'Steamy' Sharapova Nearly Confesses to Love Affair with Bulgaria's Dimitrov

"I would call it 'Steamy', but for different reasons," Sharapova said after a saucy giggle when asked to come up with a new name that would sum up the experience of her first week in Melbourne. Photo by sugarpova.com

Tennis princess Maria Sharapova has fueled talk of her rumored intimate relationship with Bulgaria's best tennis player Grigor Dimitrov, even prompting commentators to put her success at Australian Open down to her new love.

Sharapova has been the most dominant player in either draw, continuing her romp to the quarter-finals yesterday (Sunday) with a 6-1, 6-0 demolition of Kirsten Flipkens.

After four rounds, she has dropped the meagre total of five games, and four of those were against the estimable Venus Williams.

Speaking in an interview for the Daily Telegraph she said the best way to sum up the experience of her first week in Melbourne is: "Steamy', but for different reasons."

According to the interview's author Sharapova made the mischievous comment, giggling and then pointed to her agent, Max Eisenbud, who was sitting at the back of the room. "You know what I'm talking about, Max."

Eisenbud did not deny that the steam in question relates to Dimitrov, a tall, dark and handsome Bulgarian who has long been seen as the next big thing in tennis, the Daily Telegraph commented.

Dimitrov has so far shrugged off rumors over his relationship with Maria Sharapova, making it clear he wants to hit the headlines because of his career, not because of his private life.

Talk of the new love match sparked after the couple were snapped in Milan late last year.

Meanwhile ESPN's Darren Rovell tweeted on January 5, "Sharapova's boyfriend is currently No. 48 in the world, but has been hyped up as 'Baby Federer.'"

Last year the 21-year-old became a high-profile name at tournaments not only due to his great play, but also because of the crazy obsession over the nature of his relationship with Serena Williams, who was spotted courtside at his matches.

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