Serena Williams Announces Her Second Pregnancy at the 2023 Met Gala
Serena Williams had big news to share at the 2023 Met Gala: She’s pregnant with her second child.
The tennis star announced the news via Instagram as she and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, arrived at the Met steps. (Of course, they had a full-fledged photo shoot before the event.) “Was so excited when Anna Wintour invited the 3 of us to the Met Gala,” Williams, 41, wrote in the caption, hinting at a little one on the way. She and Ohanian first welcomed a daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., in 2017.
Take a look at their glamorous announcement below. The repeat Grand Slam champion even cradles her baby bump in one of the images.
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Williams dressed aptly for the gala’s “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” theme in a black-and-white ensemble featuring a mermaid-silhouette gown with a matching embellished bolero jacket by Gucci. She wore cascading pearl necklaces around her neck and crowning her head. Ohanian kept it sleek and simple in a black tuxedo.
Williams announced she’s “evolving away” from tennis in the September 2022 issue of Vogue. Though it’s an end of an era for her monumental career, she expressed her excitement for her next chapter, including focusing on motherhood.
“Earlier in my career, I never thought about having kids,” she said. “There were times when I’ve wondered if I should ever bring kids into this world, with all its problems. I was never that confident or comfortable around babies or children, and I figured that if I ever did have a baby, I would have people taking care of it 24/7. I’m not going to lie—I definitely have a lot of support. But I’m also an incredibly hands-on mother. My husband will tell you I am too hands-on. In five years, Olympia has only spent one 24-hour period away from me.”
Weeks later, she explained in an interview with Time that “there is no anger” around her decision. “I’m ready for the transition,” she added, which will include further evolving as a parent. “I think I’m good at it,” Williams said of being a mom. “But I want to explore if I can be great at it.”
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she’s listening to Lorde right now.
