Steffi Graf confirms pregnancy

Steffi and Andre both love children

Tennis stars Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi have confirmed press reports that they are expecting a baby.

Steffi Graf expects to give birth in mid-December.

"This is a very exciting time for us," said Agassi. "We are so happy to have been blessed with this gift."

Graf, 32, and Agassi, 31, have been together since 1999, and this will be the first child for both of them.

They have both spoken of their love of children.

Wedding bells?

On Thursday, the German newspaper Bild said it had detected signs of her pregnancy in recent public appearances and a suspected bout of morning sickness.

Bild quoted Graf's mother as saying that her daughter was expecting a boy.

Another German magazine, Bunte, has also been speculating that the pair may be about to announce their engagement.

A large family party planned at her brother's home in Florida is, the magazine suspects, the perfect moment for the two to announce their wedding plans.

However, a spokesman for the couple said he had no information about any marriage.

Champions

Agassi was married to the actress Brooke Shields in 1997, but the pair were divorced two years later.

In 1999, he started dating Graf, and won the French Open to complete a career Grand Slam.

Second seed at this year's Wimbledon, he lost to Australian Pat Rafters in last week's semi-finals.

Graf retired from tennis in 1999, after winning 22 Grand Slam singles titles.

The couple live in Las Vegas, but recently purchased a house near San Francisco.