, for his game at least, the second time around. Recent interviews with Pete Sampras suggest his newly married life has mellowed the record Grand Slam winner. Indeed, after tying the knot last September, Pete took the unprecedented step of taking time off from the game to consolidate his marriage. Will his romantic life take a toll on his game in 2001? Well, if last year's prenuptial drubbing at the hands of Marat Safin in the U.S Open final is any indication, even Pistol Pete is capable of being distracted. Though this is Pete Sampras we're talking about. So I wouldn't bet on it.
Love does funny things to people though, as another habitual tennis champion found out last year, Martina Hingis' grand-slam-free campaign during 2000 having coincided with her romance with Sweden's Magnus Norman. He too experienced a slump in form. So much so, in fact, that the couple agreed to cool things down towards the end of last year in order to re-focus on their tennis. Lack of focus due to romantic strife also contributed to the downfall of boxer Mike Tyson. His stormy marriage to actress Robin Givens signaled the start of his numerous problems. They came to a head in the ring a year after his divorce, when he lost his world title to apparent no-hoper Buster Douglas -- a loss that ranks as one of the most sensational in heavyweight boxing history. Later in his life, of course, Tyson's amorous and reckless nature cost him an even bigger prize, when he lost his freedom for the rape of a beauty pageant contestant at an event he may not have been allowed to attend had his old school coach, Cus D'Amato, still been alive. Love isn't always so destructive to athletes, however. David Beckham's union with Victoria, aka Posh Spice of the Spice Girls pop group, is one of the big success stories. With Posh and baby Brooklyn to go home to, Becks is a picture of contentment. His once fiery temperament having largely been mellowed by family life. He's now playing his best football for Manchester United, and has been rewarded for his newfound maturity with the England captaincy. And romance has also contributed to sporting success for at least a couple of American stars. Rick Fox, who added an NBA Championship ring to his collection with the Lakers last year, also benefited from the ring of confidence inspired by his then fiance, now wife, Vanessa Williams, of movie and recording fame. Likewise, marriage also seems to agree with NFL cornerback Jason Sehorn, who's enjoying a stellar season with the New York Giants, partly inspired no doubt by his relatively recent marriage to actress Angie Harmon, the star of television's "Law and Order." So clearly for some, a love match doesn't necessarily mean a love match. It just depends on the individual. And while love changes everything, as the old song goes, it's as likely to be for the better as for the worse. Terry Baddoo is co-host of World Sport, the international sports show that airs live on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN International.
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