Nick Kyrgios couldn’t hide his affection for his new love interest when they stepped out on Saturday night, holding her close as they enjoyed a date at a Melbourne restaurant.
A lightning rod for controversy during his turbulent career, Kyrgios split from his long-time girlfriend Costeen Hatzi in March last year, with the influencer remaining tight-lipped about the reason the romance ended.
His new flame, Melbourne-based marketing manager Alexia Alessi, bears a striking resemblance to Hatzi with her long black hair, glamorous looks and designer outfit.
She and Kyrgios looked smitten in the Daily Mail’s exclusive photos as they shared lingering glances while they headed out to dinner with another couple on what looked like a double date.
The 30-year-old ace frequently held Alessi’s hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, with the new couple beaming with happiness in every photo.
Alessi recently revealed she has a new job as the marketing and brand engagement manager with Shopscope, after previously working with the Accent Group and footwear giant Hype DC.
Nick Kyrgios stepped out on a date with Alexia Alessi in Melbourne on Saturday night
The couple exchanged lingering glances as they headed out to a restaurant just before the main draw of the Australian Open got underway
Kyrgios couldn’t keep his hands off Alessi as they headed out to a restaurant
The controversial star and Alessi cosied up while having a meal with another couple
She has more than 5,000 followers on Instagram – one of whom is Kyrgios – and almost 2,500 followers on TikTok, where she usually posts clips of her miming to popular songs.
This isn’t the first time Kyrgios has stepped out with another woman since the split with Hatzi.
He fuelled rumours of a romance with Love Island star Mia Dalkos – another Costeen lookalike – when he left flirty comments on her Instagram last May.
She appeared to return his affections after he left a flirty eye emoji under a video she posted, replying with a cheeky smiling emoji.
The rumours went into overdrive in July when clues on both of their social media pages pointed to them holidaying together in the Bahamas, where he owns a luxurious house in Nassau.
He then seemed to appear in one of her Instagram photos from a dinner at the swanky Carna restaurant, with eagle-eyed fans spotting a tattooed hand pointing across the table that looked remarkably like Kyrgios’s.
They were together in New York just five weeks ago, meeting Vogue magazine icon Anna Wintour at the star-studded Garden Cup tennis exhibition.
Hatzi and Kyrgios began dating in 2021 after meeting when he picked up a mirror she was selling online.
Kyrgios didn’t try to hide his affection for the marketing manager as he took a break from preparing to play in the men’s doubles at Melbourne Park
The couple looked smitten as they chatted on their way to the venue
Alessi bears a strong resemblance to Kyrgios’s ex Costeen Hatzi
They went public with their relationship in 2022 and she followed him around the world as he travelled from tournament to tournament.
The pair quietly split last year, with Hatzi confirming in May, ‘We haven’t spoken, relationships come to an end. I believe it’s for the best.’
Hatzi is attending the Australian Open this year and there’s always the chance that she could bump into her ex – and possibly his new partner.
‘Despite what has happened between Nick and I, watching it is like a full-circle moment,’ she said.
‘I know what it’s like to be behind the scenes, so this time I can really go and enjoy it for myself.’
Hatzi also confirmed she would be attending this year’s Open as a single woman.
‘I am just taking time for myself. I’m just enjoying being by myself and just doing what I want to do,’ she explained.
‘For so long I was caught up in someone else’s world, which I’m super-grateful for.
‘But having all this time for myself, I am really just working on myself and I think dating, maybe in the future.
‘I’d like to keep it private from now on if I do have a boyfriend one day or a partner, but it’s not something that I’m focusing on right now.’
Alessi (pictured) is based in Melbourne and just landed a new job after previously working for footwear giant Hype DC
While she’s not a social media influencer, Alessi has thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram – one of whom is Kyrgios
Kyrgios’s date with his new flame comes almost a year on from his split with Costeen Hatzi (pictured together)
In August last year she revealed what life was like on tour with the most polarising man in tennis.
‘I went to all the tournaments. I was doing everything behind the scenes – his washing, his cooking… everything,’ she said.
‘I was happy to, because I loved him and we had a great relationship at the time. So I don’t regret anything that I’ve done.’
Kyrgios’s long battle with knee and wrist injuries that forced him to withdraw from the 2023 Australian Open has continued to impact his career.
Despite playing singles at the Brisbane International lead-up event for this year’s Grand Slam, he decided to rule himself out of a wildcard spot for the Open, explaining that he isn’t up to playing five-set singles matches.
Instead, he’ll partner with his great mate Thanasi Kokkinakis in the men’s doubles, hoping to reproduce the brilliant run that saw them capture the title at Melbourne Park in 2022.
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