Sharapova announces the birth of her first child

The former Russian tennis player, Maria Sharapova, announced that she had given birth to her first child, Theodore, on Friday on social media.

The 35-year-old is the first child of a five-time Grand Slam champion from 42-year-old British businessman Alexander Gilkes.

"It is the most beautiful, challenging and rewarding gift our little family can ask for," Sharapova wrote on Instagram Friday, indicating in Roman numerals that Theodore's birth date is July 1, 2022.

And Sharapova, who announced her pregnancy last April, is among only ten players who have won at least once the four major tennis titles (Australia, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, Flushing Meadows).

In 2004, she won her first major title at Wimbledon at the age of seventeen, followed by Flushing Meadows in 2006, Australia in 2008 and Roland Garros in 2012 and 2014.

She also won the silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics, losing to Serena Williams, and won 36 titles in her professional career in singles.

Her career came to an abrupt halt in 2016 after a positive doping test on the sidelines of the Australian Open, which led to her being suspended for 15 months, before returning in April 2017 without regaining her levels due to chronic shoulder pain.

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