Russian Doll Sharapova stands shoulder-to-shoulder with recently separated former Real Madrid player

One of the biggest names in sports today has just faced a major rift that may be difficult to mend.

An interesting moment between a former big name in the tennis world— Maria Sharapova and basketball star Luka Doncic quickly became a hot topic on social media after the Los Angeles Lakers' nail-biting victory over the Denver Nuggets on March 15 (Vietnam time).

After the Lakers won 127-125 in overtime, Sharapova posted on Instagram a photo taken with Doncic. The image of the two famous sports stars standing side by side immediately spread widely, attracting attention from both basketball and tennis fan communities.

In the caption, "Masha" expressed her excitement about watching the game live. "Dramatic. Stamina, discipline, and shining under pressure while the whole world watches. Nothing beats watching sports live.", Sharapova shared.

That game also witnessed an outstanding performance by Doncic. The Slovenian star scored 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists to complete a triple-double, and made the decisive shot in overtime to help the Lakers secure the win.

Sharapova was seen watching the game from the stands before meeting "Luka Magic" after the match ended. The moment of crossover between these two international sports icons quickly became one of the most talked-about images of the night.

Soon after the photo was widely shared, fans on social media left a series of humorous comments and speculations. Some even joked whether these two stars might be dating.

Others recalled Sharapova's past connections with the NBA. The former Russian tennis player was engaged to former Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic in 2011, before they split in 2012. Later, she dated Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov before settling down with British businessman Alexander Gilkes since 2018.

Another interesting detail fans recalled is that Luka Doncic purchased the former "Russian Doll's" house in Los Angeles for about $25 million. This villa has 5 bedrooms, a private bowling alley, and a sea-facing view.

The moment that drew attention from Sharapova and Doncic also occurred amid the Lakers star's personal life facing significant turbulence. The former Real Madrid player recently confirmed ending his engagement with longtime girlfriend Anamaria Goltes and is embroiled in a custody dispute over their two daughters.