Do you think winning Wimbledon is challenging? Serena Williams suggests trying to manage life as a mother of two.
"As a mother, I find myself more active than I was during my tennis career," Williams shared on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna on April 4.
"Of course, during tennis, I was competing in events like Wimbledon. But as a mother, my days are filled with activities," she continued.
Her daily routine now involves dedicating time to volunteer at her daughter's school whenever possible. Following the birth of her second child, Adira, in August, Williams juggles her responsibilities as a mother to 6-year-old Olympia.
"I approach it with a competitive spirit," she admitted. "I always put my name down whenever there's an opportunity."
Her busy life as a mom inspired her to launch a new makeup line, WYN Beauty, which offers products designed for quick application, allowing her to complete her makeup routine in just five minutes.
Williams shares her two daughters with her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.
@serena Welcome my beautiful angel
♬ original sound - Serenawilliams
When Ohanian and Williams celebrated the arrival of their second child, the enthusiastic father publicly hailed his superstar wife as the GMOAT (Greatest Mother Of All Time).
"@serenawilliams, you've bestowed upon me yet another unparalleled gift — you're the GMOAT," he expressed. "Gratitude to all the remarkable medical professionals who cared for my wife and our daughter 🙏 I'll forever cherish the moment I introduced @olympiaohanian to her baby sister."
Continue reading for further details about their two daughters.
Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr.
The young girl, known by her middle name, was born on September 1, 2017.
"Welcome, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr., we're thrilled to finally meet you," Ohanian shared on Instagram two weeks following her birth. "Our little girl is already mama's perfect sidekick."
The 41-year-old tennis icon notably competed in the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant with Olympia, who arrived later that year.
Williams had revealed her pregnancy by posting a Snapchat selfie wearing a yellow swimsuit during her 20th week of pregnancy.
In a CNN essay published the following year, Williams disclosed that she faced a life-threatening situation during childbirth due to a pulmonary embolism following an emergency C-section.
Describing the birth as complex, Williams detailed her experience of undergoing an emergency C-section followed by suffering a pulmonary embolism (a condition where a blood clot lodges in an artery in the lungs, as per Mayo Clinic).
Olympia has grown into an adorable "mini me" of her mother — she enjoys playing tennis with her superstar mom, as seen in photos shared on her own (parent-managed) Instagram account, boasting over 600,000 followers.
In May 2022, Ellen DeGeneres asked Williams to evaluate her daughter's tennis skills.
"Ummm…," she responded. "Are you asking as a mom or an athlete? I'm not sure if I can be impartial because when I watch her, I'm like, 'Oh, that's good…'"
"I don't push her," Williams added. "She's 4… She's doing okay. I'd say she needs to — I've seen 4-year-olds who might give her a run for her money…"
Luckily, Olympia finds joy in various activities, including spending time with her beloved doll Qai Qai, dressing up in matching outfits with her mother, engaging in lightsaber battles, and enjoying princess cosplay, as demonstrated during a visit to the Palace of Versailles in France.
According to her parents, Olympia is eagerly anticipating her role as a big sister.
Adira River Ohanian
Williams and Ohanian delightedly announced the arrival of Adira River on Aug. 22, 2023.
Their second pregnancy was revealed prior to the 2023 Met Gala in May.
"Was so thrilled when Anna Wintour invited the 3 of us to the Met Gala," Williams captioned Instagram photos of herself and Ohanian dressed for the event while tenderly cradling her pregnant belly.
Ohanian tweeted on that day, "Mama & Papa love this parenting-thing, so we're back at it and @olympiaohanian is gonna be the best Big Sister — she's been asking & praying for this for a minute."
On May 23, Williams posted a YouTube video showing her positive pregnancy test and preparing to share the news with Olympia.
"Olympia doesn't know right now that I am pregnant, but she did call me fat and then she got really stressed out. She was like, 'Mommy, you're fat,'" Williams shared in the video. "I try not to take it personally because I'm really into fitness, but I'm like, 'Um, am I?'"
Sitting down with their daughter, Williams revealed, "Remember how you've been praying for a little sister or brother? It turns out I'm not getting fat but I have a baby in my belly."
"Are you kidding me?" exclaimed Olympia, before embracing her mom and excitedly moving around the room and then flopping on the floor.
"You still gotta help us keep it a secret for one more day, OK?" Ohanian reminded.
The couple recognized the risk of telling Olympia before informing the rest of the world.
"The reason I haven't told her is because she can't keep a secret," Williams mentioned in a YouTube video teaser on May 5.
Williams also shared YouTube footage of her baby shower and gender reveal celebration, revealing, "I'm team pink."
"I'm nervous because I don't have any contingency plan if it turns out to be a boy... I'm very excited. I'm a little nervous," Williams added.
Ohanian recently told "People" that he and Williams feel prepared to welcome a new baby into their lives.
"We're not first-time parents anymore," he expressed to the outlet. "I feel more confident about having a newborn, all of those things that I just had zero confidence about with Olympia because I'd never even been around babies at that point in my life," he continued. "We're also obviously taking every precaution and doing everything we can to make sure everything goes smoothly for Serena."