Maria Sharapova can now add mother to her long list of achievements.
The tennis star announced on Friday that she gave birth to her first son with British businessman Alexander Gilkes.
“Theodore VII•I•MMXXII 🍼🐣,” the 35-year-old athlete captioned a photo on Instagram, revealing that her son, Theodore, was born on July 1, 2022.
“The most beautiful, challenging and rewarding gift our little family could ask for,” added Sharapova, who was pictured next to Gilkes, 42, admiring their 2-week-old baby boy.
Fans and colleagues of the five-time Grand Slam champion flocked to the comment section to share their congratulations.
“Aww great! Congratulations ❤️ I love the name ”, wrote tennis player Ajla Tomljanovic.
“God bless this sweet baby and God bless you all. So cute! So precious 🙏”, wrote Olympian Kerri Walsh Jennings.
Congratulations ❤️ Lots of love to you and your family!! shouted a follower in.
The Russian tennis champion announced in April that she was expecting her first child as she celebrated her 35th birthday.
“A precious start!!! “Eating birthday cake for two has always been my specialty ☺️🐣🎂,” Sharapova wrote on Instagram at the time.
Gilkes – who attended Eton College with Princes William and Harry – proposed to Sharapova in December 2020 after dating for two years. Ten months later, the couple still hadn’t started planning their wedding due to the uncertainties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We haven’t talked about it yet because we want to put our family and friends at ease with the right climate and not by forcing them to participate by circumstances,” Sharapova told MSN.
Although this will be Sharapova’s first marriage, the British art dealer tied the knot with Meghan Markle’s boyfriend Misha Nonoo in May 2012, but split in 2016.