Maria Sharapova calls off engagement

Tennis star MARIA SHARAPOVA has ended her engagement to sportsman SASHA VUJACIC.

The blonde beauty confirmed split reports at a post-match conference at the U.S. Open Championships on Friday (31Aug12), admitting she broke up with the basketball ace months ago.

She said, "It's been since the end of spring. I was waiting for someone to actually ask me that question (about the split)... I have never really been the person to announce things. I never announced when we were together or never announced we were engaged. I never have in any of my previous relationships, as well."

Sharapova blamed the pair's break-up on their hectic careers, adding, "It was a really nice period of time for both of us, but our career schedules just made it extremely difficult to see each other with the traveling and especially his career move to Turkey. But we have a tremendous amount of respect for each other. I still would love to call him as a friend. We spent really great years together."

The couple dated for nearly three years.