Maria Sharapova seeks comfort with fiancé Alexander Gilkes & son Theodore in beach getaway with father-son duo stealing the spotlight

By Sreeja Banik

Modified Apr 13, 2025 12:23 GMT

Maria Sharapova (L) with her fiancé Alexander Gilkes and son Theodore (R) [Image Source: Getty Images; Instagram/@mariasharapova]

Maria Sharapova recently enjoyed a day at the beach with her fiancé, Alexander Gilkes, and their son, Theodore. Sharapova also shared how the father-son duo stole the spotlight with their adorable moments during the getaway.

Sharapova and Gilkes have been in a relationship for seven years. They started dating in 2018 and got engaged two years later, in 2020. The couple welcomed their first child, a son, whom they named Theodore on July 1, 2022

On her Instagram Stories on Saturday, April 12, Maria Sharapova shared a photo of Theodore captivated by cheese at a store while holding a basket with the same dairy delight.

"*loves cheese," Sharapova captioned her Instagram story.

Screengrab of Sharapova's Instagram story [Image Source: Instagram/@mariasharapova]

The former World No. 1 then shared a heartwarming image of Alexander Gilkes and Theodore standing on the water at the beach, as well as a video documenting them playfully chasing seagulls along the water's edge

"Seagulls," Sharapova captioned her Instagram Story.

Screen grab of Sharapova's Instagram stories [Image Source: Instagram/@mariasharapova]

Maria Sharapova announced her retirement from tennis in February 2020. Since then, the Russian has spent her time with her family, attending tennis and fashion events, and expanding her business ventures among others.

Maria Sharapova on being a mother: "There's a lot of negotiation skills that go on with parenthood I didn't know"

Maria Sharapova pictured speaking at an event [Image Source: Getty Images]

Last year, while speaking with Martina Navratilova and Steve Weissman on Tennis Channel, Maria Sharapova spoke about her son, Theodore, and how motherhood was treating her. The 2004 Wimbledon champion said that after becoming a mother, she understood the importance of negotiation skills.

"There's a lot of negotiation skills that go on with parenthood which I didn't know that the negotiations that I learned through my career in business and in the sport that I would apply to parenthood. But I'm learning about that every day. You got to give something to take something," Sharapova said [at 0:25].

Sharapova described motherhood as one of the "best things" that has happened to her in her life. Discussing how it has allowed her to grow, she added:

"It's been one of the best things that's happened to me in my life and I get to teach him (Theodore) and grow with him. I get to learn through his actions and his findings. He's exploring the world and I get to explore with him. He has very long eyelashes and I don't know where they come from but I appreciate them," she added [0:41].

Maria Sharapova finished her career with five Grand Slam singles titles to her name, was ranked World No.1 in singles on the WTA world rankings, and won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics among several other accolades.

About the author

Since joining Sportskeeda as a journalist in January 2023, Sreeja has remained steadfast in delivering thorough coverage of the tennis world. Her bachelor's degree in English has proven invaluable, with over 1000 articles already under her belt for the company.

While writing, Sreeja prioritizes reliability by sourcing information from credible outlets and presenting various perspectives to her readers. She regularly keeps track of updates by closely monitoring the official websites of WTA and ATP, as well as the social media profiles of prominent journalists.

Sreeja draws inspiration from Rafael Nadal's unparalleled dominance on clay courts and Steffi Graf's remarkable career trajectory, while also holding Novak Djokovic in high esteem. Her passion for tennis reaches its peak during the Australian Open and the French Open, particularly relishing the clay court matches.

When she is not collecting information about tennis, she fills her time with reading and playing darts while also keeping her finger on the pulse of pop culture.

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Edited by Shirsh