Serena Williams Unfazed, Losing In Her Tennis Return


Serena Williams has returned to tennis after taking a break to give birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr. in an exhibition match in the United Arab Emirates. During Williams’ tennis match at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi, she lost to French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, but Serena Williams is not crushed about her loss, as she has had several comebacks in her career prior to giving birth. Motherhood seems to have mellowed Serena Williams slightly.

Pregnancy Has Changed The Way Serena Williams Approaches Tennis

Serena Williams seems focused on her new family and her tennis, and less on her critics and the background noise from others who don’t wish her well. While Serena Williams was pregnant with Alexis, the former Romanian tennis player Ilie Nastase was making racist comments about Williams and her unborn child while on the tennis tour. The ITF said it would deal with Nastase, and Serena Williams released a statement to say that she was saddened that people like Nastase still exist.

“It disappoints me to know we live in a society which people like Ilie Nastase can make such racist comments towards myself and unborn child, and sexist comments against my peers.”

Serena Williams credited her pregnancy with her new zen approach and says she pities Nastase.

“This or anything else will not stop me from pouring love, light, and positivity into everything that I do. I will continue to take a lead and stand up for what’s right. I am not afraid unlike you. You see, I am no coward. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom?”

Serena Williams Is Happy With Today’s Match

And Serena Williams, 36, is continuing her new mellow approach to her tennis career, saying that whatever will be, will be, says the Hollywood Reporter. Serena Williams says she’s not interested in evaluating her current performance.

“I don’t think I am going to rate my performance. I have plenty of comebacks, from injuries, from surgeries, but I’ve never had a comeback after actually giving birth to a human being. So, in my eyes, I feel it was a wonderful, wonderful match for me.”

Williams played Jelena Ostapenko for over an hour and even pressed a tie-break. Serena Williams says that her return to the Australian Open is still up in the air.

“I don’t know if I am totally ready to come back on the tour yet. I know that when I come back I definitely want to be competing for championships. I am definitely looking forward to getting back out there.

“I am taking it one day at a time. I am going to assess everything with my team before deciding.”

Serena Williams has won 23 Grand Slam titles and says she really doesn’t think she has much to prove to anyone. Williams says that the more she plays, the more confident she feels about going forward.

“For me, it is all about physical, how I am feeling physically… I am just proud being out here and playing in Abu Dhabi and to be able to just compete. I have had a tough few months and I am just excited to be able to play again.”

Serena Williams Says The More She Plays, The More Comfortable She Is

Eonline says that most people are impressed that four months after giving birth to baby Alexis, Serena Williams is back playing professional tennis against the winner of the French Open. Williams told ESPN that she was just happy to be back on the court.

“I’m excited. It’s good to be back on the court. This was such a good time for me…First matches back are always super-incredibly hard, especially after having a baby. It was great. I was glad I could do it here.”

Williams husband, Alexis Ohanian was in Abu Dhabi to cheer her on, and wrote on Instagram that “mama is back in the office!”

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