Tennis superstar Serena Williams will not be playing the Australian Open. Williams, who returned to the sport last week, suffered a loss at the hands of French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, released the following statement via Snapchat:
“After competing in Abu Dhabi I realized that although I am super close, I’m not where I personally want to be. My coach and team always said, ‘Only go to tournaments when you are prepared to go all the way.’ I can compete — but I don’t want to just compete, I want to do far better than that and to do so, I will need a little more time… With that being said, and even though I am disappointed about it, I’ve decided not to compete in the Australian Open this year.”
While some tennis fans may be left disappointed, as a mother, I find it a miracle that Williams felt ready enough to compete in Abu Dhabi. After giving birth, the body can need six months up to a year to return to form. The Australian Open comes just four months after the birth of her gorgeous baby girl, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.
We wish Serena and her beautiful family all the best. This just means more snuggle time with Alexis!
