Maria Sharapova is mother of baby boy, says ‘this is most beautiful, challenging, and rewarding gift’

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Maria Sharapova (@mariasharapova)

“The most beautiful, challenging, and rewarding gift our little family could ask for,” Sharapova posted, along with a photo with Theodore and her fiancé, Alexander Gilkes.

The five-time Grand Slam champion also posted the Roman numerals “VII•I•MMXXII,” marking Theodore’s date of birth as July 1st.

Three years ago, the five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova announced her retirement from tennis at 32.

Sharapova won Wimbledon in 2004 when she was just 17 years old, she then followed capturing the 2006 US Open, 2008 Australian Open and the 2012 and 2014 French Open crowns. She also captured a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics, losing to American Serena Williams in the final.

However, in 2019 she was struggling with ongoing problems with her shoulder and has slumped to 373 in the rankings.

She had won only three matches since reaching the fourth round of the 2019 Australian Open and was knocked out in the first round at this year’s tournament in Melbourne by Donna Vekic.

In 2016, Sharapova tested positive for the drug meldonium and was banned for two years – later reduced to 15 months on appeal – and returned to action in April 2017.

She was only able to reach one Grand Slam quarter-final and a high of world No 21 after her ban expired.