Maria Kirilenko was once one of the most recognizable faces on the WTA Tour, not only because of her strong results but also due to her stunning looks and iconic fashion presence on the court. While she won six career singles titles, reached the Top 10 in the WTA rankings, and took home an Olympic bronze medal, her peak coincided with a golden era in women’s tennis filled with numerous superstar players, including many from her native Russia.
In the public eye, Kirilenko became best known for her breathtaking appearance and style, particularly as the face of Adidas by Stella McCartney. Her tennis dresses from that era remain fan favorites, admired for their elegance and allure that has yet to be matched.
After all the spotlight during her playing days, Kirilenko has chosen a very private life path since retiring from tennis in 2014. What many don’t know is that she has quietly gone through two marriages and is now a mother of three. Let’s take a closer look at the timeline of her personal life.
A tennis power couple: Kirilenko and Igor Andreev
Maria Kirilenko’s first publicly known relationship was with fellow Russian tennis player Igor Andreev. At the time, they were one of the most talked-about couples in tennis. When Elena Dementieva got married in July 2011, Kirilenko and Andreev attended the wedding together. Fellow player Alla Kudryavtseva even shared a photo on Twitter with the caption:
“Maria and Igor. I bet their wedding is next.”
However, that prediction never came true. Their relationship quietly ended later that same year.
High-profile engagement: Kirilenko and Alex Ovechkin
Soon after, Kirilenko entered a relationship with Russian ice hockey player Alex Ovechkin. The two began dating in 2011 and announced their engagement in December 2012.
However, in July 2014, the couple broke off the engagement. Kirilenko issued a brief statement:
I have decided to terminate the engagement. There are many reasons, but I do not want to go into details.
A surprise wedding and two children with Alexei Stepanov
Just six months after ending her engagement with Ovechkin, Kirilenko stunned fans by appearing in a wedding dress in January 2015. The identity of her husband was initially a mystery, but it was later revealed to be Alexei Stepanov, reportedly a senior official in Moscow’s Committee of Public Services.
The elegant and private wedding took place in the Russian village of Usovo, at a restaurant called Chalet Beryozka. The couple arrived in a white Rolls-Royce, but aside from a few photos, very little about the event was made public.
The couple welcomed two children:
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Sadly, the marriage later ended in divorce. Once again, Kirilenko managed to keep the development almost entirely away from the media spotlight.
A quiet second marriage: Kirilenko and Nikolai Zherdev
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Though she remained out of the public eye, Kirilenko’s love story took another turn, and once again, it involved a hockey player. In 2023, she quietly married Nikolai Zherdev, a former NHL star. The Kyiv-born athlete has represented Russia in competitions, and even played on the team with Kirilenko’s ex-fiancé Alexander Ovechkin.
The wedding took place in the picturesque Italian town of Alleghe, where Zherdev was playing for the local hockey club. The ceremony and celebration, held at a mountain restaurant, were entirely private. Photos later emerged online, revealing the couple’s happiness.
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In November 2024, Maria and Nikolai welcomed their first child together, a daughter, making Maria a proud mother of three.
