"Serena paved the way for motherhood" - Navratilova on Williams' success after becoming mom

Friday, 07 October 2022 at 20:30

Updated at Sunday, 01 December 2024 at 08:46

byJordan Reynolds

Martina Navratilova thinks that Serena Williams' determination to continue competing after becoming a mother has enabled other athletes to continue competing after having children.

Williams confirmed she was expecting her first child after winning her 23rd Grand Slam at the 2017 Australian Open, which she also played pregnant. After returning, she played four Grand Slam finals - two at Wimbledon and two at the US Open.

The tennis legend's career continued after she returned from maternity leave until she bid farewell to tennis at the 2022 US Open after losing in the third round of her home Grand Slam to Ajla Tomljanovic.

Williams reached four Grand Slam finals after coming back from maternity leave. Just one win would have been enough to equal Margaret Court's record of 24 major titles, but she lost all those matches.

However, the achievement of making that many finals at her age and after becoming a mother should not be taken for granted. That longevity only added to the American's legendary status.

18-time Grand Slam singles champion and fellow tennis legend Martina Navratilova told CNN en Espanol's Elizabeth Perez that Williams paved the way for female players to return to tennis after having children.

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“For women it was either or, but now Serena proved you can have both. There are plenty of other mothers on the tour who have done really well."

“But now I think Serena kind of paved the way for motherhood and to still be an athlete. I think you will see more and more women playing well into their 30s, maybe into their 40s.”

Williams is widely viewed as the greatest female tennis player ever, but how she inspired others to return to tennis after having kids is another thing the 41-year-old will be remembered for.