Maria Sharapova announces birth of her son Theodore

Maria Sharapova took to social media to share the news of the birth of her son, months after announcing that she and her fiance Alexander Gilkes were expecting. The baby, named Theodore, is the first child of the Russian-British couple, who got engaged in 2020 after dating for two years.

The former World No. 1 posted a photo of herself and Gilkes with their child, adding that she's looking forward to the many challenges motherhood has in store for her. Interestingly, the Russian used Roman numerals to write out the date '1 July 2022,' indicating the day on which Theodore was born.

"Theodore VII•I•MMXXII. The most beautiful, challenging, and rewarding gift our little family could ask for," Sharapova captioned the post.

Messages of congratulations poured in for the 35-year-old immediately, with fellow colleagues such as Monica Puig, Ajla Tomljanovic and Leticia Sobral wishing her on the occasion.

Celebrites such as fashion designers Anine Bing and Jessica McCormack, as well as American football player Tyler Miller, also congratulated the five-time Grand Slam champion on hearing the news.

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A year to celebrate for Maria Sharapova as she joined Forbes' list of richest self-made women under 40

Maria Sharapova has a net-worth of $220 million according to Forbes

The birth of her son is not the only happy news Maria Sharapova has received in 2022 so far. She also rejoined Forbes' list of richest self-made women under the age of 40 earlier this year.

The Russian moved off the list last year. However, a series of prudent investments in startups like Total and investment platforms like Public.com have ensured that the former World No. 1 soared into the ranking spots once again.

The five-time Grand Slam champion has an estimated net worth of $220 million and is the seventh-youngest woman in the list. Overall, she sits at 97th position in the list of richest self-made women.

Before her retirement in 2020, the former World No. 1 won more than $38 million in prize money. That made her the player with the fourth-highest career earnings in the WTA Tour. Only Serena Williams (almost $95 million), Venus Williams (more than $42 million) and Simona Halep ($0.2 million more than Sharapova) have earned more on the tennis court.

With her earnings, the 35-year-old has been constantly involved in charity drives, most recently during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Sharapova pledged to donate to the 'Save the Children’s crisis relief fund' to provide essentials to kids in need in the war-torn country. She also encouraged her fans to follow suit and contribute to the cause.