Serena Williams due to a pectoral muscle injury and Roland-Garros just won’t be the same. Her first grand slam appearance since returning from her 14-month stint of maternity leave left her a winner, despite the early exit. Let us count the ways Williams left her mark at Roland-Garros.
1. Her unseeded entry started a debate about women returning from maternity leave
The decision of French Open officials to give Williams an unseeded entry at Roland-Garros was . Ranked number 453 in the world due to being on maternity leave, the 23-time grand slam champion was facing an uphill battle at the start of the tournament, sparking a debate over gender equality and mothers returning to work. Many argued that the unseeded ranking wasn’t a true reflection of her position in world tennis. Returning to your same position is a right afforded to most women coming back from maternity leave so why shouldn't tennis be the same? It’s something the World Tennis Association (WTA) has accepted, and to protect seeding for highly ranked players returning from maternity leave.
2. Just being there on court in the first place
Following the birth of her daughter Alexis Olympia in September 2017, Williams revealed she almost died after giving birth and that she was bed bound for six weeks following an emergency caesarean. “I almost died after giving birth to my daughter,” in an article for CNN, detailing her experience of suffering a pulmonary embolism, a condition where arteries of the lungs become blocked by blood clots.
“My C-section wound popped open due to the intense coughing I endured as a result of the embolism. I returned to surgery, where the doctors found a large hematoma, a swelling of clotted blood, in my abdomen. And then I returned to the operating room for a procedure that prevents clots from traveling to my lungs."
So the fact that she is back playing tennis, is a feat in itself.
3. The glimpses of her champion form
Witnessing her comeback against Australia’s Ashleigh Barty in the second round reminded us why Williams is the greatest player of all time. Despite her injury, Roland-Garros was treated to some powerhouse hits from Williams. In her three-set nail-biter match, a clearly frustrated Williams pushed through in the third set. “When push came to shove, the real Serena came out,” . “I gave it a crack and it wasn’t enough.”
4. Her openness about life as a mother
Williams has said numerous times that her return to tennis has been a tribute to new mums. And while her experience as a very wealthy sport star (with presumably a lot of help) is vastly different from most new mothers, she has. And her honesty has been refreshing and real, not condescending.
“Honestly, sometimes I think I still have to deal with it,” she told Harper Bazaar UK, of her struggles post-child birth. “I think people have to talk about it more because it’s almost like the fourth trimester, it’s part of the pregnancy.” She dedicated her first win at Roland-Garros to new mothers, "Catsuit anyone? For all the moms out there who had a tough recovery from pregnancy—here you go. If I can do it, so can you.”
5. That catsuit
Speaking of that catsuit, who else have you seen enter Roland-Garros looking the part of a superhero? “It feels like this suit represents all the women that have been through a lot mentally, physically with their body to come back and have confidence and to believe in themselves,” after her first round match last week. The suit also reportedly has a functional purpose: the compression fabric helps circulation—something that can only be helpful for someone with a history of blood clots—all while looking like a total badass.
With her power on court and return to form, the superhero references are no surprise. But what's most admirable about Williams' French Open appearance is that she knows her body's limits. Williams being able to call it a day—still confident of a triumphant return—is what's truly inspiring.
