Maria Sharapova's fiance Alexander smitten over Russian & son Theodore holding hands during serene beachside walk

Maria Sharapova is one of the best-known faces in tennis. The former World No. 1 called time on her career in the sport in 2020 and welcomed her son Theodore in 2022 with fiancé Alexander Gilkes. Showcasing how the couple welcomed the new year, Gilkes has shared a glimpse of the trio’s beach outing.

Gilkes shared photos of the two walking holding hands with Theodore, with their backs to the camera. Expressing his feelings for the tennis star and his son, he drew a heart over one of her holding hands with the toddler.

Via Alexander Gilkes' Instagram story (@gilkesa)

Sharapova and Gilkes began dating in 2018 and made their relationship public in October of that year, sharing snaps of their vacation in the Cotswolds. In July 2020, the couple announced their engagement on social media, four months after the tennis star hung up her racket.

The duo welcomed their son, Theodore, in July 2022. While Maria Sharapova and her fiancé have kept most of their son’s life private, they share occasional snaps of their toddler with followers on social media.

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Maria Sharapova on motherhood and her future wedding

Sharapova with her fiancé at Wimbledon 2024 (Image Source: Getty)

Maria Sharapova first rose to fame aged just 17 years old when she beat the legendary Serena Williams to win the 2004 Wimbledon championships. Later that same year, she beat her again to win the year-ending WTA Championships.

Over the next 15 years, Sharapova established herself as one of her generation's best women's singles tennis players, winning the 2006 US Open, 2008 Australian Open, and the 2012 and 2014 French Open titles. She also won silver at the 2012 London Olympics.

Since retiring from tennis in 2020, the Russian has stayed in the spotlight. Earlier this year, she spoke about her journey with motherhood telling People Magazine:

“I don’t know if any woman ever knows when it’s time to step into a new phase or motherhood, but I feel like I made the choice at the right time. I feel like I have a healthy distance from tennis. I was ready for a new chapter in life.”

"We were going to have a big wedding and then I got pregnant, and so we haven't actually scheduled a new wedding yet. Perhaps in the next couple of years. We're not in a rush. We're just so excited about Theo, and Alexander also just launched his company recently. So in between work and parenting, there's just so much going on right now.”

Since retiring from tennis, Maria Sharapova has also explored her talents in the business world. In 2020, she invested in the wearable wrist and ankle weights company Bala Bangles alongside Shark Tank’s Mark Cuban. She has also invested in the wellness brand Therabody and in 2022 she became a member of the Board of Directors of the fashion brand Moncler.