In the world of tennis, the name Serena Williams echoes louder than almost any other. With 23 Grand Slam singles titles, four Olympic gold medals, and over two decades of dominance, her athletic legacy is unquestionable. But since stepping away from professional tennis, Serena has stepped into a new arena—motherhood. And for some critics, that transition hasn’t come without scrutiny.
The question some dare to ask—Is Serena Williams a better athlete than she is a mother?—isn’t just offensive; it’s ignorant. Because anyone who has watched Serena over the past few years knows that while she may have ruled the court, she’s now redefining what it means to be a modern, powerful mother.
Since giving birth to her daughter, Olympia, in 2017, Serena has balanced the pressures of elite competition with the intimate, all-consuming role of motherhood. She’s shown up to Grand Slams breastfeeding, playing through pain, and sometimes even defeat—just to rush back home for bedtime stories. When other players celebrated victories, Serena often celebrated simply making it through a match while knowing her toddler waited for her courtside.
To compare her motherhood to her athletic career is to misunderstand both. Because just like on the court, Serena brings relentless passion, fierce protection, and total commitment to her daughter’s upbringing. In interviews, she’s spoken candidly about the struggles of postpartum depression, the fears of maternal health as a Black woman in America, and the enormous expectations that come with being a public figure and a parent.
But she’s also reshaped narratives. Instead of hiding behind fame, Serena has used her platform to challenge maternal health care inequalities and to show other women that ambition and motherhood are not enemies. She’s posed for magazine covers with her daughter, launched business ventures that center around women and mothers, and even started a venture capital firm to support women-led startups.
Still, some traditionalists whisper doubts. They say she should’ve retired sooner. That motherhood softened her edge. That she “wasn’t the same” after Olympia. But those voices ignore a deeper truth: Serena Williams didn’t lose herself in motherhood—she evolved.
Great athletes inspire with their achievements. Great mothers inspire with their sacrifice. Serena Williams does both. And if history was impressed by what she accomplished with a racquet, wait until the world fully recognizes what she’s doing with her voice, her platform, and her unconditional love for her daughter.
So, was she a better athlete than she is a mother?
The real controversy is even asking. Because to compare the two is to forget that Serena has always been more than just one title. And if you think she peaked on the court, you haven’t seen the power of Serena Williams—the mother, the mentor, the movement.