Serena Williams’ Wimbledon plans changed the moment she found out that she was expecting her first child. The mum-to-be, who stripped down for the August issue of Vanity Fair, recalled to the publication the shock of learning that she was pregnant prior to the Australian Open back in January. After feeling physically different, the tennis champion took a pregnancy kit at the suggestion of one of her friends, reasoning, “I’ll take it just because (a) to prove you wrong and (b) because it’s fun, whatever. It’s like a joke. Why not?”
The tennis star showed off her baby bump on the cover of Vanity Fair's August issue Photo: Annie Leibovitz exclusively for Vanity Fair
Upon seeing the results, Venus William’s sister admitted she “did a double take.” “My heart dropped. Like literally it dropped,” the professional athlete admitted. “Oh my God, this can’t be—I’ve got to play a tournament — How am I going to play the Australian Open? I had planned on winning Wimbledon this year.” Despite the results of the one test, Serena was not convinced and sent her friend to purchase five more, all of which proved to be positive.
Once she realized that she was indeed pregnant, the 35-year-old called her fiancé, Alexis Ohanian, and told him he needed to come to Australia. The Reddit co-founder, who popped the question last December, jumped on a plane from San Fransisco thinking the reason was a health-related. When he arrived, Serena did not say a word but rather handed her husband-to-be the bag filled with six positive pregnancy tests — leaving him just as shocked.
Fast-forward six months later and the idea of having a baby still “doesn’t seem real” for Serena. “I don’t know what to do with a baby. I have nothing … I’ve done absolutely nothing for the baby room,” she said. “If you would have told me last year in October or November that I would have a baby, not be pregnant but have a baby, I would have thought you were the biggest liar in the world. This is kind of how I am right now. This is happening sooner than later, and it’s going by so fast.” And while her fiancé, 34, is looking forward to their wedding, Serena confessed, “I’m trying to enjoy the little freedom I have left.”
In May the tennis star celebrated her bridal shower down in Florida at Miami’s 1 Hotel & Homes South Beach. Weeks later in June, Serena and Alexis traveled to the French Riviera for a babymoon. The Internet entrepreneur shared a romantic photo of himself and future bride, which he simply captioned, “Perfect weekend.”
