Dealing with constant media attention isn’t always easy for those who attain global fame. Many celebrities have fallen prey to their own fame due to various reasons. Thus, it’s not surprising that after facing intense scrutiny from the media themselves, celebs often want the opposite for their children.
Celebrities try their best to ensure that their kids grow up having a normal childhood and shield them from the harmful effects of fame. While some star kids end up following their parents’ footsteps once they’re old enough to do so, others keep their heads down and go about their daily lives without a fuss.
Top tennis players are some of the most well-known celebrities on the planet. Most of the ones who ruled the roost in the 1990s and early 2000s had kids of their own, who are all grown up now. Here’s a look at the children of five superstar tennis players who maintain a low profile:
#1. Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf.
Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf are two of the most successful players to ever pick up a racquet. The legendary tennis couple have two children. While their son, Jaden, is often in the limelight thanks to his baseball career, their daughter Jaz isn’t the one to court the spotlight that often.
Jaz has her own interests which she has pursued since childhood. She’s a trained dancer and horseback rider. However, neither of the two paths match the frenzy that comes with being a part of a mainstream professional sport. While she does post regular updates about her life, she otherwise maintains a low profile.
#2. John McEnroe’s youngest.
John McEnroe had three children with his first wife, Academy Award winner Tatum O’Neal. There was significant media attention on the children, Sean, Kevin and Emily, thanks to a superstar tennis dad and a famous moviestar mom. The children had their own brush with fame. Emily also entered Hollywood, while Kevin is a successful author.
McEnroe later married rock singer Patty Smyth. Their daughters Anna and Ava have managed to build successful lives for themselves away from the limelight. Anna earned her Juris Doctorate from the School of Law at Fordham University and now works as a litigation strategist.
Ava followed in her sister’s footsteps and earned her law degree from NYU. While both sisters have accompanied their father to various events, they have built a separate life for themselves on their own merit.
#3. Jimmy Connors’ children Brett and Aubree.
Jimmy Connors and his wife Patti have two children, Brett and Aubree. While both enjoy a degree of fame, it’s nothing compared to what their father experienced during his heyday.
Connors’ son Brett works as a freelance producer for ESPN, helping them cover the sport’s biggest events, the Majors. The father-son duo also have their own podcast, Advantage Connors, in which they talk about tennis, among other things. His daughter, Aubree, tried her hand at quite a few things, including being a spin instructor.
#4. Chris Evert’s sons Alexander, Nicholas and Colton Jack.
Chris Evert had three sons with her second husband, skier Andy Mill, over the course of their marriage. Their eldest son Alexander was born in 1991, followed by Nicholas in 1994 and Colton Jack in 1996.
All three sons have forged their own path away from the media frenzy. Alexander Mill was a skateboarder and an Invictus athlete. Nicholas Mill hosts a podcast with his father, in which they talk about fishing. Colton Jack Mill is rather guarded about his life and keeps his business private. Given their mother’s status as one of the best to ever play the sport, all three of her children have kept a low profile.
#5. Pete Sampras’ sons Christian and Ryan.
Pete Samrpas was notoriously averse to fame even at his peak. He became a recluse once he retired after winning the US Open 2002, save for a few exhibition events here and there. He has two sons with his wife Bridgette Wilson, Christian and Ryan. Given his dedication to living his life beyond the watchful eye of the media, his sons grew up the same way.
Both of them grew up like any other American children, focusing on their academics and other interests. Sampras’ youngest son, Ryan, is currently in college. The family battled with adversity when they found out that Samrpas’ wife, Bridgette, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in December 2022. The family thanked their well-wishers for their thoughts and prayers, and aside from a brief media statement, haven’t said much about the matter.
