Maria Sharapova Announces Pregnancy On 35th Birthday [Details]

Former World No. 1 tennis star Maria Sharapova broke the news about her pregnancy on her 35th birthday.

Sharapova took to social media Tuesday to reveal that she was expecting her first child with fiancé Alexander Gilkes.

"Precious beginnings!!! Eating birthday cake for two has always been my specialty," Sharapova noted in her Instagram post, which came with a picture of her on a beach.

Gilkes, a British businessman, and Sharapova have been in a relationship since 2018. They announced their engagement on Instagram in December 2021.

During Sharapova's WTA career, Gilkes was a frequent visitor in the Russian player's player box. He also accompanied her off the court to several star-studded events, including the famed Met Gala in 2019 and 2021.

Just before the world was struck by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sharapova brought curtains down to her decorated career in 2020. She suffered a first-round defeat to Croatia's Donna Vekic at that year's Australian Open, which turned out to be her career's final game.

Sharapova is just one of the 10 women to have won all the four Grand Slam tournaments. The two-handed backhand player finished her career with a total of five singles major titles, winning the Roland Garros twice. She also won the World Tour Finals in 2004. Sharapova spent 21 weeks as the World's No. 1 ranked WTA player in 2005.

The veteran player is also an Olympic medalist, having won silver in women's singles at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Having turned pro in 2001, Sharapova’s WTA career spanned 19 long years. While Sharapova is the only Russian woman to have won a Career Grand Slam, she has lived in the US since moving to the country as a young tennis prodigy. She currently resides in Bradenton, Florida.

Sharapova’s fiancé Gilkes is considered New York’s best-connected Briton. Gilkes is believed to be good friends with Prince William as they both were at Eton. Gilkes is also understood to share a fine bond with Prince Harry, who also went to the same school, according to USA Magazine. Gilkes was a guest at Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding.