Maria Sharapova is going to be a mom! The tennis superstar and her fiance, Alexander Gilkes, are expecting their first child.
Sharapova announced the happy news in an Instagram post on Tuesday, which also happened to be her 35th birthday. "Precious beginnings!!!" she captioned a photo of herself cradling her bare baby bump on a beach. "Eating birthday cake for two has always been my specialty."
The comments section of Sharapova's post was flooded with well wishes and messages, including one from Gilkes who simply left the heart-eye emoji underneath the pic.
Lily Collins shared her excitement for the pair, writing, "Ahhhh congrats you guys!!!!"
Sharapova and Gilkes -- who began dating in 2018 -- announced their engagement in December 2020. "I said yes from the first day we met," the athlete wrote alongside a series of photos and videos at the time. "This was our little secret, wasn’t it 💍🥂@gilkesa."
Gilkes, meanwhile, shared a sweet post of his own, which read: "Thank you for making me a very very happy boy. I look forward to a lifetime of loving you, and learning from you @mariasharapova #💍"
News of their engagement came months after Sharapova confirmed she was retiring from tennis.
"Tennis showed me the world—and it showed me what I was made of," she tweeted in February 2020. "It’s how I tested myself and how I measured my growth. And so in whatever I might choose for my next chapter, my next mountain, I’ll still be pushing. I’ll still be climbing. I’ll still be growing."
Gilkes honored Sharapova and her phenomenal career following her announcement.
"To the kindest and most professional person I know, here is to you Maria, and all that awaits you in your next chapter!" he wrote. "May you continue to inspire us all with your deep humility, self-deprecation, strength and focus. As a remarkable first chapter closes with so many extraordinary feats, we look forward to all that you will accomplish with equal grit and grace in the years to come. Proudly and lovingly, xx 🐻"
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