Former world No. 1 Serena Williams admitted her priorities have changed since becoming a mother as she said that winning is “now a desire and no longer a need.”
In September 2017, 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams became a mother for the first time in her life.Â
Williams and her husband Alexis Ohanian welcomed their first child when the former world No. 1 gave a birth to their daugher Olympia.Â
“Since I’ve had my baby, the stakes of the game have shifted for me,” wrote Williams in an essay for Elle magazine. “I have 23 Grand Slams to my name, more than any other active player. But winning is now a desire and no longer a need.
“I have a beautiful daughter at home; I still want the titles, the success, and the esteem, but it’s not my reason for waking up in the morning. There is more to teach her about this game than winning.”
Williams: I have become more vocal and stand more for what mattersÂ
“I’ve learned to dust myself off after defeat, to stand up for what matters at any cost, to call out for what’s fair – even when it makes me unpopular,” said Williams. “Giving birth to my baby, it turned out, was a test for how loud and how often I would have to call out before I was finally heard.”
In a recent Instagram post, Williams reflected on winning Auckland in 2020 January.Â
If you wonder why winning Auckland was so special for Williams, it’s because it was her first title since becoming a mother.Â
“You’ve seen me hold trophy after trophy in my career. This one was extra special because it was the first time I got to show my daughter that her mom is a champion,” Williams wrote on Instagram.
Meanwhile, Williams hasn’t played since last year’s Wimbledon but she has indicated she plans to return in 2022.Â