Maria Sharapova recounted an important memory when watching Grigor Dimitrov play tennis for an emotional response by him and his mother at their presence alongside their player box. Their romance eventually disbanded due to diverging career paths; years after parting ways though, at an event at Miami Open where Dimitrov opened up about their former affair; shed more light onto its lasting friendship and revealed more information regarding it.
Dimitrov, 33 and currently eligible bachelor, recently dazzled fans of all genders at the Miami Open by offering them special roses or joining two female fans on cable car rides. When quizzed about his ideal partner among female tennis players he playedfully revealed Maria Sharapova was once his ex-partner while emphasizing their cordial relations today.
Their relationship began in late 2012 and became public during the 2013 Madrid Open but ended two years later. Since then, Dimitrov has been linked with various personalities but remains unmarried. He was also rumored to have had a relationship with Serena Williams, though it was never confirmed. Interestingly, Williams supported Dimitrov by attending one of his matches during last year’s Miami Open, underscoring a close friendship between them.
Clarifying the Breakup
Upon Sharapova’s retirement announcement in February 2020, Dimitrov was among the first to commend her, expressing nothing but love and respect. By then, Sharapova had moved on, getting engaged to Alexander Gilkes and welcoming a son, Theodore, in July 2022. Dimitrov disclosed the serendipitous start to their relationship in a 2015 interview with The Telegraph, showing how a simple lunchtime email began their connection.
Sharapova’s autobiography shed light on the difficulties their relationship faced, particularly its timing which often conflicted with professional obligations. Dimitrov noted mid-2016 was particularly difficult with changes to his coaching team as well as declining tennis performance leading up to and after their breakup; which he described candidly as being his lowest point ever in terms of career development.
At the conclusion of their romantic journey together, both athletes made the difficult choice to focus on tennis first and prioritize this over their romance; marking an end to their romantic adventure together. Their tale remains compelling though as two prominent tennis figures managed to gracefully navigate all of its complexities while maintaining mutual respect and maintaining strong bonds even beyond its conclusion.