Love Island winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu has enjoyed a string of secret dates with former World No3 tennis ace Grigor Dimitrov, MailOnline can reveal.
The reality star, 29, is believed to have been introduced to the Bulgarian, 33, by mutual friends and the pair have spent time together in London, Paris and Monte Carlo – where Dimitrov is based – after meeting earlier this summer.
Dimitrov has previously dated Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger and tennis star Maria Sharapova, and was once rumoured to have been in a relationship with seven-times Wimbledon winner Serena Williams.
He has also been linked to US model Emily Ratajkowski.
The Bulgarian has been single since splitting from Romanian actress and model Madelina Ghenea, 36, in April, while Ekin-Su’s last relationship was with Love Island co-star Davide Sanclimenti, 29, which ended in June last year.
Love Island winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu has enjoyed a string of secret dates with former World No3 tennis ace Grigor Dimitrov, MailOnline can reveal
The reality star, 29, is believed to have been introduced to the Bulgarian, 33, (pictured) by mutual friends and the pair have spent time together in London, Paris and Monte Carlo
Ekin-Su has been keen to keep her romance with Grigor underwraps, opting to leave the UK for secret meet-ups, but the well-known pair have been spotted in the French capital.
An onlooker told MailOnline: ‘They were just casually walking together in Paris, taking pictures with fans, and they were so friendly.
‘They were getting lots of attention, but it was all a bit surreal, nobody expected to see them together.
‘They were just trying to lay low, they weren’t trying to attract attention.
‘It’s a coupling you would never have expected walking the streets of Paris.
‘But they were just hanging out, they looked good together, she was smiling and laughing, and they just looked like we were having fun.
‘Ekin-Su seemed really relaxed, it was obvious there was chemistry, and you couldn’t help but notice them.
‘They looked really comfortable in each other’s company.’
The pair have spent time together in London, Paris and Monte Carlo – where Dimitrov is based – after meeting earlier this summer
Dimitrov has previously dated Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger (pictured together in March, 2017)
He was also previously in a relationship with fellow tennis star Maria Sharapova (pictured together in June 2014)
In February, Ekin-Su split from Davide Sanclimenti for the second time, after the couple met in the Love Island villa in 2022
A spokesperson for Ekin-Su declined to comment.
Dimitrov has won nine ATP tour championships and has been a Grand Slam semi-finalist three times.
He dated Scherzinger between 2015 and 2019 following his romance with Sharapova.
The Bulgarian was most recently linked to fellow tennis star Alize Lim after he was pictured taking her for a drive in his Lamborghini sports car in Monaco in April.
But it seems Ekin-Su has got the sportsman’s attention, having recently told pals that she ‘is very much enjoying single life after previously jumping from one relationship to another’.
She bravely revealed last week she was a victim of revenge porn.
The reality star was forced to call the police after being threatened by a ‘stalker’ with intimate snaps she had once sent to an ex-boyfriend.
The incident happened just before her stint on Love Island in 2022 which she eventually won alongside Davide.
Ekin-Su has been keen to keep her romance with Grigor (pictured) underwraps, opting to leave the UK for secret meet-ups, but the well-known pair have been spotted in the French capital
Although the couple split almost a year later, Ekin-Su has managed to carve out a career from her time on the ITV2 show, starring in the US version of The Traitors where she recently received an Emmy nomination alongside the rest of the cast.
Ekin-Su has openly admitted that she was addicted to chasing external validation, which ‘led her into toxic relationships, surface level friendships, and an unhealthy obsession with social media’.
Speaking to Fabulous magazine about her last romance, she said: ‘It was a toxic relationship that left a lot of emotional scars, but it’s all about looking forward now, and enjoying life. I wish Davide nothing but happiness.’
Ahead of turning 30, the star spoke out about how she is learning to be her own best friend, and admits that she struggles to make friends, off the back of severe bullying as a child, which led her to changing her name to ‘Sue’.
She also claimed: ‘My self-worth is ingrained in my work and external validation from others. I have to learn to give myself the love that I seek from other people.
‘But I’ve got my sparkle back. I know there’s light at the end of the tunnel, but the light is me, and not in the shape of a man.’
