Maria Sharapova has done it all. Five Grand Slam titles, a legendary tennis career, and now, a thriving business empire. But these days, she’s also embracing a different role—being a mom to her two-year-old son, Theodore. She shares him with her fiancé, British businessman Alexander Gilkes, and together, have been soaking up family time together. They got engaged in December 2020 and shared the sweet news on Instagram. Since then, they’ve been sharing cute snaps from vacations and fun days out with their son. Their latest adventure? An art tour that Gilkes shared on social media.

On February 16, Gilkes took to his Instagram story to document their visit to an exhibition by Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara. There were many pictures, but first up, a shot of the gallery’s entrance. His captain was a playful nod to the challenges of bringing a toddler to an art museum -“Despite a few attempts to lick sculptures, the family art tour was a success.”

Another post showed Theodore browsing the art book section, fully engaged in his surroundings. Then, there was an especially sweet moment—Sharapova and their son admiring a painting while holding hands.

Absolutely no shocker here—Gilkes is deep in the art scene. He’s been on the board of the New York Academy of Art since 2016 and even founded Paddle8, an online art auction house. Theodore is getting an early start in the gallery game.

A few days before their art tour, Sharapova’s fiancée shared another heartwarming family moment—it was a Valentine’s Day celebration at an alpaca farm. He posted a series of photos where they posed alongside the animals, captioning them, “Happy Valentine’s Day Mama Llama: alpaca doesn’t rhyme and isn’t a book. We love you so much.”

From art tours to farm visits, it’s clear that Sharapova and Gilkes are creating plenty of special memories with their son.

Maria Sharapova opens up on embracing motherhood

Maria Sharapova officially retired from professional tennis in 2020. Her final match came at that year’s Australian Open, where she lost to Donna Vekic in the first round. Since then, she has shifted her focus to business ventures, endorsements, and, of course, motherhood.

In 2022, she welcomed Theodore into the world. In July 2024, she joined 18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova and Steve Weissman for a conversation on Tennis Channel, where she reflected on motherhood. During the interview, Sharapova said, “It’s been one of the best things that’s happened to me in my life and I get to teach him 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 also touched on the physical and mental changes that come with parenthood and said, “I have an entirely new respect for motherhood and parenthood and just that this is the moment of how you like you know your body is experiencing completely different, your mind somewhere else.”

Sharapova has transitioned smoothly from the court to a new chapter in her life. Whether it’s exploring art, celebrating special moments, or simply holding hands with her son, she’s embracing this journey with the same dedication that made her a champion.

What’s next for Maria Sharapova as she balances motherhood and business?