"I’d like my daughter to have a normal life, I didn’t have that” - When Serena Williams made honest admission about not forcing her kids into tennis

Serena Williams once shared that she wouldn’t want her daughter, Olympia, to pursue tennis as a profession. Explaining her reason, she said she hopes her daughter gets to live a “normal” life, something she herself didn’t experience growing up in the spotlight and under intense pressure.

Williams had a legendary career and is considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, tennis players of all time, with an astounding 23 Grand Slam titles to her name. She officially closed the chapter on her professional journey at the 2022 US Open.

The American had to overcome countless obstacles during her tennis career, from enduring racism and sexist remarks to battling serious health scares, including a life-threatening pulmonary embolism in 2011 and complications during pregnancy years later. While those experiences made her stronger, she’s made it clear she doesn’t want her children to face the same hardships she did.

“I would hate her to have to deal with comparisons or expectations,” Williams told Vogue in 2018. “It’s so much work, and I’ve given up so much. I don’t regret it, but it’s like Sliding Doors: Go through a different door and lead a different life. I’d like her to have a normal life. I didn’t have that.”

The 23-time Grand Slam champion also expressed how grateful she was to have a daughter, saying it gave her the chance to teach Olympia to never place limits on herself and to never believe she’s any less capable than a man.

“I think sometimes women limit themselves," Serena Williams said. "I’m not sure why we think that way, but I know that we’re sometimes taught to not dream as big as men, not to believe we can be a president or a CEO, when in the same household, a male child is told he can be anything he wants. I’m so glad I had a daughter. I want to teach her that there are no limits.”

Williams gave birth to Olympia just two months before tying the knot with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Incredibly, she was already pregnant during her victorious run at the 2017 Australian Open, a fact she kept to herself until much later.

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Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian: "I would love for her to be a professional athlete"

Serena Williams, Alexis Ohanian and their daughter Olympia pictured together | Image Source: Getty

While Serena Williams has openly said she wouldn’t want her daughter to follow in her footsteps and pursue a career in tennis, her husband, Alexis Ohanian, takes a more flexible approach. He’s shared that he’d love to see Olympia become a professional athlete or a CEO, but ultimately, he just wants her to choose her own path

Ohanian told CNN in 2020:

"I would love for my daughter to be a CEO and a startup founder. I would love for her to be a professional athlete." "Serena admits that when she sees Olympia running around with a soccer ball, having a great time playing with me, she gets a little jealous. But don’t worry, Olympia is really great with a racket, too," he added.

Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian later decided to grow their family, with the tennis legend becoming pregnant with their second daughter, Adira. She gave birth in August 2023, and Ohanian announced the happy news with a heartfelt Instagram post.

Edited by Pritha Ghosh