Love Island winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu has enjoyed a series of secret trysts with former world number three 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 resides, after meeting earlier this summer.
Dimitrov has previously dated Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger and tennis star Maria Sharapova, and was once rumoured to be in a relationship with seven-time Wimbledon winner Serena Williams.
He has also been linked to American 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 her Love Island co-star Davide Sanclimenti, 29, which ended in June last year.
Love Island winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu has enjoyed a series of secret trysts with former tennis world number three 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 wanted to keep her romance with Grigor a secret and has opted to leave the United Kingdom to have secret meetings, but the well-known couple has been seen in the French capital.
An onlooker told MailOnline: ‘They were casually walking together in Paris, taking photos with fans and were very friendly.
‘They were getting a lot of attention, but it was all a bit surreal, no one expected to see them together.
‘They were just trying to be inconspicuous, they weren’t trying to attract attention.
‘It’s a couple you would never have expected to walk the streets of Paris.
‘But they were just hanging out, they looked good together, she was smiling and laughing, and it seemed like we were having fun.
‘Ekin-Su seemed very relaxed, it was obvious there was chemistry and you couldn’t help but notice it.
‘They looked really comfortable in each other’s company.’
The couple have spent time together in London, Paris and Monte Carlo, where Dimitrov resides, after meeting earlier this summer.
Dimitrov previously dated Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger (pictured together in March 2017).
He was also previously in a relationship with fellow tennis player Maria Sharapova (pictured together in June 2014).
In February, Ekin-Su split from Davide Sanclimenti for the second time, after the pair met in the Love Island villa in 2022.
A spokesman 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 from 2015 to 2019 following his romance with Sharapova.
The Bulgarian was recently linked to fellow tennis star Alize Lim after he was pictured taking her for a ride in his Lamborghini sports car in Monaco in April.
But it seems Ekin-Su has caught the athlete’s attention, as she recently told friends that she is “enjoying her single life very much after moving from one relationship to another.”
She bravely revealed last week that she was a victim of revenge porn.
The reality star was forced to call police after being threatened by a ‘stalker’ with intimate photos she had once sent to an ex-boyfriend.
The incident occurred just before her stint on Love Island in 2022, which she eventually won alongside Davide.
Ekin-Su has wanted to keep her romance with Grigor (pictured) a secret, opting to leave the UK to meet in secret, but the well-known couple have been spotted in the French capital.
Although the couple split almost a year later, Ekin-Su has managed to forge a career since 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 seeking external validation, which “led her to toxic relationships, superficial friendships, and an unhealthy obsession with social media.”
Speaking to Fabulous magazine about her latest romance, she said: “It was a toxic relationship that left a lot of emotional scars, but now it’s about looking forward and enjoying life. I wish Davide only happiness.”
Ahead of her 30th birthday, the star has opened up about how she is learning to be her own best friend and admits she struggles to make friends after being severely bullied as a child, leading her to change her name to ‘Sue’.
She also stated: ‘My self-worth is rooted in my work and external validation from others. I have to learn to give myself the love I seek from others.
“But I’ve got my shine back. I know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but the light is me, and not in the form of a man.”
