Maintaining a relationship is difficult enough when one party is a professional athlete. We can imagine how difficult this was for the former Los Angeles Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic and women’s tennis superstar Maria Sharapova to maintain their romance in the early 2010s.
So it was absolutely no surprise when Sharapova announced in August 2012 that she and Vujacic had ended their engagement and relationship, citing difficulties aligning their respective schedules.
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The most popular female athlete of that era
When it comes to superstars of women’s sports in the 2000s and early 2010s, few come close to Sharapova. A pretty 6’2″ tennis sensation from Nyagan, Russia, she gained worldwide recognition when she won the Wimbledon crown in 2004, defeating two-time champion Serena Williams in 2004.
Maria never looked back from this monumental victory and added several Grand Slam titles, including the US Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008 and the French Open crowns in 2012 and 2014.
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Although being one of the top-ranked players on the professional tour meant she was in this place or that place, Sharapova found time for love when she started dating Vujacic, who was then a reserve guard for Purple & Gold. The relationship quickly developed and, a year later, Sasha reportedly popped the question to the Russian sports star, getting engaged on their first anniversary.
However, a few years later, Sharapova revealed to the media that she and Vujacic were no longer together.
“It was obviously a difficult decision, you know, on both of our ends,” She disclosed. “We have a tremendous amount of respect for each other. I would love to always consider him a friend. We had some great years together.”
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Difficult to reconcile a professional sports career and a relationship
Although Vujacic was undeniably not on the same level as Sharapova when it came to athletic success, he nonetheless had his own demanding career to focus on. As a professional basketball player, “The Machine” attended practices and games that took him all over North America for most of the year.
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Eventually, Sharapova said it took a toll on their relationship and they ultimately decided it was best to go their separate ways. Despite their separation, the two remained on good terms and Maria even expressed hope that they would remain friends.
“It was a really enjoyable time for both of us, but you know, our career schedules made it extremely difficult to see each other with the travel, and in particular his move to Turkey,” said Maria, referring to Sasha’s decision to play for Anadolu Efes, a Turkish team based in Istanbul.
“He wasn’t able to travel much. He wasn’t home once during the 10 months he was in Turkey, which made things extremely difficult,” Sharapova added.
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Love and basketball can be difficult to balance, especially when playing at an elite level. Between the pressure of preparing for games, meeting expectations, and constantly traveling, it can be difficult to find time for a romantic relationship. Maria and Sasha learned this the hard way. Although they tried to make it work, their busy careers ultimately drove them apart.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on December 24, 2025, where he first appeared in the Off the field section. Add Basketball Network as Favorite source by clicking here.
