Ana Ivanovic enjoyed a successful tennis career, becoming world No. 1 after winning the French Open in 2008 but her exciting exploits ended up causing problems for her future footballer husband. The talented Serbian made her breakthrough in 2006 when she defeated Martina Hingis and announced herself to the masses by reaching the semi-final of Wimbledon in 2007, beating the likes of Nadia Petrova and Venus Williams along the way.
Confirmation of her standing as an elite star arrived a year later when she was a beaten finalist in the Australian Open before clinching her first and only grand slam title at Roland Garros with a straight sets victory against Dinara Safina.
But as her sporting career was coming to an end, she embarked on a new chapter of her life – a blossoming relationship with German international footballer Bastian Schweinsteiger.
The midfielder was a big deal for Bayern Munich and the German national team when they first started dating in 2014, but a year later he agreed a three-year deal with Manchester United in the Premier League, becoming the first German ever to represent the Red Devils in the first team.
He arrived at Old Trafford with a big reputation but unfortunately for him, he was not able to live up to the billing he had received under Dutch coach Louis van Gaal as United missed out on qualifying for the Champions League.
Schweinsteiger missed a significant chunk of the season through injury, but while his football career was stalling his love life was positively thriving with Ivanovic. However, his teammates did not share his enthusiasm.
Whilst out injured, Schweinsteiger was spotted on numerous occasions supporting Ivanonvic at tournaments on the WTA tour around Europe and the USA. According to the Daily Mail, the German was warned by his teammates to stop watching his lover on tour and instead concentrate on getting fit for Manchester United.
The report claimed that teammates had reacted ‘furiously’ to his globe-trotting and demanded that he returned to England to set an example to the club’s younger players.
The sporting couple married in Venice in July 2016 but it would coincide with a long-divorce from United. Van Gaal had won the FA Cup with the Red Devils but failure to qualify for the Champions League ultimately cost him his job.
He was replaced by Jose Mourinho who immediately stamped his authority on his new squad by banishing Schweinsteiger to the under-23s.
It prompted the Kolbermoor-born midfielder to release a carefree statement which made clear that he had no intention of joining another club in Europe if he was being forced out. Writing on social media, he said: “MUFC will be my last club in Europe. I respect other clubs, but Manchester United was the only one which could make me leave Bayern Munich. I will be ready, if the team needs me.
“This is all I can say about my current situation. I want to thank the fans for their amazing support over the recent weeks.”
Schweinsteiger never played another Premier League game for United and the following season he was allowed to join Chicago Fire in the MLS.
His marriage to Ivanovic is still going strong and they now have two sons with a third child on the way.
