Serena Williams attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California.© Getty Images

Serena Williams shares honest post-baby body video as she documents her struggle with clothing

The tennis star is a mom to daughters Olympia and Adira with husband Alexis Ohanian

Ahad Sanwari - New York
Senior WriterNew York
January 29, 2024

Serena Williams is getting real about life after welcoming a baby, giving birth to her second child with husband Alexis Ohanian last August.

The 42-year-old tennis star shared a new video on Instagram documenting her struggles with figuring out postpartum fashion and her changing body.

Watch below as Serena gets honest about finding clothes that fit her body and getting candid about embracing a new fitness regime…

WATCH: Serena Williams documents her struggle with postpartum clothing

The star received a slew of positive responses from her famous fans who praised her for being so open about her changing body, with Deborah Roberts writing: "Serena , I appreciate your honesty and vulnerability. You'll get in that skirt."

Another fan commented: "Well done on sharing the reality of postpartum… not just the glamorized instagram version," and a third also added: "You don't have a problem, you have a beautiful body. Women are spending money to get what you have. Seriously. I love your outlook on life."

The Wimbledon champ has taken fans along on her fitness journey the past few months as she hits the gym with renewed fervor after welcoming her second daughter. She and Reddit co-founder Alexis are also the parents of daughter Olympia, now six.

Serena Williams joined by daughter Olympia during her workout in a photo shared on Instagram© Instagram
The tennis star has also shared with fans glimpses of her postpartum fitness journey

Back in 2018, Serena spoke with press ahead of her Wimbledon return about regaining her athlete's physique after giving birth to Olympia, and revealed that she struggled to lose weight despite following a strict vegan diet.

"I was vegan, I didn't eat sugar," she explained. "I was totally eating completely healthily… And I wasn't at the weight that I would have been had I not breastfed. 

SEE: Serena Williams is the ultimate beach babe in form-flattering swimsuit as she poses with lookalike daughter

"What I've learned is that every body is different – no matter how much I worked out, it didn't work for me. I lost 10 pounds in a week when I stopped. I just kept dropping."

© TikTok
The star and husband Alexis Ohanian welcomed their second daughter, Adira, back in August

Serena also discussed crying with a then 10-month-old Olympia when she made the decision to stop breastfeeding. "I literally sat Olympia in my arms and I talked to her about it and we prayed about it.

MORE: Serena Williams’ unusual beauty hack sparks debate

"I said, 'look, mommy has to stop and mommy has to do this'. I cried a little bit, not as much as I thought I would."

© Getty Images
The tennis star has been candid about her journey with fitness and diet during and after her pregnancies

She did confess, however, to missing the pressure of the game by the time she made her return to the court. "It definitely surprises me.

INSIDE: Serena Williams showcases epic regal nursery complete with a walk-in closet for baby Adira

"I have this amazing child, all these grand slams... it was all super bonus. I definitely feel a lot less pressure out there but I'm a little bit shocked at how much I almost want that pressure." At her first Wimbledon post-birth, Serena exceeded expectations, making the finals despite being ranked 181 in the world at the time. She lost to Angelique Kerber of Germany.

© Instagram
"What I've learned is that every body is different – no matter how much I worked out, it didn't work for me."

Serena has since officially retired from competitive tennis, making the announcement in August 2022 and playing her expected last matches at the US Open that year. She has since dedicated her life to more entrepreneurial pursuits, taking care of her two daughters, and even branching out into other media, such as YouTube.

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