Grigor Dimitrov and Maria Sharapova had a hilarious court-side exchange. Photo / Supplied
Grigor Dimitrov and Maria Sharapova had a hilarious court-side exchange. Photo / Supplied
They may have broken up but we know who still wears the pants in the relationship between Maria Sharapova and Grigor Dimitrov.
The tennis stars used to date, going public in 2013 before breaking up in 2015, and enjoyed a reunion yesterday at the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne.
Sharapova slipped into the SBS commentary booth at the tournament that acts as a precursor to next week's Australian Open when she and the broadcasters alongside her received an unexpected visit.
"He keeps looking over. Can you tell him to stop looking?" Sharapova said before Dimitrov wandered over to join the party.
"What is the commentary here?" he asked before the professionals told the Bulgarian they were discussing him, sparking a playful episode with his former flame that focused on his yellow shorts.
Dimitrov: "I thought you liked yellow on me but that's okay. People change, I get it."
Everyone was laughing the whole way before Sharapova was quizzed about when the pair split up.
"It's been a while," she chuckled.
Maria Sharapova and Grigor Dimitrov split in 2015. Photo / Getty Images
Dimitrov has dated pop star Nicole Scherzinger while Sharapova is with British millionaire Alexander Gilkes.
SHARAPOVA: RIGHT CALL TO ABANDON MATCH
Sharapova, meanwhile, has said it was the "right call" to abandon her match at Kooyong as smoke from raging bushfires engulfed Melbourne on Tuesday.
The Russian five-time grand slam winner was 6-7 (4-7) 5-5 down against Germany's Laura Siegemund when the umpire called a halt, saying "the players are feeling the smoke".
Pollution has soared to hazardous levels in Melbourne, suspending practice for next week's Australian Open and delaying qualifying where one player was forced out with a coughing fit.
Sharapova, who described the conditions as "extreme", said she could feel "a bit of a cough coming out through the end of the second set".
Maria Sharapova of Russia and Laura Siegemund of Germany congratulate each other as the game is called off after both players are affected by smoke. Photo / Getty Images
"Then the umpire came down and said, 'Play one more game'. We were there for over two hours. From the whole standpoint, it was the right call."
Siegemund, ranked 72nd, said she felt the effects of the unusual conditions. "It's the first time I'm playing under these conditions and I do have to say that I felt it in the second set," she told reporters.
"You can see it, I guess it's in your head and I did feel it in my body.
"I guess if they want us to play under these conditions, everyone has to deal with it in their own way, but it certainly doesn't feel like it's the healthiest conditions to play in."
Sharapova has slipped to 145th in the world after a 2019 season ruined by the injury which limited her to 15 competitive matches.
The 32-year-old, who has been handed a wildcard for the Australian Open next week, said she was glad for the workout at Kooyong.
"Definitely a frustrating year last year and not a lot of tennis played, so getting these types of matches is incredibly important when you haven't played much," she said.
