Serena Williams has long dazzled the world with her unparalleled presence on the tennis court, cementing her status as one of the greatest athletes of all time. But for Williams, the challenges she’s faced haven’t been confined to the court—her journey has extended far beyond the lines of tennis. Recently, Williams shared once again one of the most profound roles in her life: motherhood that is probably even more challenging than winning a grand slam!

The 43-year-old tennis great took to her Instagram story to share a hilarious reel on her story. She highlighted the off-court challenges that she faced as she started a new chapter of her life and revealed her struggles as a mother. In the reel, the star player highlighted what the expectations of a mother are and how different it is from reality. 

The video posted by Williams on her story highlights the expectations of a mother pertaining to her dressing style. In the video, a transition can be seen from the stylish outfits of mothers with their children to a more troubled form of dressing that lacks aesthetics. “How you think you are gonna dress as a mom,” was the text in the string of initial pictures which was followed by “Reality” for the lesser aesthetic pictures. This, interestingly, is not the first time when the star player has highlighted the struggles of her motherhood. 

In a video she shared on her social media in late September this year, Williams was seen spending some struggling times with her younger daughter, Adira Ohanian. The little girl is witnessed trying to escape from Williams’ grasp but finally makes her way back to her mama’s chest. She also nearly bonked the tennis legend in the head, thereby bringing the challenges of motherhood to light.

Remember, Williams welcomed her first daughter Olympia in 2017, a year after she tied the knot with Alexis Ohanian. The couple welcomed their second child Adira in 2023, after the tennis great decided to sign off from the courts to grow her family. She had also opened up about how difficult was it to manage tasks as a mother, while she was still a professional player. 

“Sometimes I get really down and feel like, Man, I can’t do this,” Williams said as she discussed her life as a mother in 2018. “It’s that same negative attitude I have on the court sometimes. I guess that’s just who I am. No one talks about the low moments—the pressure you feel, the incredible letdown every time you hear the baby cry. I’ve broken down I don’t know how many times. Or I’ll get angry about the crying, then sad about being angry, and then guilty,” Williams added, per Vogue. However, despite the challenges she faced, Williams has a unique reason behind her desire to grow her family. 

When Serena Williams shared the emotional reason behind her second pregnancy

Serena Williams has demonstrated immense resilience not just in her professional career, but also in her personal life. In an interaction with Glamour, Williams revealed her immense love for her sisters and highlighted what encouraged her to become a mother for the second time, despite facing immense complications during her first pregnancy.

Speaking in the interview, Williams shared, “I mean, I grew up with girls. I’d honestly never been around boys unless I was dating one.” The star player grew up alongside four sisters, Venus Williams, Yetunde Price, Lyndrea Price, and Isha Price. She highlighted the importance of sisters saying they “are so special.” These experiences, amalgamated with her desire to let Olympia witness a similar childhood and that’s what motivated her to her second pregnancy despite witnessing complications during the first.

Remember, the 23-time Grand Slam winner once recalled being rushed into an emergency C-section after Olympia’s heart rate dropped precipitously during contractions. She was also diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism after pregnancy. Her surgical wound burst open on several occasions and when she returned to surgery, doctors found a hematoma. 

However, Serena Williams graciously overcame these challenges. And now, it seems she has learned to combine the struggles with humor to spend cherishing times with her family.