“More Like Animal Crossing Kind of Gamer” – Serena Williams on Playing Games With Alexis Ohanian and Olympia

Millions across the world know Serena Williams for her powerful game on the tennis court. Since turning pro in 1995, she achieved unprecedented success in the game, with a record 23 Grand Slam titles to her name. However, not all fans know her as an avid video gamer.

When she isn’t competing, one may find the 39-year-old engaged with her Nintendo Switch console. Although she didn’t share this interest of hers with her daughter Olympia as yet, Williams revealed that time will come in the future.

Serena Williams reveals she will introduce video games to her daughter Olympia

In 2021, Williams struggled with injuries. Although she had a shoulder injury at the start of the year, she made it to the Australian Open. However, the American lost to Naomi Osaka in the semifinals, denying her a record-extending 24th Grand Slam.

At Wimbledon, she retired midway during her first-round match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Following this, she withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics with an eye towards the US Open in two weeks. During her hiatus, she shared many posts on social media about her spending time with Olympia, who turns four next month.

From playing tennis to relaxing by the pool, the mother-daughter duo did it all. However, Williams is yet to introduce Olympia to one of her major interests: video games. In fact, she shares this interest with her husband Alexis Ohanian.

When asked by PEOPLE whether she will introduce Nintendo consoles to Olympia, the 39-year-old had a simple answer. “For sure. That goes unsaid, absolutely,” said Williams. However, she didn’t reveal at what age she would introduce the leisure activity to Olympia.

READ MORE: Serena Williams’ Daughter Olympia – All You Need To Know About Serena’s Motherhood

Williams admits she’s more of an Animal Crossing gamer

The 23-time Grand Slam champion also took the time to delve into her favorite games on Nintendo consoles. She mentioned Zelda, Animal Crossing, and Luigi’s Mansion while admitting lifestyle-based games rank among her favorites.

She said, “I’ve dabbled in Zelda. I’m not very good at it. I’m more like the Animal Crossing kind of gamer. I tried Luigi’s Mansion for a while, it was fun, but I wasn’t good at it, and I get frustrated with them. So I was like ‘play what I know.'”

As for her return to action, Williams faces a race against time to be fit for the US Open. While she skipped the ongoing Cincinnati Open, fans wonder if she will be a favorite at Flushing Meadows despite her pedigree.

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