Serena Williams’ Daughter Olympia Appears All Grown Up in Recent Photos
Serena Williams recently posted new photos of her eldest daughter, and wow, she’s grown up!
“At first they are sweet, then they get sweeter… Or something like that,” Williams, 44, expressed on Instagram on Thursday, October 30, sharing a mix of recent and throwback images featuring 8-year-old Olympia. (Williams also has a 2-year-old daughter, Adira, with her husband Alexis Ohanian.)
The collection includes a cozy couch moment where Williams and Olympia cross their arms and gaze at each other. Other images showcase a younger Olympia in an airport security bin and by the ocean during what seems to be a family vacation. A more contemporary shot captures her smiling while on a boat.
“Dear Daughter, I hope you can always hear my voice saying ‘you’ve got this’ when the world feels too loud. Love, Mom,” Williams added on the final slide.
Williams has been candid about how motherhood has transformed her life. In a 2022 essay for Vogue, the Golden Slam champion announced her decision to retire from tennis to prioritize her role as a mom.
“Believe me, I never wanted to choose between tennis and family. It’s not fair. If I were a man, I wouldn’t be writing this because I’d be out there winning while my wife expanded our family,” she stated. “Maybe I’d be more of a Tom Brady if I had that chance. I love being a woman, and enjoyed every moment of being pregnant with Olympia. I was that woman who adored pregnancy and was working until I had to go to the hospital—though things got complicated afterward. Many people don’t realize I was two months pregnant when I won the Australian Open in 2017. But I’m turning 41 soon, and something has to change.”
Williams expressed that the thought of retirement brings her to tears and she prefers a different term.
“The best word to describe my situation is evolution. I’m transitioning away from tennis towards other important ventures,” she said.
She elaborated, “There’s no joy in this topic for me. I know it’s unusual to admit, but I feel a lot of pain. It’s the hardest thing I could imagine. I dislike it. I wish things could be easier for me, but they aren’t. I’m torn: I want it to continue, but I’m also ready for what’s next.”
Williams welcomed Adira with Ohanian, 42, in August 2023 and has since focused on her children and business ventures — including her investment firm, Serena Ventures, beauty line Wyn, and production company Nine Two Six.
“Tennis is a daily commitment; you must train every day. Business operates similarly,” Williams told CNBC Make It in June. “Both require discipline and determination to persevere through the ups and downs.”
Williams has also managed to fit in workouts, travel, and showcase her fantastic style — but her family remains a priority.
“Just a mom trying to take a picture but keeps getting photobombed,” she joked on Instagram earlier this month while Adira stood behind her.
In another Instagram post from August 2024, Williams reflected, “God makes your heart bigger. My love for Olympia hasn’t diminished; my heart has simply doubled in size, allowing me to love even more!”
