Maria Sharapova enjoying boyfriend`s emergence

Melbourne: Maria Sharapova has been dating fellow tennis star Grigor Dimitrov for two years now and the glamorous Russian says she has enjoyed watching the talented Bulgarian grow into a top player.

The pair hooked up in 2013 after Sharapova called off her engagement to basketball player Sasha Vujacic and they reportedly share a home in California.

World number 11 Dimitrov, 23, is widely seen as one of the new guard able to win a Grand Slam and his 27-year-old girlfriend -- a five-time major champion -- said all was well in their relationship.

"It`s just obviously nice to have each other, and even though we have our respective careers and we train, to kind of have other`s support is always nice," she told The Age newspaper in Melbourne.

"I think that he`s grown so much in the few years that I`ve even been with him in terms of his focus and commitment to the sport.

"Obviously, I`ve always kind of watched his career grow from the junior days, and to be able to see him stride in the top direction really puts a smile on my face."

Dimitrov began his Australian Open campaign in decisive fashion Monday, brushing aside German Dustin Brown 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in just 69 minutes.

Sharapova gets her tournament underway later Monday against Croatia`s Petra Martic.