Serena Williams’ Adorable 3-Year-Old Daughter Cheers Her On At The US Open

In fact, Serena's pregnancy story started out with the news being a surprise. She found out she was pregnant right before the Australian Open, which she won. At the time, she was eight weeks along. Soon after, she confirmed the news on Instagram with a sweet poem she wrote for her future child.

"You gave me the strength I didn't know I had," Serena wrote. "You taught me the true meaning of serenity and peace. I can't wait to meet you. I can't wait for you to join the players box next year. But most importantly, I am so happy to share being number one in the world with you…. once again today." She gave birth to a little girl named Alexis Olympia — whom she refers mostly to as "Olympia," probably to avoid some household confusion.

Soon after, she penned an article for CNN, admitting that the experience in the hospital giving birth almost killed her. "What followed just 24 hours after giving birth were six days of uncertainty," she wrote. "It began with a pulmonary embolism, which is a condition in which one or more arteries in the lungs becomes blocked by a blood clot. Because of my medical history with this problem, I live in fear of this situation. So, when I fell short of breath, I didn't wait a second to alert the nurses."

Not only did she advocate for her own health, but Serena made sure to note that not all women — especially Black women — are as lucky as she is to have the medical team she had. "Around the world, thousands of women struggle to give birth in the poorest countries," she wrote. "When they have complications like mine, there are often no drugs, health facilities or doctors to save them. If they don't want to give birth at home, they have to travel great distances at the height of pregnancy. Before they even bring a new life into this world, the cards are already stacked against them."

Luckily, Serena survived. And she's proven that she still has the energy and stamina to do it all. She's made sure that her daughter has gotten to see her play, which must be such an empowering feeling. Serena was playing against Sloane Stephens at the US Open and won while little Olympia cheered her on from the limited audience.

Of course, Olympia was there with her dad, Alexis, who was wearing a mask that said "Girl Dad." Alexis shared the adorable footage of Serena waving to her baby girl in the audience. He captioned the footage "Baby Mama," with a wave emoji. It'll be a great keepsake for Olympia to have later on in life.

This wasn't Olympia's first match. In fact, as fans can easily tell from the photos that both Serena and Alexis post on Instagram, it seems as if Olympia is a natural fan of the sport. It's possible that someday in the future, she could take after her mom and her Aunt Venus and also start playing professionally — that is, if she chooses.

Serena and Olympia have had a strong bond from day one. "We're not spending a day apart until she's eighteen," Serena joked to Vogue back in 2018 — although even the reporters felt like she may have been serious. "To be honest, there's something really attractive about the idea of moving to San Francisco and just being a mom," she continued. "But not yet. Maybe this goes without saying, but it needs to be said in a powerful way: I absolutely want more Grand Slams."

But Serena — who's always worked hard — still knows her limits. Motherhood has helped her slow down a little. As she told Vogue, she'd have no clue how to handle a situation like that of Roger Federer, who also plays tennis. Roger welcomed two sets of twins, back to back, which means he has four babies at home.

"It's so unfair," said Serena. "He produced four babies and barely missed a tournament. I can't even imagine where I'd be with twins right now. Probably at the bottom of the pool." She also admitted that while she had a normal childhood before tennis took over, she doesn't know if she'd necessarily want that life for Olympia. However, that comment was made well before Olympia got to see the sport in person and have a better understanding of what was going on.

"It's so much work, and I've given up so much," Serena said. "I don't regret it, but it's like Sliding Doors: Go through a different door and lead a different life. I'd like her to have a normal life. I didn't have that." She also expressed interest in showing Olympia that women can be leaders, and women can dream big.

"I think sometimes women limit themselves," she admitted. "I'm not sure why we think that way, but I know that we're sometimes taught to not dream as big as men, not to believe we can be a president or a CEO, when in the same household, a male child is told he can be anything he wants. I'm so glad I had a daughter. I want to teach her that there are no limits."

While Serena originally talked about having a second child in 2018, she knew that it'd be even more tough to balance both a career and a sibling for Olympia. "If I weren't working, I'd already be pregnant," she said to Today. Aside from that, there's also a fear regarding her health. While Serena got lucky once, her complications after birth were very scary.

Even if Olympia is a single child, she's still got incredibly loving parents who are going to make sure she has the best life possible, filled with so many opportunities. Having Olympia come to her games must make Serena feel pretty special. The work-and-parenting balance is so hard, but Serena's family is making it work.