Serena WILLIAMS. Photo instagram.com
While the whole world’s tennis elite preparing for the first season tournament “Grand slam” – Australian Open, his defending champion Serena Williams gave a Frank interview with Vogue magazine, the cover of which was shot with a tiny daughter Alexis Olympia.
About motherhood
– Olympia will not spend a single day separately, until, until she turns 18. (And it’s only half a joke.) I am 36 years old.
I look at my baby and remember that this was one of my goals when I was little, even before tennis took over, and I was an ordinary girl who played with dolls. Oh God, I so loved my dolls.
The difficulties after childbirth
– When the daughter put on my belly, I felt incredible. And then it all went wrong.
The next day recovering in the hospital, Serena suddenly felt it hard to breathe. She was afraid that she again will happen pulmonary embolism (tennis player lives in fear of blood clots). She urged medical staff to make her a CT scan and an IV with heparin, but only she was offered an ultrasound. It showed nothing, CT scan showed several small blood clots in the lungs. “Listen to Dr. Williams!” – I said to them. But it was only the first Chapter of a six-day drama. Barely recovered from the embolism, she returned to the operating room, this time on the huge hematoma on her stomach. After returning home, she realized that she could not fulfill their maternal duties at night. Six weeks and didn’t get out of bed.
About ambitions
– To be honest, there is something really attractive in the idea to move to San Francisco and to be a mother. But not now. Maybe aloud to talk about it necessarily, but I will say: I want more “Grand slams”. I’m familiar with the books of records, unfortunately. It is no secret that I want the 25th Helmet. And actually, I think that having a child can help. When I become too impatient, lose matches, and with the birth of Olympia all my impatience evaporated. The realization that I have this wonderful baby, gives me the feeling that I don’t have to play another tennis match. I don’t need money, titles or prestige. I want them but not need them. This is a new feeling for me.
Sometimes I’m in the doldrums and feel like “Oh my God, I can’t do it.” The same negative perception that appears from time to time I and on the court. I guess I’m just this is. No one talks about the difficult moments of motherhood: the pressure that you feel about the incredible frustration that you experience every time you hear a child crying. Don’t know how many times I’ve been broken. Or I was angry about crying, then sad because he was angry, felt guilty like: “Why be sad, if you have such a beautiful child. Emotions crazy.
About education
– Obedience gives protection. That’s what I kept telling mom. These are the words of the Bible. She wrote them on a piece of paper and gave it to me. I was always obedient: no matter what said parents do, I did. It was not discussed. I had a rebellious phase at age 20, when I first tried the liqueur. Maybe having a baby in a tennis tour – the most wild thing I I could do.
About fellow tennis players
Serena says that fellow players actively support it, especially the fathers. Stan Wawrinka gave Olympia a tiny pair of shoes, but Novak Djokovic continues to send articles that meet his philosophy about all natural. Serena and Novak call the children who were born with a difference in one day, partners the pair.
About Roger Federer, who has two sets of twins, Williams Jr. says: “It’s so unfair! He has four children, and he hardly missed a single tournament. I can’t even imagine where I would be now with the twins. Probably at the bottom of the pool.”
About fellow players
– We need to support each other and develop our tour. Women in the days of Billie Jean king supported each other, even despite the fact that they competed ruthlessly. And we also need to do this. Now at this point I want to leave. To play each other tough, but to develop the sport.
About sister Venus
I know that her career could be different if she had my health. I know how hard she works. Hate playing with her because of that expression on her face when she loses and is sad. It breaks my heart. So when I play with her, try not to look at her, because this look I feel bad and start to play. So when our rivalry reached a certain point, I stopped to look at her.
About women’s tennis in her absence
– It’s interesting. Since I left, it was not clear the first room. It would be cool to see if I going back there. At the place that I call my – where I should be. I don’t play to be second or third. Now if there is no obvious first issue, I can get back to their position. It’s cool.
About records
I remember the stress I felt about having to win the “Grand slam” room 18, to catch up with Chrissie (Evert) and Martin (Navratilova). I lost every “major” in that season. When I was at the US Open, Patrick (Mouratoglou), my coach, said, “Serena, it doesn’t make sense. You’ve been stressed about the 18th? Why not 30? The 40th?”. And I have something clicked. I won the 18-th and 19-th and 20-th “major” immediately after that. Why would I stand next to someone if I could stand by itself?
I think women are sometimes too limiting yourself. I don’t know why we think so. But it is precisely this: we sometimes say don’t even dream about what men dream of. Don’t even think about the fact that we can be President or to lead the company. It’s like a family: the boys say they can do whatever they want. I’m so glad I have a daughter. I want to teach her that there are no restrictions.
About retirement
– I started to play tennis before to remember it. At my age, I can already see the finish line. And when the finish line is close, you don’t want to slow down. You are accelerating.
Maria NIKULUSHKINA, Sport-Express