In an exclusive interview with Glamour magazine for their latest issue, tennis legend Serena Williams opens up about her multifaceted life as a mother, entrepreneur, and investor.
Now that her two daughters—Olympia, 7, and Adira, 1—whom she shares with her husband, Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian, are growing older, Serena admits she’s “tinkering” with the idea of revealing more about her iconic status to them.
However, to Serena’s surprise, Olympia already seems to have an idea of her mom’s legacy. “The other day Olympia said, ‘My mom is the most famous tennis player in the world. She’s the best to ever play tennis.’ I was like, ‘Who told you that?’” Williams recalls with a smile.
The moment touched her deeply, as she admits, “It made me feel really good. She was so proud.”
While Serena is a tennis icon, she has no plans for Olympia and Adira to follow in her footsteps.
Olympia “isn’t into sports,” she shares, and that’s perfectly fine with Williams. Her priority as a mother is to help her daughters discover their own passions, whatever they may be.
Recalling her father’s advice, Serena says, “Whatever you want to do, give it your all. It even says that in the Bible. ‘Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly.’”
Serena also reflects on the challenges of motherhood, including the postpartum struggles she faced after both Olympia and Adira’s births.
“You never know when it can happen,” she reveals. “It could be a month; it could be a week. It could take a year for things to settle down a lot. We are the vessels of increasing the population, literally. It’s really about keeping a positive environment and giving yourself grace and understanding.”
When asked if she’s truly mastered self-care, Serena laughs. “I feel like I have. Okay, no. But I feel like I am trying. I am learning to take my time and say, ‘I just can’t do it today. I need a day off,’ and it’s okay to say that.”
