Serena Williams is scheduled to give birth to her first child in September.
The world No. 1 is determined to launch her comeback to the pro circuit in 2018.
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Williams told CBS’ Gayle King “I’m not done yet” in an interview for Ted Talks.
“I’m always trying to defy the odds, you know? So for me, everything is really mental,” Serena told King. “I definitely plan on coming back. I’m not done yet.”
The 35-year-old Serena has experienced a life-changing year getting engaged to Reddi co-founder Alexis Ohanian, learning she was pregnant, winning her Open Era record 23rd Grand Slam championship at the Australian Open and regaining the world No. 1 ranking.
Williams said she envisions her baby joining Team Serena in her player box at matches.
“This is just a new part of my life and my baby’s going to be in the stands—hopefully cheering for me, not crying too much,” Williams told King.
Williams also revealed she learned she was pregnant two days before the start of the Australian Open in January leaving her briefly uncertain about playing.
“I was nervous,” Williams told King. “I wasn’t sure what to do. Can I play?”
Discussing her relationship with her fiancé, whom she calls “awesome”, Serena conceded she initially described Ohanian as a “nerdy sort of geeky guy” in a prior conversation with King.
“You said, ‘I met a guy, he’s a nerdy sort of geeky guy, you won’t know who he is,” King recalled. “I would have never put you with a nerdy geek.”
“Me neither. I’m gonna be honest with you: I didn’t,” Williams told King. “But it’s been the best thing for me.”
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