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In the stands, when mom plays: Alexis Olympia, Serena Williams’ daughter. Image: keystone
3 mothers, 3 stories: a special trio in the US Open quarterfinals
The US Open is experiencing a premiere this year: With Serena Williams, Viktoria Asarenka and Tsvetana Pironkova, three mothers are in the quarterfinals for the first time in a Grand Slam tournament. Their stories are as diverse as they are inspiring.
Playing professional tennis successfully and playing the role of mother often don’t go well together. Only three players have won Grand Slam tournaments like her mother in the last 50 years: Australians Margaret Court and Evonne Goolagong and Belgian Kim Clijsters. Now, three very different players set out to expand this list.
On the one hand, there is the favorite of the tournament and probably the best player in history. Serena Williams won her 23rd title and so far her last major singles title at the Australian Open in January 2017. On September 1, healthy daughter Alexis Olympia was born after a difficult delivery in which Williams suffered two pulmonary embolisms.
“She is a true tennis fanatic”
The nearly 39-year-old American had always insisted she wanted to continue her career so her daughter could still watch her play, and she was true to her word. She has been to the final of a Grand Slam tournament four times since her return, but lost each time. Now it should work for the 24th title, which it would tie with record holder Court, who nonetheless won most of her victories in the amateur era.
Williams’s husband, billionaire internet entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, is a fan in the stands at all of his games, and after finishing work, his three-year-old daughter Alexis usually shows up as well. Mom’s joy and pride are evident. “She is a true tennis fanatic,” she said after her close win over Maria Sakkari in the round of 16. “She also watches when I train on this court (at the gigantic Arthur Ashe Stadium). She loves this place because she can sit here and watch. “
Mother misses son
Williams’ next opponent, Tsvetana Pironkova, lives in a slightly different and less glamorous world. “I have not seen my son in two weeks,” revealed the 32-year-old Bulgarian. “It is difficult and every day it becomes more difficult.” Pironkova also couldn’t hope to still be in the tournament after a week and a half. She had had a respectable career, with the world number 31 (September 2010) after a semi-final at the French Open as the highlight.
After the birth of her son Alexander in April 2018, she didn’t have a comeback in mind. But after the WTA put mothers in a better position with a rule change, they changed their minds. These now retain their protected classification they had before pregnancy for up to three years after the birth of a child. Therefore, Pironkova was able to participate in the US Open, although she no longer has a position in the world ranking. “Why not,” she told herself and is now sensationally in the quarterfinals against Serena Williams on Wednesday.
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Azarenka double suffering
So one mother is definitely in the semifinals, but it might as well be two. The woman of the moment is Viktoria Asarenka (WTA 27), who will face Elise Mertens (WTA 18) of Belgium in the other quarter-finals of this half of the table. The 31-year-old Belarusian won her 21st WTA title, her first as a mother, in the week leading up to the US Open at the Cincinnati Open, which moved to New York. “I am so happy and grateful to be here now,” she enthuses.
For her, the pregnancy turned out to be a turning point in two ways. On December 20, 2016, Asarenka became the mother of a boy named Leo. However, just a few months after the birth, she separated from her American boyfriend and father of the boy she was living with in California. She was not allowed to leave the state with her son while the custody battle continued, so she stayed home and had to cancel her return after just two tournaments.
The matter has been resolved since March 2018 and Asarenka travels to tournaments again, with moderate success. The former world No. 1 and two-time Australian Open winner quickly returned to the top 100, but in Grand Slam tournaments she never made it past the third round – until now. Unlike Pironkova, she has her son with her. “If I pass her a few balls, she will be delighted.” Almost apologetically, she adds: “I can’t show how talented she is. She doesn’t want me to film it. “
