Tennis star Serena Williams hasn’t been on the court professionally since last year, but she still managed to score a big win this week when she announced the birth of her second child on social media.
The big news came by way of a video posted on Tuesday to Williams’ TikTok account, @serena. In it you can see her and her 5 year-old daughter Olympia joining hubby Alexis Ohanian at a table as he taps away at a laptop. Mom excuses herself, then returns with a bundle of joy: newborn girl Adira River Ohanian. Adira gets a kiss on the head from her big sister before we’re treated to a slideshow of happy family photos.
The short caption says it all: “Welcome my beautiful angel.”
@serenaWelcome my beautiful angel⬠original sound – Serenawilliams
Ohanian shared photos of big sister Olympia holding her newborn sister on Instagram. “I’m grateful to report our house is teaming with love: a happy & healthy newborn girl and happy & healthy mama,” he wrote in the caption. “Feeling grateful.” He also thanked the medical professionals who cared for his wife and daughter, which was especially meaningful since Williams faced serious complications during Olympia’s birth.
Baby Adira’s announcement was fairly understated in contrast to the couple’s gender reveal party in August at their Palm Beach Gardens mansion in Florida, which featured a high-tech aerial light show with drones spelling out the word “GIRL” high above the guests.
The public first found out that Williams was expecting at the 2023 Met Gala in May, where she showed off her baby bump in a black dress reminiscent of 1920’s flapper fashion.
Adira is the second baby for Williams and Reddit co-founder Ohanian, who became engaged in 2016. At 41, Serena hasn’t officially used the word “retirement,” but she did tell Vogue in August of 2022 that she was ready to “move on from playing tennis.” She has done so with an impressive array of accomplishments that includes 23 Grand Slam singles titles — the last of which she won while pregnant with her first daughter.
When speaking to Vogue about motherhood, Williams described herself as a hands-on mom.
“My husband will tell you I am too hands-on,” she said. “In five years, Olympia has only spent one 24-hour period away from me. This past year, while I was recovering from a hamstring injury, I got to pick her up from school four or five days a week, and I always looked forward to seeing her face light up when she walked out of the building and saw me waiting there for her. The fact is that nothing is a sacrifice for me when it comes to Olympia.”
New baby Adira will likely get the same devotion. Congrats to the happy couple!
MORE: Serena Williams’ daughter already has her own adorable Instagram account
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