The year 2023 was a special one for Serena Williams. The American tennis legend welcomed her second child, Adira, nearly six years after Olympia, her first child, was born. It was a moment of joy not only for her family but also for the entire tennis community. However, motherhood hasn’t come easy for the younger Williams sister.

While she faced a near-death situation during the birth of Olympia, Williams had another sacrifice to make before welcoming Adira into this world. It was regarding a big career decision made by her a year before becoming a mother for the second time.

Serena Williams is aiming for balance

The American tennis legend bid adieu to the sport in 2022 after the US Open, where played for one last time there in front of her home crowd. The decision to retire was both difficult and emotional to make for Williams as she had given so many years to it and was attached to tennis. During an interview, she revealed that “It’s definitely not easy,” when asked about moving away from the sport.

via Getty

Further, she went on to add, “I love sports and being active. Leaving something I was still good at to be a mom was such a difficult decision. But I wanted another kid, so I had to do that. Now it’s about finding balance and doing other things I’ve always loved.”

Williams recently appeared in a magazine photoshoot for Byrdie. She gave glimpses of why she is called the fashion queen as she looked stunning in the pictures, discussing how her perception of beauty has changed over the years. While she had to sacrifice her career for her child, motherhood helped Williams in one major aspect.

Williams sees beauty in the eyes of her daughter

The 23-time Grand Slam champion can be often seen sharing makeup rituals with Olympia. Additionally, she plans to do the same with her younger daughter as well, once Adira reaches a certain age. Williams reflected on how motherhood has helped her evolve her beauty.

The retired tennis champ said, “The way I talk to myself about beauty has certainly changed throughout my life, and it will continue to evolve. Motherhood has allowed me to look at beauty through the eyes of my daughter, Olympia.”

Her daughter, Olympia, is not too far behind than her mother when it comes to beauty and fashion sense. Indeed, the two form an adorable bond and it is no surprise that they follow makeup rituals together.