On NBC’s new dating show, Age of Love, eligible bachelor Mark Philippoussis will have to choose between women who are all younger (“kittens”) or older (“cougars”) than he is. Let’s take a look at some of the women he’s known to have dated already.
Philippoussis, who is 30, has been linked with a number of well-known women in the past – all of whom were the same age or younger than him.
The Australian tennis star, nicknamed “Scud,” reportedly dated Tara Reid some time ago, and some sources say they split because she liked to party too much. (Philippoussis denies that they ever dated at all. He also denies a rumored fling with Paris Hilton.)
Philippoussis was engaged to model and property heiress Alexis Barbara (pictured above with Philippoussis ) who was still in high school when they first started dating, and 18 when they got engaged two years ago. (That should give you a clue about whether he likes “kittens” or “cougars.”)
Around three years ago, Australian singer Delta Goodrem (19 at the time) was the woman in his life for nine months; the couple claim they split up because of their careers. While they were together, she was battling cancer, and wrote a song (“Out of the Blue”) about Philippoussis’ support during that time.
Tennis star Anna Kournikova, now 26, was also romantically linked to Philippoussis about seven years. Philippoussis’ former coach, Pat Cash, wrote in his autobiography in 2002 that Kournikova demanded that Philippoussis telephone her several times a day to tell her she was beautiful. Anna Kournikova is now dating singer Enrique Iglesias, and occasionally rumored to be married to him, though Iglesias denies this.
Other (possibly untrue) rumors have connected Philippoussis with Australian surfing champion Ashley Cheadle, 19, Australian actress Tania Zaetta, and American singer Susie Thorne.
In tennis circles, Philippoussis was recently said to be suffering from the effects of an earlier injury, as he pulled out of a scheduled match in Athens this month. Of course, it’s more likely due to his participation in Age of Love, which NBC was trying to keep a secret until recently.
Age of Love premieres Monday, June 18.
-Mel, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Sydney Morning Herald, The West Australian
Photo credit: Daily Telegraph
Staff Columnist, BuddyTV
