Serena Williams is back! Or she will be back this evening, when she plays her first professional-level match since giving birth to baby Alexis Olympia last September. It took longer than Serena expected for her to feel “ready” to come back – she set the goals for herself, that she wanted to come back for this year’s Australian Open, but she wasn’t feeling it, and people completely understood. She skipped the two high-level tournaments in the Middle East in February, and decided to launch her comeback in Indian Wells, where she’s playing as an unseeded player for the first time in many years. It feels like a lot of stuff has aligned for Serena: she’s got new endorsements, the baby recently turned six months old, her family is close by, and I just think she’s ready, emotionally and mentally, to get back to competing. But as it turns out, she’s also thinking about having another baby.
Serena Williams is already thinking about expanding her family! ET’s Kevin Frazier caught up with the 36-year-old tennis pro at the 14th Annual Desert Smash Celebrity Tennis Event in La Quinta, California, on Tuesday, where she opened up about motherhood and her marriage to Alexis Ohanian.
“It’s been amazing,” said Williams, who gave birth to her and her husband’s first child, baby girl Alexis Olympia, last September. “I’ve always wanted to be a mom but I never seemed to have time with my career. Then, it just happened, and I was like, ‘I don’t know.’ I just dove right in. It’s so natural for me. I love it. I love her so much. We have a great little family going on.”
“Working motherhood is real. It’s so real,” she joked. “But I have my priorities and Olympia is that. And Alexis [co-founder of Reddit] works all the time as well. He’s not even here right now, he’s working on his new VC fund. So, that’s great! But I’m never a day without Olympia. She’s my priority and everyday I need to be home with her. I don’t wanna miss any moments with her.”
Williams continued on, telling ET that Olympia’s had plenty of precious moments already. However, there’s one that especially stands out.
“Her toothless smile,” she gushed. “She’s so happy. That is my favorite thing, her toothless smile.”
The Saginaw, Michigan, native also told us she’s working on coming up with a special signal for her and Olympia. “We’re together so much,” she explained. “I was thinking, I always check on her. I always check the monitor and the video. I’m like, ‘OK, what if I’m on the court and I’m thinking about Olympia?’ I have to have a signal that she’s doing good … I need to come up with something because I’m always thinking about her.”
Another thing she’s recently started thinking about? Giving Olympia a baby brother or sister!
“I definitely want two [kids], God willing,” she exclaimed. “But right now, I want tennis as well. So, I’m going to wait and see what happens. It’s definitely not easy. I have this undying drive to be the best that I can be. Whether it’s [being] a mom or playing tennis or doing my designing. I just want to do the best that I can.”
Do you think she’ll have another baby? I think it’s a possibility, but my guess is that she’ll stay on the tour for another year or so before she even considers getting pregnant again. Then again, Alexis Olympia was a surprise baby, so who knows? Incidentally, I don’t think anyone really has money on Serena winning Indian Wells in her first tournament back. Most people are just hoping that she wins a match or two and that she starts gearing up for the French Open and Wimbledon. *fingers crossed*
Never let anyone tell you what you are not. #untilweallwin @nikewomen #Nike pic.twitter.com/E1NhOmCc8D
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) March 5, 2018
This is a keeper forever!! I couldn't think that it would be possible for me, to 1 day have the immense honor to be with those 2 beyond amazing champions & most importantly true friends @Venuseswilliams & @serenawilliams at the same event again ,but it happened @tiebreaktens 🎾😀 pic.twitter.com/xl1afR06vh
— Marion bartoli (@bartoli_marion) March 6, 2018
Photos courtesy of Instagram, Twitter and Getty.
I think Serena’s story perfectly highlights how much time it really takes a woman to recover after being pregnant and giving birth. It’s so barbaric that in the US people expect women to be back at their regular job just weeks after birthing a child, I know of course that sports is different then an office job but still. My cousin is in the US and has 2 weeks before she has to return, I am pregnant but in Canada and will have 18 months off.
It’s one or two years here in germany. I think two. Not sure, but long, and I think it’s awesome.
I love Serena. She’s got a good head on her shoulders. I still can’t believe what a girly girl she is.
After everything she went through with the delivery of this baby, I applaud her for even thinking about having another one, lol. (And I say this as a woman who’s never had a kid).
I hope her return goes super-well, I’m excited to see just how awesome she’ll be once she gets back into the rhythm of it all.
I hope her return goes well. And yeah, if she can win one or two matches I’ll be happy. Gradually playing deeper in tournaments.
Just get the feel of the ball back. Start getting match tough again. Anything else is gravy.
I don’t have any greater expectations until next season.
I love the way she articulates that need to be strong and focused and accomplished in her career and *also* that drive to love your kid whole-heartedly and be present and focused on being a mom. It’s something that I sometimes am too afraid to verbalize to others, because it feels a little scary (even now in 2018) to admit that that career focus is also an important part of your identity as a woman. I love being a mom (and am pregnant with my second) but I have fought hard for my career and it gives me something different but also important. Serena just sounds so balanced and unfussy about the way she says that–it’s really great. And I hope she has a great run and starts getting in her groove again–I love watching her play!
What the actual hell. It’s not even been a year. I’m Canadian and if you asked me to return to my work before my years mat leave was up I would have laughed in your face. The fact she’s 6 months post partum and now able to perform on an elite level. Kudos to her.
And why is it that a woman must immediately think about having another baby? Her kid isn’t even a year old. The WHO recommends about 4 years between kids. Jebus people.