WILLIAMS GIRL POWER: VENUS WINS AT U.S. OPEN TENNIS AFTER BECOMING AN AUNT, AS SERENA HAS HER DAUGHTER

Written by: Staff on 1st September 2017

WILLIAMS GIRL POWER: VENUS WINS AT U.S. OPEN TENNIS AFTER BECOMING AN AUNT, AS SERENA HAS HER DAUGHTER

epa06178103 Venus Williams of the US hits a return to Maria Sakkari of Greece on the fifth day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 01 September 2017. The US Open runs through September 10. EPA-EFE/PETER FOLEY |

By Ricky Dimon

Serena Williams gave birth to a daughter on Friday afternoon. If you’re wondering whether or not it’s too late for her to get a wild card into the U.S. Open now that she’s no longer pregnant, well…yes…it’s just a bit too late.

Although Serena will be cradling an infant and not a trophy this fortnight, the title still has a chance of going to the Williams family. That’s because just a few hours after becoming an aunt, Venus got the job done in her third-round match 6-3, 6-4 over Maria Sakkari. The 37-year-old prevailed despite double-faulting eight times without striking a single ace. She played one stinker of a game that went double-fault, double-fault, double-fault, double-fault. That’s right; Venus was broken at love on four doubles.

Still, a win is a win. And any win is especially good in round three of a Grand Slam.

But if the press wanted to talk about babies rather than tennis (and they did), they went home disappointed. Venus was not there for baby talk.

“I’m definitely available to answer questions about tennis,” the American said when, unsurprisingly, the first question was about Serena’s offspring. “That’s all right now.”

So they asked Sloane Stephens instead.

“Well, I was playing a match (during the birth),” Stephens explained after beating Ashleigh Barty. “Then I was eating and playing another match, so I missed all of the good stuff. I would say bringing a child into this world is probably the biggest blessing. I am very happy for her. I cannot wait to see the little baby girl on tour because I am sure she will be around.”

Garbine Muguruza, a straight-set winner over Magdalena Rybarikova, can wait for little Williams to be on tour.

“Baby girl? I hope she doesn’t play tennis,” Muguruza joked. “Well, I’m very happy for [Serena]. I mean, such a good moment.”

Cards will surely be flooding Serena’s mailbox in the near future. And whoever ends up winning the U.S. Open title should send her two: one as a congratulations on the baby and a second as a thank you for not playing this tournament. Because let’s be honest; it’s a lot easier to win a tournament when Serena isn’t player. The rest of the field needs to strike while the iron’s hot, because a Williams is coming in 2018.

And another Williams may be coming in 2038.