Tennis fans might have extra reason to tune into the Australian Open next year.
Williams, who gave birth last month to her first child, a daughter, famously won the Australian Open in January while roughly eight weeks pregnant. She found out on the eve of the tournament, and once medically cleared to play by her doctor, it was full steam ahead.
Even during her pregnancy, Williams remained active, training on the court as often as possible with the idea of returning to the Australian Open in 2018.
“I don’t think my story is over yet,” she told Vanity Fair over the summer, when she first indicated that she wanted to come back in January.
Williams has long favored the Aussie Open, even insinuating her daughter’s name, Alexis Olympia, whom she shares with fiance, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, is an ode to the Melbourne-based tournament.
Fun fact my daughters initials are AO as in the Aussie open she won with me @AustralianOpen
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) September 28, 2017
Despite Williams’s past assertions, however, she’s been mum lately about her intentions with tennis, preferring instead to share more parental-oriented tidbits.
Today I bought my first bag of diapers. I felt so grown picking out the bag. I may have even looked around hoping someone saw me. Haha
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) October 9, 2017
3:30 in the morning. Not a soul in site. I'm just waiting on Olympia to wake up so I can give her kisses on this fall night
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) October 1, 2017
I'm having a hard time posting about anything that does not involve Alexis Olympia or something to do with her.
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) September 28, 2017
While diapers and snuggles are front and center on social media, though, the 36-year-old looks to have wasted no time getting back into athletic form.
Including her seven Australian Open titles, Williams has won a total of 23 Grand Slam singles titles, more than anyone else in the Open-era and one shy to tie the record held by Australian Margaret Court, who coincidentally, won three of her titles after returning from giving birth to a son in 1973.
“I don’t know,” Court, 74, told Reuters earlier this year when asked whether she thought Williams would also find success with a comeback. “It’ll depend on her.”
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