Serena Williams, throughout her two-decade-long career, has dominated the women’s circuit. Though there are things that she does not regret missing while on the tour, motherhood is something she values greater than anything. The 23-time Grand Slam champion pointed out the same in her Vogue article and hinted that her options are limited when compared with male athletes while starting a family. Recently, her argument received backing from the former tennis ace Kim Clijsters.
Unlike male players, childbirth causes a long halt in female athletes’ careers. The 4-time Grand Slam Champion Clijsters is no stranger to such experiences, as she has had three children during her playing career.
Clijsters explains the difference between male and female athletes
Clijsters, the former world no.1, backed Williams and said, “What Serena said in her Vogue article resonated with a lot of women. Choosing to expand your family as a professional athlete or deciding when to retire is different for women compared to men. That’s just a fact.”
Thereafter, the former Belgian star added, “She said if I was a man I could have maybe had a career like Tom Brady or something, but I think the people who took it in a negative way. If she didn’t feel the desire to have a family, she would have still been playing those two years or year and a half, she was out of action.”
“That comparison; it is what it is. Roger Federer goes through becoming a father differently than his wife would.” Williams welcomed her daughter Olympia in September 2017. Speaking of her tennis season, she started the year riding high on form and claimed the trophy at the Australian Open by defeating her elder sister Venus Williams.
However, because of pregnancy, she had to withdraw from the circuit and only came back to the tour in next year’s Indian Wells. As a result of bodily changes, the tennis ace couldn’t secure an impactful run the entire 2018 season. Thus, one can say she sacrificed around 2 years of her peak form in the process of bringing her daughter to the world.
Serena Williams’ comeback
After Serena suffered a hamstring injury last year in London, she made her singles comeback in this year’s Wimbledon Championships. Though due to a lack of match practice and fitness, she lost her grip and couldn’t get past her first opponent.
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The 40-year-old failed to secure a seat in the second round against the French star, Harmony Tan. Tan, after struggling in the second set, pulled herself back into the match and advanced with a 7-5 1-6 7-6(7) victory. Currently, the American legend is gearing up for the last event of her career, the US Open.
What do you think of Serena’s and Clijsters’ views on female athletes starting a family? Let us know in the comments.
The post Kim Clijsters’ Strong Message to Haters Who Slammed Serena Williams Over Her Recent Tom Brady Reference: ‘Different for Women Compared to Men’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.
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