Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has announced her pregnancy ahead of her 35th birthday as the tennis star took to social media to share the news.
“Precious beginnings!!,” wrote Sharapova, who turned 35 years of age on 19 April. She added in her Instagram post, “Eating birthday cake for two has always been my specialty ☺️??.”
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Sharapova has been in a relationship with British businessman Alexander Gilkes since 2018.
42-year-old Gilkes, an art dealer, was always present in the player’s box of the former World Number 1 tennis star before she retired from the game. Gilkes was also seen accompanying Sharapova even off the court to star-studded gatherings including the famous Met Gala in 2019 and 2021.
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The British businessman had proposed to Sharapova in December 2020 with a dazzling Rs. 3 crore diamond engagement ring. Taking to Instagram, Sharapova had written on Instagram, “I said yes from the first day we met ❤️ This was our little secret, wasn’t it @gilkesa.”
Sharapova announced her retirement from tennis in 2020 just before the pandemic changed the face of the world. The Russian star had faced a humiliating first-round defeat at the hands of Croatia’s Donna Vekic in her last match at the Australian Open in 2020.
In a statement published to Vanity Fair, Sharapova had written how she was ‘saying goodbye’ to the sport that made her a household name.
“How do you leave behind the only life you’ve ever known? How do you walk away from the courts you’ve trained on since you were a little girl, the game that you love – one which brought you untold tears and unspeakable joys – a sport where you found a family, along with fans who rallied behind you for more than 28 years?
“I’m new to this, so please forgive me. Tennis – I’m saying goodbye,” she had written.
She is one of 10 women to win all four Grand Slam tournaments. She remained World number 1 for 21 weeks in a row.