Many tennis stars have followed in their parent’s footsteps—Maria Sakkari, Casper Ruud, and Sebastian Korda all picked up a racket because of their family’s legacy. But what if your mom is a five-time Grand Slam champion and a former World No. 1? That’s the case for Theodore, the son of Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova and her fiancé, Alexander Gilkes. The couple, who started dating in 2018 and announced their engagement in December 2020, welcomed their son on July 1, 2022. Fans have gotten occasional glimpses of their life through social media. But while some might expect Theodore to inherit his mom’s love for tennis, it turns out the two-year-old has other ideas.

On Saturday, February 22, Sharapova shared a series of Instagram Stories documenting Theodore’s brief attempt at the sport. Let’s just say his interest didn’t last long. “It lasted less than a minute😂,” she captioned the post. With her son completely uninterested, the former World No.1 had no choice but to keep playing on her own.“I guess I’ll just play myself,” she joked.

It’s a funny twist, considering how much tennis has shaped her life. And last year, she had the chance to relive some of her most iconic moments at the place where it all started.

Maria Sharapova took the tennis world by storm when she won her first Grand Slam at just 17, defeating Serena Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon final. Fast forward two decades, and she returned to the All England Club—this time, not as a competitor but as a former champion with her fiancé, Alexander Gilkes, and their son, Theodore, by her side.

Sharapova took a moment to show Theodore her name on the list of champions, a piece of history that might mean more to him someday. For now, though, he seemed more interested in everything else happening around him. The toddler was spotted waving at ball kids as they passed by, soaking in the atmosphere of one of tennis’ most famous venues. He even had the chance to watch reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz practice on an outside court—a moment most tennis fans would dream of.

Despite being surrounded by tennis history, Theodore doesn’t seem too interested in following in his mom’s footsteps. And that’s perfectly fine because Sharapova has found new inspiration in her journey as a mother.

Maria Sharapova credits tennis for helping her in her journey of motherhood

Since welcoming her son in 2022, Maria Sharapova has embraced every moment of parenthood. She once shared how each week brings something new, teaching her more about Theodore’s personality. While she acknowledges that raising a child is a “full-time job,” she also finds immense joy in watching “this little human grow” and express himself.

In June, the former World No. 1 opened up to PEOPLE about how her tennis career unexpectedly prepared her for motherhood.“I think in some ways there were so many elements of my sport that I could apply into motherhood,” she said.

The 5-time Grand Slam champion explained that the discipline and structure she followed throughout her career have played a big role in how she approaches parenting. The 37-year-old added, “Just the discipline of the schedules and routines and seeing the benefit of that through their behavior and through their eyes has also been really helpful. When I was playing, knowing where I was going to be and when I was going to nap and when I was going to eat helped me so much with my energy.”

Maria Sharapova may no longer be competing on the court, but in this new chapter of her life, she’s winning in a different way. But will her little Theodore ever decide to give tennis another shot?