‘Never Thought I’d Say That’- Mother of 2, Serena Williams Makes Emotional Confession on How Olympia and Adira Changed Her Life
Has motherhood made Serena Williams an even greater legend in your eyes?
“I never wanted to choose between tennis and a family,” once said Serena Williams. Balance is not something you find; it’s something you create. In August 2022, the tennis legend consciously gave up tennis to focus on her family. She announced her decision in Vogue magazine and her IG account, stating, “There comes a time in life when we have to decide to move in a different direction.” Raising a child requires both time and effort. Sometimes it becomes very difficult to juggle a career and family, and when you’re a superstar like Serena Williams, the job gets much tougher. However, Williams always had a clear idea about how she wanted things to be.
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She has time and again reflected on her thoughts of picking her family over her profession. Recently, during an interview with Glamour, Serena Williams literally put 23 Grand Slam titles and $250 million on her backseat to reflect her thoughts on being a proud mother. She now has two daughters with her husband, Alexis Ohanian. Their elder daughter Olympia was born on September 1, 2017, and she gave birth to Adira River Ohanian on August 15, 2023. How does Williams feel about being the mother of two beautiful daughters?
While replying to a question on choosing between sports and family, Serena Williams said, “I think at some point you have to choose if you want to have kids. But for me, I decided to choose being a mom.” She further added, “I never thought I’d say that. But just hanging out with my girls and spending time with them and just showing up every day as an achievement. And that’s not easy! I can’t think of anything else that I achieved that’s better or greater than that.“
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via Getty
Polls of the day
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Do you think Serena Williams’ emotional confession about motherhood will impact her legacy in tennis?
Yes, it shows her human side
No, her achievements speak for themselves
It might overshadow her career
Not sure
Do you think Jannik Sinner’s comments about partisan crowds in tennis are justified?
Yes, it’s a real issue
No, it’s part of the game
He’s just making excuses
Crowds should be neutral
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Has motherhood made Serena Williams an even greater legend in your eyes?
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Who do you think will win the WTA China Open match between Madison Keys and Aryna Sabalenka?
Madison Keys
Aryna Sabalenka
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Do you think the Shanghai Masters’ scheduling is unfair to top players like Alcaraz, Sinner, and Medvedev?
Yes, it’s unfair
No, they should adapt
It’s part of the game
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Are you surprised by the bond between Serena Williams and Mandy Teefey?
Yes, it’s unexpected
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Previously, Serena Williams revealed that earlier in her career, she had never thought about having kids. She was never that confident or comfortable around babies or children. However, at the same time she figured that if she ever did have a baby, she would have people taking care of it 24/7. These were some of her earlier thoughts on becoming a mother, but now, she calls motherhood her “greatest accomplishment.” What message would she love to give to all the working mothers?
“It’s totally normal to feel like I’m not doing enough for my baby” – Serena Williams
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In an Instagram post, Serena Williams once wrote, “It’s totally normal to feel like I’m not doing enough for my baby. We have all been there. I work a lot, I train, and I’m trying to be the best athlete I can be. However, that means although I have been with her every day of my life, I’m not around as much as I would like to be.” She further added, “Most of you moms deal with the same thing. Whether stay-at-home or working, finding that balance with kids is a true art. You are the true heroes. I’m here to say: if you are having a rough day or week – it’s ok – I am, too!!! There’s always tomm!“
It’s never easy to leave your kids and go out for work. Most of the mothers face this challenge in their lives. However, for Serena, her elder daughter Olympia has now become more of her motivation. She revealed the same during her playing days, saying she (Olympia) keeps her going especially during the tournaments. What does her husband Alexis Ohanian think of Serena Williams’ incredible ability to manage a perfect balance between work and mom life?
What’s your perspective on:
Has motherhood made Serena Williams an even greater legend in your eyes?
Have an interesting take?
Debate
In 2021, during an interview with PEOPLE, Ohanian revealed that he’s still working to find a balance in these in his life. However, according to him, “Something (Williams) is really good at is shutting it off and focusing on family time and personal time.” However, with time even Ohanian realized, “It’s not always easy — my wife’s job takes her all over the world, as does mine — but I will do whatever I can, even if it means taking a dreaded red-eye or making a 24-hour international trip, to optimize time with Olympia and Serena.”
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So Serena Williams is not just showing the path to all other working mothers, but also helping his husband to find the perfect formula for this incredible work-life balance.
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Written by
Sayantan Roy
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Tennis Tales Unleashed
Sayantan Roy is a Tennis Writer at EssentiallySports, who crafts tennis tales that not only capture the game’s essence but also reflect his creative genius. As a believer in unbiased journalism, Sayantan, a fan of both Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, loves to fuse the world of such tennis rivals and present balanced copies as fan reaction pieces. Engaged in sports since college, he brings that passion to life.
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Edited by
Riya Singhal
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EssentiallySports is a digital-first sports media house that surfaces the best stories on America’s favorite sports celebrities with a fan’s perspective to 30+ M average monthly readers.
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