In Pictures: Maria Sharapova returns to tennis court for first time since becoming a mother

Maria Sharapova recently took some time away from her demanding parental schedule to relive her days as a tennis star.

Sharapova announced her retirement from the sport on February 26, 2020. Her last career match was in the first round of the 2020 Australian Open, where she was defeated in straight sets by Donna Vekic.

The five-time Grand Slam champion took to Instagram to post a photo of herself on a tennis court and remarked that playing "for fun" was enjoyable.

“It’s really nice to do this ‘for fun’” Sharapova wrote on her Instagram stories.

Maria Sharapova's Instagram story

She also posted a clip where she can be seen hitting a few balls.

“I might be a little sore tomorrow,” she captioned the video.

Sharapova's Instagram story

“A great excuse to use the ‘cow on ice reference,’” Sharapova captioned another clip.

Sharapova's Instagram story

She had earlier attended Sir Elton John's North American concert at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, with her fiance Alexander Gilkes.

"It’s beautiful, but it’s also challenging" - Maria Sharapova on motherhood

Maria Sharapova pictured during the 2015 WTA Finals

Maria Sharapova and her fiance Alexander Gikes welcomed their first child, son Theodore, on July 1, 2022. In a recent interview with NewBeauty, the busy mother discussed the impact that motherhood was having on her life.

She remarked that she always looked forward to this beautiful, though difficult, stage of life and was excited to see her four-month-old son grow. She added that it has been the "fastest year" of her life.

"I felt like I was ready to have a child of my own and pass along my own experiences," Sharapova said. "I’m really excited to watch this little boy grow up, although that is still incredibly hard because I’m still mostly trying to figure things out. It’s beautiful, but it’s also challenging. This has literally been the fastest year of my life. It’s like we blinked, and it’s over. I’m excited about this stage of motherhood. I feel like I’m just getting through the first few months of a little baby’s life."

When asked about the future, the five-time Grand Slam champion stated that she is excited for the upcoming year as she plans to find a work-life balance.

"I’m excited to see the next year unfold and see how I find my balance with work. I’m interested to see what choices I’ll make with that work-life balance. It’s never going to be 50-50. I really do love to work. I also love my family. I know a lot of women face this unique challenge of finding that right balance that works for your family. I don’t know the secret, but I’m ready to work on it," she added.