Serena Williams is revealing for the first time that she was forced to endure multiple surgeries in the days after giving birth to daughter Alexis Olympia.
The tennis star, 36, tells Vogue that the problems began after Alexis Olympia’s heart rate started to drop during her delivery and it was decided that the best option would be to have Serena undergo an emergency c-section.
“That was an amazing feeling, and then everything went bad,” said Williams.
The day after the birth, Williams was experiencing a shortness of breath and told the staff that she was concerned that she had developed blood clots.
Williams, who had to stop taking her anticoagulant medications leading up the delivery, was right, and had indeed developed several clots in her lungs.
She was immediately given a drip, but when constant coughing from her pulmonary embolism opened up the scar from the c-section, her abdomen quickly filled with her now-thinned blood from the same drugs which were saving her life.
In the end, Williams had to have a filter inserted into a major vein to prevent any possible clots from entering her lungs, and was forced to go on bed rest for the next six weeks.
In the interview, she is quick to admit that being a mother had been a challenge for her, comparing it to her time on the court.
Meanwhile the tennis says she “absolutely” intends to surpass Margaret Court’s record of 24 grand slam titles – and believes being a new mother can help her achieve that goal.
Despite admitting she was “not where I personally want to be” in announcing her withdrawal from the Australian Open, which starts on January 15, Williams told Vogue she was determined to return to a competitive level sooner rather than later.
“Maybe this goes without saying, but it needs to be said in a powerful way: I absolutely want more grand slams. I’m well aware of the record books, unfortunately. It’s not a secret that I have my sights on 25, and actually, I think having a baby might help, ” Williams told the February edition of the magazine.
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