Maria Sharapova's first match coached by Jimmy Connors turned out to be a disaster as she lost to Sloane Stephens 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 in the second round of the Southern Open in Ohio, The Guardian reports.

Connors, who won the tournament 41 years ago, watched Tuesday's match from the stands, The Guardian also reports.

But Maria Sharapova's new coach might not be the only thing affecting her game.

Grigor Dimitrov, Maria Sharapova's boyfriend and Serena Williams' ex-boyfriend, recently spoke about his relationship with the 26-year-old tennis star, Fashion & Style reports.

"Of course, there is a lot of talk off the court, and in the end, I think that's part of the game," Dimitrov told Tennis Grandstand in Washington. "In England [during Wimbledon], in general, there were a lot of these questions. But what can I do?"

Grigor Dimitrov's comments left many fans wondering how he feels about making his relationship with Maria Sharapova more public.

Last month, Maria Sharapova announced that she was splitting with her coach Thomas Hogstedt because he "will not be able to travel in the near future," leaving fans wondering if her relationship with the Bulgarian tennis star played any role.

Grigor Dimitrov is known to frequently travel with his girlfriend.

Although Maria Sharapova did not provide further details for the reason of her split with her coach, it seems they ended in excellent terms.