2021 - Looking ahead: Sports stars who might get married this year

Maria Sharapova and Alexander Gilkes (l), Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev (r)

Maria Sharapova and Alexander Gilkes

Russian tennis beauty Maria Sharapova, 33, and British businessman Alexander Gilkes, 41 became the latest celebrity couple to announce their engagement recently. The announcement took social media users by surprise, but her fans will be eager to see if they get married in 2021. And if they do, it will be interesting to see which country they choose for their wedding rituals. Announcing her engagement on Instagram. Sharapova wrote: "I said yes from the first day we met [red heart emoji]. This was our little secret, wasn't it [ring and wine glasses emojis] @gilkesa." Meanwhile, Gilkes said: "Thank you for making me a very very happy boy. I look forward to a lifetime of loving you, and learning from you @mariasharapova." Sharapova and Gilkes have been dating since 2018.

Erin Holland and Ben Cutting

Australian cricketer Ben Cutting and his TV presenter fiancee Erin Holland had made plans to get married in June 2020. But Cutting and Holland joined the list of celebrities who postponed their wedding due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The couple, who got engaged in June 2019, are ready to wait till the world gets back to normal so that they can have their near and dear ones when they say, I do. "Our wedding was actually scheduled for mid-June. I can't pretend it doesn't stress me out a little about getting it happening again. We made the decision to postpone back in early April, when things were really not looking good. Even though Australia is rallying terrifically, we still wouldn't have been able to have the wedding we have envisaged with all our loved ones, so it was definitely the right decision. So I'll wait," Holland was quoted as saying in Australia's InStyle magazine.

Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Andre Gray

Brit singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock, 28, can't wait to become Mrs Andre Gray. She is waiting for the COVID-19 pandemic to end so that she can get married to Wolverhampton-born footballer Andre Gray, 28. Pinnock has been busy planning her wedding and has even finalised colour schemes. In May 2020, the Little Mix star was devastated when her summer wedding had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Later that month, Andre, got down on one knee and proposed to her, as the couple celebrated four years of togetherness. The singer has been dating the Watford footballer since 2016. It's not just the pandemic that has played spoilsport. She blamed the 2022 football World Cup for the delay in her wedding to England striker Gray. Whether Pinnock waits for the World Cup to be completed before saying, I do, or she waits till 2021 to marry is something her fans will be interested to know.

Perrie in no rush but will say yes

Brit band Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards and her footballer boyfriend Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have been in a relationship since 2016. While they are not engaged, Edwards revealed that she would definitely say yes if Oxlade-Chamberlain asked her to marry him. On Capital Breakfast Show with Roman Kemp, presenter Sonny Jay asked Edwards: "If he [Alex] did pop the question, is it a silly question to ask, would you say yes?" Edwards replied: "You know what, I appreciate him [Alex], we don't want to rush into it [marriage]. Do you know what I mean? But it would be a definitely yes from me I reckon," she said. Her fans will just pray that the footballer pops the question in 2021.

Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev

Former American wrestler Nikki Bella and her dancer fiance, Artem Chigvintsev have decided to delay their wedding until the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic subsides. They now plan to have the wedding in the fall of 2021. Nikki, 36, and Artem, 38, who got engaged last year, want to host a big celebration for the family in a safe environment. The couple welcomed son Matteo in July. Bella and Chigvintsev's son will be one when his parents get married. The couple have not finalised the wedding destination. But we hope that the pandemic is over by then so that they could have a safe wedding and say I do in the presence of their families.

Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez

American actor-pop singer Jennifer Lopez can't wait for the COVID-19 pandemic to end. Lopez is all set to marry her ex-baseball star fiance Alex Rodriguez as soon as the lockdown ends. The couple were expected to tie the knot in Italy in the summer of 2020 and had made all arrangements. However, the global pandemic forced them to postpone their wedding not once but twice. Now, the loved-up couple eagerly wait for things to get normal to say, I do. The couple have been engaged since March 2019. This will be JLo's fourth wedding. She was married to Marc Anthony (2004 to 2014), Cris Judd (2001 to 2003) and Ojani Noa (1997 to 1998). Meanwhile, A-Rod was married to Cynthia Scurtis (2002 to 2008).