American tennis has been buoyed by women for the last decade, but in the early 2000s, Andy Roddick was one of the United States’ biggest stars. The Grand Slam champion, 42, retired from the sport in 2012 and has watched his personal life flourish.
Andy married his model wife, Brooklyn Decker, 38, in 2009. Here’s everything we know about her and about their relationship.
Andy fell in love with Brooklyn through the TV
In 2007, Brooklyn was the host of Sports Illustrated’s online show She Says Z Says, NFL Pick. And guess who was a regular viewer. You guessed it! Andy was.
“I was hosting [the] show and [Andy] watched it every week,” Brooklyn explained to the Tennis Channel in July 2017. “He got his attorney to call my agent at the time and I thought it was very shady as one would. I did not call him back for five months. I was living in New York at the time and my now-manager said to me, ‘You have no friends, all your friends are in North Carolina, where I grew up, and why don’t you call this guy, I hear he’s really nice.'”
Brooklyn finally agreed to meet Andy and the two started dating right after. A year later, in March 2008, the two were engaged.
“The couple wanted to tell their family and close friends first but good news travels fast,” read a statement on Andy’s official website. “By the time Andy arrived in Miami for the Sony Ericsson Open, the tournament was bustling with the news.”
© InstagramA Texas wedding
Andy and Brooklyn tied the knot in 2009 in an intimate ceremony in Texas, which is Andy’s home state. Brooklyn wore a custom Vera Wang gown. While the ceremony was small, a few celebrities joined in on the festivities. Andy’s friend, Sir Elton John, performed at the reception.
Model to Actress
Brooklyn was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she was discovered in a shopping mall. Soon after, she launched her modeling career.
© WireImageBrooklyn has been featured in Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, GQ, Esquire, and more. But she’s best known for her work with Sports Illustrated. Brooklyn has graced the cover of the Sports Illustrated five times, and the coveted cover of the Swimsuit issue once in 2010.
“Thank god for Sports Illustrated,” the model told Texas Monthly in 2019. “They were really the first ones to see me, hire me, and also say, ‘Let’s do a video diary. Let’s write a profile. Let’s find out where you’re from. Let’s put your name on the page.'” She continued: “That seems so trivial. But at that time they were the only publication that was actually putting your name on the page and adding a little bit of personality.”
In 2009, Brooklyn shifted her attention to acting. She guest starred in the NBC series Chuck, and in 2011, was cast as the lead in the film Battleship. Her biggest role yet was in the acclaimed Netflix series Grace and Frankie where Brooklyn played Mallory Hanson, the overwhelmed daughter of Jane Fonda’s character Grace.
Grace and Frankie ran for seven seasons, wrapping up in 2022. To celebrate the last episode, Brooklyn posted a photo of the cast to her Instagram, writing: “And just like that, it’s over. I walk away with so much love and gratitude for the [cast] who made my experience one of complete joy. Thank you thank you thank you.”
Brooklyn and Andy’s kids
© InstagramOutside of their professional lives, Brooklyn and Andy share two children. They welcomed their son, Hank, in October 2015, and their daughter Stevie, in November 2017. But even as busy parents, they work to maintain their relationship.
“Everything revolves around your kids,” Andy told US Weekly. “We do try to do a good job of saying, ‘Hey, next Wednesday we’re going to go out and enjoy each other.’ Enjoy the silence of no children around, and enjoy not picking stuff up off the floor, unless we do it. So, scheduling matters when you’re this far out and have a couple of kids.”
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