Maria Sharapova bought a Manhattan Beach lot for $4.1 million and built a three-story Japanese-inspired mansion; after 13 years, it sold for a record $25 million

Maria Sharapova turned a $4.1 million land purchase into a $25 million property sale in Manhattan Beach, California. The five-time Grand Slam champion bought the ocean-view lot in 2012, worked with architects to build a custom three-story home, and sold it to NBA star Luka Dončić in 2025. The deal set a residential sale record for Manhattan Beach. The house features Japanese-inspired design, concrete walls, large glass doors, a swimming pool and a two-lane bowling alley. Sharapova built the property to suit her own taste before selling it after more than a decade.How did Maria Sharapova turn a $4.1 million Manhattan Beach lot into a luxury mansion?Sharapova bought the ocean-view land on 8th Street in Manhattan Beach in 2012, the same year she won the French Open and completed her career Grand Slam. The achievement made her one of the few players to win all four major tennis titles during her career.Instead of purchasing an existing house, Sharapova chose to build one from scratch. She worked with Los Angeles architecture firm KAA Design, led by architect Grant Kirkpatrick, to create a home that reflected her taste. Construction took about three years, and the house was completed in 2015.The property sits in Manhattan Beach’s Hill Section, an elevated neighbourhood known for its coastal views and large homes. Its location, around 20 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles, offered Sharapova a private place to live while staying within reach of the city.According to Architectural Digest, Sharapova was closely involved in the design process. The house was also featured in the publication’s home tour series in 2019, giving readers a look at the space and its carefully chosen materials.The property became a long-term home for the retired tennis star before she decided to sell it in 2025. Its eventual $25 million sale showed how much buyers were willing to pay for a custom-built home in this part of Southern California.What makes Maria Sharapova’s Japanese-inspired Manhattan Beach mansion different?The three-story home was designed around Japanese influences, clean lines and a close connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. Rather than filling the house with ornate details, the design uses natural materials, large windows and open living areas.Concrete walls give the building a strong, simple look, while pale oak flooring and dark cedar add warmth. Black metal frames around the windows and glass doors bring the different materials together. Large glass panels also allow natural light into the living spaces and make it easier to move between the house and the outdoors.The house has five bedrooms and several spaces for relaxing or entertaining. Its outdoor area includes a swimming pool, a patio and seating areas. Greenery around parts of the property adds privacy without taking away from the modern design.One of the more unusual features sits below the main living areas: a two-lane bowling alley. It gives the home a private entertainment space that is different from the usual luxury-house features, such as a gym or cinema.There is also a notable feature missing from the property. Despite Sharapova’s long career as a professional tennis player, she did not build a tennis court on the grounds. The home was designed as a place to relax away from the demands of competition, rather than as an extension of her training life.The result was a house built around the owner’s preferences instead of a standard design intended to appeal to as many buyers as possible. That personal touch helped make the property stand out when it came time to sell.Why did Maria Sharapova sell her Manhattan Beach home in 2025?Sharapova retired from professional tennis in 2020 after a career that included five Grand Slam singles titles and a rise to world No. 1. She had also built business interests outside the sport, including her candy brand Sugarpova and other commercial ventures.Her family life changed during the years that followed. Sharapova became engaged to British businessman Alexander Gilkes in 2020, and the couple welcomed their son, Theodore, in 2022. Gilkes co-founded the auction company Paddle8 and later became involved in the business venture studio Squared Circles.The couple’s plans to spend more time in Europe were cited as a reason for selling the California home. Maintaining a large property can require time and money, particularly when its owners are spending more of the year elsewhere.Sharapova began offering the house for sale in July 2025, with an asking price of $24.995 million. The Wall Street Journal reported the planned sale and noted that the home had ocean views but no tennis court.The asking price was far above the typical cost of a home in Manhattan Beach. The property was not simply a large house near the coast; it had been designed for Sharapova and included features that would be difficult to find together in another home.Sharapova also owned other properties in California. In January 2024, she bought a five-bedroom estate in Montecito from philanthropist Ann Lurie for $11.5 million in an all-cash deal. She had also purchased a five-acre ranch in Summerland for $8.6 million in 2020, according to the Montecito Journal.Those purchases show that selling the Manhattan Beach home did not mean leaving California real estate behind. Instead, it formed part of a wider property portfolio.How did Luka Dončić’s $25 million purchase set a Manhattan Beach record?NBA star Luka Dončić bought Sharapova’s Manhattan Beach mansion for $25 million in an off-market deal that closed at the end of August 2025. The sale was reported publicly in September, making the property one of the most talked-about celebrity home transactions of the year.Dončić had recently signed a three-year, $165 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers after joining the team earlier in 2025. Buying a home in Southern California gave the basketball star a property near his new team.According to Architectural Digest, the $25 million deal set a record for a residential sale in Manhattan Beach. It surpassed the previous high for a home in the coastal city, showing the price buyers may pay for a rare property with ocean views and a custom design.The sale also marked a major increase from the $4.1 million Sharapova paid for the land in 2012. The difference between the purchase price and the sale price is $20.9 million. However, that figure is a gross difference, not her final profit. It does not account for the cost of building the house, upkeep, taxes, selling expenses or other costs over the years.The deal’s full financial outcome for Sharapova has not been made public. Still, selling for $25 million after owning the property for around 13 years represents a substantial rise in the property’s reported value.For Dončić, the purchase brought a custom-built home with space for family life and entertaining. For Sharapova, it marked the end of a long-term project that began with buying an empty lot and turning it into a home shaped by her own ideas.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.