“..I suddenly felt unwelcome, alone, and afraid,” Serena Williams said while recalling her 2001 Indian Wells final match. She thought it would be her game, where she would once again summon the same magic she had against Steffi Graf in the 1999 Indian Wells final. Instead, controversies plagued the match, leaving an indelible scar on Williams’ psyche. This traumatic experience led to a long-standing boycott of the tournament. Yet, a shift in perspective would eventually bring Williams back. What prompted this change of heart?

In the 6th episode of ESPN’s docuseries ‘In the Arena: Serena Williams,’ we witness the story of one of Williams’ hauntingly difficult times in her tennis career. For context. Williams, the then nineteen-year-old player who had turned pro only about 6 years ago, had to face the boos and jeering of the crowd during her 2001 Indian Wells final match against Kim Clijsters. Even her father, Richard, also had to go through the same humiliating experience, as he later confessed to hearing racist comments in the stands during the clash. The reason was simple. Just before her final game, Serena played against her own sister, Venus, in the semifinals. But sadly, she had to pull out from the match due to her tendinitis problem. This created outrage among fans, who made it clear to Williams that she was unwelcomed in the finals.

Sharing those cold memories of the event and about the moment Williams decided to go back into the event, Williams’ elder sister, Isha Price, said, “I remember her saying I think I am going to go back to Indian Wells. And I said what? Why? And she was like, we are Christian. At some point, you have to forgive and you have to move on. Another time where you learn something from your little sister…And I said, if this is what you want to do, I will be there hands down to support you.”

Echoing the same sentiment, the 23 Grand Slam champion added, “I was not going to go back if my family did not agree with me or did not want me to go back. So I had to talk to everyone separately and to see how they felt. Everyone else was on board. I remember talking finally and lastly to my dad.” She further added how her father was willing to support her but was not ready “physically to go back there.” 

The boos was just the half of the story. The false allegations regarding their matches to be “fixed,” further made it more miserable to bear for the Williams family. “Throughout my whole career, integrity has been everything to me. It is also everything and more to Venus. The false allegations that our matches were fixed hurt, cut and ripped into us deeply. The undercurrent of racism was painful, confusing and unfair,” she said later on.

Along with her sister, Venus, Williams boycotted the event for 14 long years until, in 2015, she made a much-awaited comeback. It was her Jehovah’s Witness faith which made her see the reason to believe in forgiveness and come back. The 42-year-old American once stated how she was “raised,” by her mother to “love and forgive freely.” However, even after all the darkness that preceded it, Williams’ Indian Wells tournament did not prove to be a smooth journey!

Here’s why Williams had to withdraw from the 2015 Indian Wells semifinals

After years of avoiding playing in Indian Wells, Williams finally came to the event, with the hope, “fans at Indian Wells have grown with the game and know me better than they did in 2001.” The tournament indeed welcomed her with open arms and Williams showed her brilliance once again by qualifying to the semifinals of the event. And then fate intervened the same way as it did in 2001.

While during that year it was Venus who had to withdraw owing to her knee injury, almost 14 years later, Williams also faced the same destiny. Before playing against Simona Halep, the eventual champion of the tournament, Williams made a disheartening announcement.

“Four months ago I began a journey to play Indian Wells and it was amazing. I never dreamed I could do it. But I would not have been able to do this without my fans. Though it ended early due to injury this year, I have to say I cannot wait to try again next year. Thanks everyone. I love you so much!”

However, by returning to Indian Wells, Williams triumphed over adversity, silencing critics and inspiring fans worldwide. Her courageous stance serves as a testament to the transformative impact of forgiveness and self-reflection!

The spotlight has always been on Serena Williams‘. But lately, it seems the tennis superstar is enjoying the thrill of sharing the limelight with her daughter, Olympia. However, in a surprising turn of events, Serena is about to expose a side of her little one that no one expected. A secret so embarrassing, it’s sure to become the talk of the town.

Williams recently shared a sweet and playful update about her daughter Olympia Ohanian. The tennis legend took to social media platform X and therefore revealed a secret that Olympia wouldn’t really appreciate. The little girl, it turns out, has a habit of sleep talking. With a touch of humor, Serena hinted at the potential for future blackmail, leaving fans both amused and curious about Olympia’s nocturnal revelations:

Per medical reports, sleep talking is quite common in children, especially between the ages of two and twelve. Often triggered by exhaustion, these sleep-time conversations tend to decrease as kids get older. While it might be a regular occurrence for some younger children, it usually becomes a rare event by the time they reach their teens. However, the fans who regularly follow Alexis and Serena wouldn’t find this too surprising.

Olympia has been keeping quite busy with her dad, Alexis Ohanian, having fun and learning new things every day. Alexis regularly shares glimpses of their fun times on Instagram. Whether it’s making pancakes or going out to the garden on weekends, the father-daughter enjoys a packed schedule along with giving fans enough updates to be entertained.

The family also made headlines at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony recently. While Serena looked stunning in a beautiful red dress, her husband Alexis held an umbrella for her and Olympia, uncovering the chivalrous side of his nature. Alexis posted a picture on his Instagram with the caption, “I’m also Olympia’s personal umbrella holder. Sidebar: Y’all set the bar too low for me celeb dads get flowers just for acknowledging they have kids.”

With this update, it’s clear that even at such a young age, Olympia is living a life filled with fun and memorable experiences that even stay in her mind while she sleeps. However, besides the fun and adventure that Olympia delves into, she also has responsibility worth millions of dollars at such a young age.

Williams’ husband reveals how his daughters are now multi-millionaires

Reddit co-founder shared that his daughters Olympia and Adira have become multi-millionaires because of an early investment he made. The Reddit co-founder invested $250,000 in the soccer team Angel City FC through a trust fund for his daughters almost four years ago. This smart move helped Olympia to become the youngest owner in professional sports. Talking about the success of the investment in a recent tweet, Ohanian said

Today, his daughters Olympia(7) and Adira(1) are already enjoying the benefits of their father’s business decisions. As the renowned entrepreneur continues to build a strong future for his kids, it still remains to be seen if they decide to follow sports like their mother or finances like their father.

From carrying the Olympic torch across the river Seine to watching Simone Biles’ terrific comeback, women’s volleyball, Novak Djokovic becoming the greatest, and having a fun time in Paris. Serena Williams is back in town. And at home, some mommy duties await for the 23-time Grand Slam champion. Well, it’s not like Olympia and Adira were a miss in Paris. The mother of two frequently appeared with her elder daughter, enjoying the Olympics from the stands. But now the vacation time is over, and Williams is back to mom mode! And she found support in Pau Gasol’s wife, Catherine McDonnell (Gasol).

It’s not an easy task to manage professional commitments and be a parent at the same time. However, with the constant support of her husband, Alexis Ohanian, Williams had a relatively easy outing, as the father enjoyed going on a few escapades with their daughters. Disneyland was certainly one of them, where Ohanian skipped athletics to keep the promise with his girls.

However, the fun times are over for the family. And Williams is back to being a business mom, but before everything, she makes sure that her mommy duties are fulfilled. In a recent post on Instagram, dressed in an all black ensemble, Williams captioned the post, “Paris was fun … now back to being a mum .” And the former basketball player’s wife, Catherine made sure to remind her, that she was a mommy back in Paris too. Albeit a good one. She commented, “But you were even momming in Paris you bad***”

McDonell is herself a mom of two kids who she shares with Pau Gasol. Paying tribute to the late Kobe Bryant and his daughter, the couple named their daughter, born in 2020, Elisabet Gianna Gasol, while their son Max was born in 2022.

It’s heartwarming to see moms supporting each other. As a public figure, it’s certainly tough, as their every move is under scrutiny. But Williams has managed things with utmost perfection, as she transitioned into an entrepreneur while supporting the vast community through Serena Ventures. However, when she looks back into the time, having kids was not on Williams’ mind.

Serena Williams took a big leap: From the thought of not having kids to fulfilling mommy duties

Things are not as black and white as they seem to be. There are always some shades of gray. When Williams was thriving on the court, winning Grand Slams, having kids was not something she ever thought of, “Earlier in my career, I never thought about having kids.” Why? If her life is a testament, her struggles to make her mark in the tennis circuit are enough to answer all the whys. But now, the 23-time Grand Slam champion has a beautiful family, and she is a hands-on mother to her kids.

During a Vogue interview back in 2023, Williams opened up about her mommy duties with the Olympics. She said, “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… 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.”

After Olympia, Williams has another bundle of joy occupying all her attention, Adira. And she would be on a repeat mode as the youngest member of the family grows. No wonder she updated the world about her mommy mode being on after a successful Paris Olympics.