How Serena Williams rewrote the playbook for female athletes juggling motherhood and sport
By
May 20, 2019
Serena Williams, the youngest female athlete to ever win a Grand Slam title, is just one of many people now able to be a mom and a professional athlete. But it’s not something any of us have really considered. Williams, who made history in 2013 when she became the first female athlete to win the U.S. Open, is hardly the first woman to have done it. We’re going to hear from some of the pioneers, from Serena Williams to the women who inspired her.
Serena Williams
By Terence Moore / CNN
You can call me the poster child for womanizing at the professional level. I love to gamble, play with my family, drink the most expensive cocktail in history, and enjoy a high-end steak. I do not have time to wash up after a day at work. My husband is not concerned about how often I shave. And I don’t have time to make time for me.
I don’t have time, nor does anyone else, to consider the effect of competing and playing sports on my personal life. I don’t have time for anyone. I’m always a whirlwind, having just about as many friends and opportunities as I do meetings and interviews, so much that I need a daily planner.
I’m a professional athlete, which means I’m at the top of my profession. I have a lot of pressure on me. I have to have a good body, and I have to show up at my job every day. I’m under enormous pressure, and I’m under enormous pressure to perform. It’s more than just playing tennis, and it’s not just about winning. I need to be at my best.
My family, and my friends, are always on my mind. Everyone wants to talk about my health, my appearance, my family life, my love life, and the fact that I can’t have children. I go on so many trips with my family, because they need to see