Serena Williams Tells Motherhood Won’t Stop Her From Regaining No. 1 Tennis Ranking

By
Bailey S.
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Serena Williams. Photo by Zach Hilty/BFA/REX/Shutterstock

In a recent sit-down interview with E! News, Serena Williams reveals that she intends to reclaim the no. 1 spot in the tennis world.

“As a tennis player and as the best in the world,” Serena shares, “you have to have that discipline. You have to bring that. But then when I became a mom, it was like, ‘Now I understand what everyone’s talking about.'”

The grand-slam champ says that after she became a mom to daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., her priorities have changed but her drive to succeed certainly has not.

“In some weird way, I still want to be the best in what I do, whether it’s fashion or tennis. I just want to be the best and I want to work the hardest. I also want to be the best mom. Why limit myself?”

On Tuesday, Serena was back at the French Open. She won her first major match since giving birth in September 2017. Before her game, husband Alexis Ohanian posted on Instagram that “The Queen is back.”

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After news of our engagement broke, a young man in Kentucky named Jarod reached out with congratulations and also a request for a dear family friend, Denise (aka, his “Nee Nee”). – He wrote, “I grew up watching tennis with my Mom's best friend and why I consider you my all time favorite athlete. She watches every single tennis match she possibly can, scheduling her limited vacation times around tournaments just to be able to watch every match. She dropped out of high school almost 35 years ago to support her family and works 70+ hours a week, sacrificing her health and free time to support them… Just this month she lost her dad to a heart attack and her sister to pneumonia. I just got home from her sisters funeral an hour ago. As you can guess it has been an awful Christmas season for her. Is there any way you could either send her a card or tennis ball to cheer her up?” – I’m grateful for all the people around the world who adore my wife; the world. This particular story moved all the people who upvoted it, but also us. After she won the Australian Open in 2017, Serena signed one of her practice balls for “Nee Nee” and I mailed it out. Jarod recorded a video of the surprise last year and said it was OK for me to share it today. – Today, Serena is going back to work at her first Grand Slam since Junior was born and our family is thrilled & proud to cheer her on with all of you—most certainly you, “Nee Nee.” 🎾 The Queen is back.

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