Maria Sharapova’s Love & Sex Life: The Truth Behind the Viral Photo That Broke the Internet

For the past 48 hours, one photo has sent the internet into a complete meltdown: Maria Sharapova, grinning ear-to-ear, crouching on the steps of a London townhouse next to a golden Labrador, wearing a navy cap with the iconic red England rose. The image racked up 18 million likes in under 24 hours and spawned endless memes, thirst tweets, and conspiracy threads.

Everyone wanted to know: Who is she with? Is she dating someone? Is the dog hers? And why does she suddenly look so… happy?

Here’s the truth behind the viral photo.

The photo was taken last week in Notting Hill, London, where Maria has been spending increasing amounts of time since quietly purchasing a home there in 2023. The Labrador in the picture is named “Biscuit” and belongs to her close friend, British art dealer Henry Wentworth. Multiple sources confirm Maria was simply dog-sitting for the weekend while Henry was in Paris for Art Basel.

But the real fuel for the fire? The man behind the camera.

Insiders confirm the photo was taken by Alexander Gilkes, the 45-year-old British aristocrat and co-founder of auction platform Paddle8. Sharapova and Gilkes have been privately dating since spring 2024, after being introduced through mutual friends at Wimbledon. This marks Maria’s first serious relationship since her engagement to Prince Albert’s son Alexandre Grimaldi ended in 2018.

“Maria is completely smitten,” a friend tells us. “Alex is charming, cultured, and treats her like an absolute queen. He’s the one who put the England rose cap on her head that day as a joke because she kept complaining about the rain. The smile in that photo is 100% because of him.”

The couple has gone to great lengths to keep things private (no joint public appearances, no tagged photos), but those close to them say it’s the healthiest and happiest Maria has been in years.

As for the “sex life” rumors that flooded timelines? They appear to stem from a now-deleted blind item on a gossip forum speculating about “a retired tennis goddess and her very well-connected British boyfriend spending weekends at a countryside estate with no staff.” Pure fiction, according to sources.

So no, Maria Sharapova isn’t engaged, pregnant, or launching an OnlyFans. She’s just 38, retired, wealthy, and (finally) in love with a man who makes her laugh while petting someone else’s dog in the rain.

And honestly? The internet might never recover from how good she looks being this happy.