Serena Williams ‘paved the way’ for mothers to keep playing tennis, says Martina Navratilova
Serena Williams is a household name.
The 34-year-old American tennis star turned in her last exhibition match just before the US Open to undergo hip surgery at the end of June.
The world No 1 is also the world No 35 and has been described as an eight-time Grand Slam singles champion.
But it was the 31-year-old tennis star Serena who paved the way for the game’s new generation and helped them get the necessary support to stay with the game.
That’s a big achievement as some women are still struggling to make sure they can continue to play tennis after having children.
Serena’s success has been compared to her younger sister Venus, as she has become one of the game’s biggest household names.
But it was arguably Serena who paved the way for the game’s new generation to continue their careers, writes Martina Navratilova.
She has been involved in tennis for over 20 years and she feels it’s a case of being a mother first and, once they are big enough, you will be able to take advantage of the opportunities and to get the training as a professional to keep on running.
Martina Navratilova
“It’s very similar to my situation,” she told the BBC. “I took a huge risk and became a mother at the age of 28.
“So I know what it is like. I had a lot of sleepless nights, it was very difficult for me to accept that I could stop playing tennis and start raising my kids.
“But that didn’t happen for me. I was a professional player, had my own team, was paid, had my own coach, and I could only enjoy something if I was playing.
“So now I am able to take
