Tennis champion Mark Philippoussis is gearing up to race at the celebrity event at this year’s Australian F1 Grand Prix, which kicks off on Thursday, March 13. Philippoussis, whose career also includes a reality TV run as the eager-for-love bachelor on NBC’s Age of Love, will be racing despite a knee injury that has forced him to walk with crutches for the past weeks.
Apart from this week’s F1 event, Philippoussis is also looking forward to getting back in the court to secure a more glorious and fitting end to his sports career.
“I just want to play one more great match or have a great tournament,” the Age of Love star told the local media. “The thing is to win one more Davis Cup. That would be the Cinderella story.”
He added, “”Not being able to do much you do a lot of thinking and I know deep in my heart I want to give it one more go. I just need to get strong for myself so I can surf and do things without pain and then slowly build up to get back on the court.”
Mark Philippoussis has had a long career in tennis, a career that has been riddled by both highs and lows. He has 11 singles titles and three doubles titles, and has competed in the Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, French Open and Australian Open. Early January 27, he beat Russian Dmitry Tursanov at the Hopman Cup, but during his second match against Jerome Haehnel, was forced to retire after hyperextending his knee. He underwent surgery and rehabilitation and made comeback in the Australian Open’s pre-qualifying round last December. However, his return was cut short by a torn cartilage, forcing him to leave again and undergo another operation.
At present, Philippoussis ranks outside of the Top 500.
While things haven’t been going too well for Philippoussis’ sports career, the 30-year-old reality star’s life off the court is seeing better days. Even though his relationship with Amanda Salinas – the 20-something woman he ultimately selected on Age of Love – did not work out, he has been spotted out and about with Perth model Siobhan Parekh, who is most famous for winning FHM magazine’s Girl Next Door competition in 2006. He is also planning on exploring a career in property development with a friend after he quits tennis.
-Lisa Claustro, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Herald Sun
(Image Courtesy of Reuters)
Staff Columnist, BuddyTV
