Serena Williams photographed in 2016.
When news of Serena Williams's pregnancy broke it came via a low-key post on Snapchat. The picture was a simple selfie with the caption "20 weeks." However, speaking at a TED conference in Vancouver on Tuesday, April 25, Williams confessed that the snap was posted by mistake. "I was just saving them [for myself]" BBC News quotes the World no. 1 as saying. "I've been so good about it, but this was the one time it slipped."
Williams went on to say that she learned of her pregnancy just two days before the Australian Open began in January. She went on to win the tournament, beating sister Venus in the final to record a record 23rd Grand Slam singles title.
"It wasn't very easy," she said of the tournament. "You hear all these stories about people when they're pregnant, they get sick, they get really tired, really stressed out. I had to really take all that energy and put it in a paper bag, so to say, and throw it away. Pregnant or not, no one knew and I was supposed to win that tournament. Every time I play, I'm expected to win. If I don't win, it's actually much bigger news."
Later in her talk in Vancouver, Williams confirmed that she has no plans to retire and will return in 2018 after giving birth. "I definitely plan on coming back. I'm not done yet," said Williams. This [motherhood] is just a new part of my life. My baby's going to be in the stands and hopefully cheering for me."
Williams's appearance in Vancouver came a day after she backed an investigation into Romanian tennis coach Ilie Nastase. It is alleged he made racist remarks about her and her unborn baby.
