Nelly Korda and Andreas Athanasiou: A Closer Look At Their Relationship

It’s been six years since the athletic duo discreetly publicized their partnership, and we’re bringing you their timeline to date.

Andreas Athanasiou, Nelly Korda / Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images, Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images

Nelly Korda, a Bradenton, Fla., native, is one of the best golfers in the world.

In addition to being the 2024 Rolex Player of the Year by the LPGA, Korda has notched 15 LPGA victories and has a career for the history books at only 27 years old. She is one of three women in the history of the Tour to secure five consecutive wins, and she also earned a gold medal at the 2020 Olympics.

While there’s plenty to know about Korda’s career with a simple internet search, one thing is abundantly clear: you won’t find much on her love life. Because of this, we’re providing a glimpse at her relationship timeline—though she tends to hold it close to the chest.

Who is Korda’s boyfriend: Andreas Athanasio

Andreas Athanasiou / Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

According to his professional NHL bio, Athanasiou is a Canada native whom the Detroit Red Wings drafted in the fourth round of the 2012 draft. However, his NHL debut was three years later, in November 2015.

The now 31-year-old ultimately spent more than 6 seasons in Michigan before heading north to the Edmonton Oilers, where he appeared in only 9 games. Then, Athanasiou signed with the Los Angeles Kings in late December of 2021, and after less than two years in the Golden State, the 6-foot-2 center spent three years in the Windy City with the Chicago Blackhawks.

However, his latest moves with the Blackhawks resulted in two major contracts. Town and Country magazine reported, “Athanasiou first signed with the Chicago Blackhawks as a free agent in 2022 for $3 million on a one-year contract. He then renewed a year later for $8.5 million on a two-year deal.”

Korda & Athanasiou relationship overview

Nelly Korda and Andreas Athanasiou in 2021 / Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Because of this couple’s commitment to privacy, a cemented start date to Athanasiou and Korda’s relationship has yet to be reported.

According to PEOPLE, they first shared their relationship online with a selfie in November 2019, but that snapshot has since been removed from the internet. Additionally, public images of the duo are scarce, with only two instances of Athanasiou on the green with Korda. The hockey player’s reasoning for his brief stints was explained to Athlon Sports, who reported that Athanasiou said, “I don’t really like watching, I get pretty nervous behind the shot.”

Given their lack of time spent in the public eye, some key outings provide a brief timeline of the duo’s longevity.

Public appearances & social media

Nelly Korda facetimes Andreas Athanasiou in 2021. / Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

As noted above, finding glimpses of the couple on social media and in the public eye is challenging. Following their alleged relationship debut in 2019, they’ve kept any follow-up posts to a minimum. As of Nov. 12, Korda doesn’t follow the hockey player on the Instagram app, and Athanasiou has a private Instagram account with zero posts to his profile.

In person, Korda gave Athanasiou a facetime at the Gainbridge LPGA in February of 2021, after she cemented the top spot in the competition. Four months later, he made an appearance at the Meijer LPGA Classic in June, where he shared a smooch with Korda after she won that tournament.

Rumours, misconceptions & what we don’t know

Because this duo tends to stay out of the public eye as a couple, unconfirmed rumors have arisen about their status.

In Sept. 2024, ComingSoon.net reported that there was speculation around the duo having broken up after Korda arrived solo on the Solheim Cup red carpet. In contrast, GlowTechy explained that other fans wondered whether or not the longtime couple had tied the knot, but any evidence of a vow exchange has not been confirmed. Likewise, we can’t confirm any status change from Athanasiou and Korda at the time of publication.

Balancing elite sport and personal life

Because of their different athletic endeavors, there aren’t many times that fans have witnessed Athanasiou and Korda in public settings together. Their professional schedules don’t make it any easier to find time off, either.

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At the time of publication, Athanasiou is an unrestricted free agent in the NHL. However, throughout his decade-long tenure in the professional league, his regular seasons have extended from early October to mid-May, with the potential to stretch even longer if the franchise earns a postseason spot. For Korda, the LPGA schedule is year-round, with international tournaments occurring in every calendar month of the 2025 season.

However, they have been able to support each other, even while apart, with Korda sporting Chicago Blackhawks gear on the green two months after Athanasiou signed with the organization in June of 2022.

Fan culture, media & the private lives of elite athletes

Because of the privacy of Athanasiou and Korda's love life, speculation tends to follow the duo—especially regarding next steps in their relationship and potentially undisclosed breakups. However, to our knowledge, there have been no direct sources that have confirmed either claim, considering neither Korda nor Athanasiou has publicly disclosed their relationship status.

Their livelihoods may be in the public eye, but if keeping their relationship private makes it more sacred, we’ll cover the athletes’ relationship timeline on their own time.

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