Perfect match: Maria Sharapova announces engagement to millionaire UK art dealer

Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova said ‘yes’ to her longtime boyfriend, British businessman and co-founder of the online auction house Paddle 8, Alexander Gilkes, who she has been dating for almost three years.

The pair took to social media to officially announce their engagement with the five-time Grand Slam winner revealing she agreed to marry the famous art dealer right from the start of their relationship.

“I said yes from the first day we met. This was our little secret, wasn’t it,” Sharapova wrote, posting a series of pictures of the newly engaged couple.

The 41-year-old businessman also dedicated an Instagram post to their officially confirmed engagement, triggering a flood of congratulatory messages on social media.

Sharapova and Gilkes have been constantly rumored to be getting married especially after some attentive fans spotted a large ring on her finger last year.

The retired tennis player was previously engaged to NBA basketball player Sasha Vujacic who proposed to her in 2010 on the anniversary of their first meeting.

However, in autumn of 2012, Sharapova called off her engagement to the Slovenian basketball guard, who had moved to Istanbul, Turkey to continue his professional career.

She also dated Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov for two years, before breaking up in 2015.

Gilkes, who studied with Prince William at Eton was previously married to fashion designer Misha Nonoo before splitting in 2016.