It has been a hectic 18 months for Serena Williams as her life has changed immeasurably, and she could cap it off with another Wimbledon title.
Here, Press Association Sport charts the experiences of the 23-time grand slam champion.
Winning in Australia with baby on the way
It seemed like it was just another grand slam win for Williams – her 23rd – when she triumphed at the Australian Open for the seventh time in January 2017, beating her sister Venus in the final. Little did we know at the time that she was eight weeks pregnant, having found out shortly before the tournament.
The accidental reveal
In an entirely 2017 first-world problem, Williams revealed her pregnancy in a social media faux pas. She pictured herself in a bikini with the caption “20 weeks” but instead of sending it to friends on Snapchat, she sent it to everyone who follows her.
A traumatic birth
Williams gave birth to her daughter Alexis Olympia on September 1 2017 but it was a traumatic experience. The American had a caesarean section and complications from that nearly killed her, Williams later explained, as she suffered from a blood clot which required emergency surgery.
The wedding
With Olympia little over two months old, Williams married partner Alexis Ohanian on November 17 2017 in New Orleans. There was a Beauty and the Beast theme, with the couple enjoying their first dance to ‘Tale as Old as Time’.
The comeback
Just six months after giving birth, Williams made her return to the WTA Tour, playing in the ‘Sunshine Double’ at Indian Wells and Miami. She made the third round in Indian Wells but lost in the first round on the east coast and coach Patrick Mouratoglou said she came back too early.
Being Serena
Williams’ life was so eventful that HBO decided to send a camera crew to follow her around. The five-part documentary ‘Being Serena’ aired in the United States in May.
A royal wedding guest
Underlining her position as an A-list celebrity, Williams attended the royal wedding in May as her good friend Meghan Markle married Prince Harry.
French agony
Finally, it was time to focus on her tennis and Williams played her first competition in two months at the French Open. She looked in good form, too, setting up a fourth-round clash with rival Maria Sharapova, but had to pull out due to an injury.
Normal service resumed
Having missed Wimbledon in 2017, Williams was back at the grand slam she has won seven times, but this time with no expectations. However, there was an inevitability about how well she would play at the All England Club, making her way to a 10th final.
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