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Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Who is Paula Hurd, Bill Gates's girlfriend? Net worth, career, and the life she built
Paula Hurd and Bill Gates have attended various elite gatherings, including Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's engagement party in August 2023 The woman everyone's curious about ever since she stepped into the spotlight as Bill Gates's girlfriend. But here's the thing: she's way more than just a billionaire's plus one. From climbing the corporate ladder to championing philanthropy and quietly shaping the tennis world, Paula has lived a life packed with purpose, love, and resilience. Born on April 27, 1962, Paula Kalupa (that's her maiden name) grew up far from the tech headlines and paparazzi cameras. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin back in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. Her professional journey kicked off at NCR Corporation, a big player in tech and finance. She spent nearly two decades there, working her way up in sales and alliance management. It was a grind—but it paid off. Paula wasn't just a corporate employee, she became a key player, leading big deals and strategic partnerships. But career success is only one chapter of her story. In 1990, she married Mark Hurd, the man who would go on to lead both Hewlett-Packard and Oracle as CEO. The two were a power couple in every sense. Together, they raised two daughters, Kathryn and Kelly— Kathryn's an investigative journalist and Kelly once worked with Visa. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Run Your Business Like a Pro - Top Trending Accounting Software (Check Now) Accounting ERP Click Here Undo In 2019, Mark passed away after a battle with cancer, as per reorts. Paula was left a widow—but instead of retreating from public life, she leaned into the things that mattered most to them both: family, philanthropy, and purpose. She continued her work through Hurd Family Investments (also known as MPH Investments), helping manage portfolios and creating large-scale charitable events. But what really lights her up is tennis. Paula currently chairs the Universal Tennis Foundation, where she works to support student-athletes and wheelchair tennis players. Her love for the sport runs deep—so deep, in fact, that it played a surprising role in the next chapter of her life. Enter Bill Gates. The two were first spotted together at tennis tournaments like the BNP Paribas Open and Indian Wells in 2021. Rumors started to swirl, but it wasn't until early 2023 that the relationship was officially confirmed. And then, in February 2025, Gates said it out loud during an interview on The Today Show: 'I'm lucky to have a serious girlfriend named Paula. We're having fun, going to the Olympics…' The world took notice. But here's what most people miss—Paula didn't suddenly become influential because she started dating one of the richest men on the planet. She was already making big moves. She and her late husband donated $7 million to Baylor University (their alma mater), funding everything from basketball pavilions to the flashy new welcome center that opened in 2023. She's been a quiet but impactful force in the education and nonprofit world. Paula Hurd net worth As per reports, her net worth is estimated to be between $4 million and $35 million, with many sources pegging it closer to $35 million. Some estimates go up to $50 million, though the $35M figure is most consistently cited. A good chunk of this wealth comes from her tech sales career and smart investments. The rest? Likely inherited from Mark Hurd, whose own net worth at the time of his death was estimated between $150 and $500 million. Now, Paula lives a relatively low-key life considering who she's dating. She's not chasing clout, not flooding your social feeds, and she's certainly not hopping on talk shows. Instead, she's seen courtside at tennis matches, showing up at philanthropic events, and occasionally walking into high-society functions next to Bill Gates—often in understated, elegant style.
Express Tribune
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Lehecka stuns Draper to reach Queen's final
Jack Draper hits a shot as he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in three sets during his semifinal match at the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Well Tennis Garden. PHOTO: JAYNE KAMINE-ONCEA-IMAGN Czech world number 30 Jiri Lehecka stunned Britain's Jack Draper to reach the Queen's Club final with a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 victory on Saturday. Lehecka blasted 36 winners and hit 16 aces to end Draper's bid for a maiden final appearance at the Wimbledon warm-up event in west London. The 23-year-old will face French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz or Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut in Sunday's final. "It means a lot. You don't meet a player like Jack every day, he's an amazing competitor," Lehecka said. "It's not easy to use my serve (on grass) but I've been working on it for the last few weeks. I'm happy with it." Draper was hoping to become the first British singles champion at Queen's since five-time winner Andy Murray's most recent victory in 2016. After booking his spot in the semi-finals Draper revealed he had held the Queen's trophy as a child around 12 years ago. But Draper, ranked sixth in the world, will have to wait at least another year to get his hands back on the silverware after producing an unusually error-strewn display in sweltering conditions. Lehecka had already ended the hopes of one Briton at Queen's after beating Jacob Fearnley in the quarter-finals on Friday. The 23-year-old also defeated world number 12 Alex de Minaur in his opening match of the tournament, but knocking out Draper was his biggest scalp yet. Draper's careless double-fault gifted Lehecka a break in the opening game of the first set. The ice-cool Lehecka ignored the searing temperatures as he cruised through the rest of the set. Draper needed to apply pressure on Lehecka to get back in the match and he did exactly that in the fourth game of the second set. Even then, Lehecka staved off four break points and repelled another in the sixth. But Draper kept slugging away from the baseline and finally landed a big blow with a winner down the line on set point. Rock legend and avid tennis fan Jon Bon Jovi, watching in the stands, rose from his seat to salute Draper's gritty fightback. AFP
Express Tribune
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Draper survives scare to reach Queen's quarters
Jack Draper hits a shot as he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in three sets during his semifinal match at the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Well Tennis Garden. PHOTO: JAYNE KAMINE-ONCEA-IMAGN British number one Jack Draper survived a scare to reach the Queen's Club quarter-finals with a gritty 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) win over Australia's Alexei Popyrin on Wednesday. Draper was rocked by the world number 21 in the first set of the second round tie at the Wimbledon warm-up event. But the 23-year-old hit back to level the match before taking the final set tie-break to complete his comeback in a tense encounter lasting two hours and 13 minutes in searing heat in west London. "It was a tough match, credit to Alexei, he played some amazing tennis," Draper said. "In the first couple of sets it wasn't pretty at all, I need time to adjust to the grass but it's one more under the belt. "It's an emotional moment. I love playing at home and in front of my friends and family. I think he's gone to the beer tent but my grandad is here! It's an emotional moment." Draper, who reached the US Open semi-finals last year, is hoping to make a strong run at Wimbledon this year after failing to get past the second round in his previous three appearance. The Londoner has made the last 16 at both the Australian and French Opens this year, rising to sixth in the ATP rankings. If Draper can reach the Queen's semi-finals for the first time after two previous last eight exits, he will be guaranteed to be seeded fourth at Wimbledon when the grass-court Grand Slam gets underway on June 30. After losing the first set against Popyrin, Draper's powerful ground-stroke dragged him level with a double break in the second set. Popyrin clung on valiantly, saving two match points as he served at 4-5 in the final set. In the tie-break he led 4-2, pushing Draper to the brink of a shock defeat. But the Briton delighted the home crowd as he won five of the last six points, clinching the victory with an ace. Earlier on Wednesday, Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut beat Czech eighth seed Jakub Mensik 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Straits Times
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Opelka upsets Medvedev to reach semis in Den Bosch
FILE PHOTO: Mar 5, 2025; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Reilly Opelka (USA) hits a serve in his first round match against Roman Safiullin (RUS) during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Well Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images/File Photo REUTERS 'S-HERTOGENBOSCH, Netherlands - American lucky loser Reilly Opelka put up an intense battle to stun top seed Daniil Medvedev 7-6(5) 7-6(5) and reach the Libema Open semi-finals in Den Bosch on Friday. Medvedev, who on Thursday edged a first set tiebreak against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino, hit three double faults in the second set tiebreak and five overall, compared to no such error by Opelka, who also hit 24 aces. The 2021 U.S. Open champion, currently ranked 11th in the world, needed to match or better Ben Shelton's result in Stuttgart this week to return to Top 10 on Monday. The American, ranked 12th, will beat him to it after he overcame Czech Jiri Lehecka 6-4 6-4 to advance to the Stuttgart semi-finals. Former Wimbledon junior champion Opelka will contest a an ATP grasscourt semi-final for the second time in his career having reached the same stage at Newport last year. He will face Estonian qualifier Mark Lajal or Belgium's Zizou Bergs on Saturday for a spot in the final. French second seed Ugo Humbert will play Canadian Gabriel Diallo in the other semi. Diallo knocked out third seed Karen Khachanov 7-6(6) 6-4 while the Frenchman eliminated Portuguese Nuno Borges, seeded seventh, 6-1 6-4. In the women's draw, second seed Ekaterina Alexandrova came from a set down to beat Veronika Kudermetova 5-7 6-4 6-2. In the semi-finals, she will face Belgian third seed Elise Mertens, who ousted China's Yue Yuan 6-0 6-4. Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse upset Canadian wildcard Bianca Andreescu 6-2 6-4 and will face Elisabetta Cocciaretto. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Miami Herald
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Kyrgios won't play at Wimbledon due to ‘small setback'
Nick Kyrgios will not play at Wimbledon after experiencing a 'small setback' as he recovers from a knee injury. 'I've hit a small setback in my recovery and unfortunately won't make it back for grass season this year,' Kyrgios posted on social media Tuesday. 'I know how much you've been looking forward to seeing me out there and I'm genuinely sorry to disappoint. This is just a bump in the road though and I'm already working hard to get back stronger than ever.' The Wimbledon runner-up in 2022 to Novak Djokovic, Kyrgios has dealt with knee and wrist injuries requiring surgery over the past two years. Kyrgios, 30, is 1-4 in singles matches this year, last playing in mid-March at the Miami Open where he lost in the first round, 7-6 (3), 6-0, to Karen Khachanov of Russia. Earlier in March, he retired from his BNP Paribas Open first-round match against the Netherlands' Botic van de Zandschulp. He also suffered a first-round loss at his home country's Australian Open in January. Field Level Media 2025 - All Rights Reserved
