TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Tennis star Serena Williams suffering from postpartum emotions

News Desk (Agence France-Presse)
Los Angeles, United States
Tue, August 7, 2018

Share This Article

Change Size

Tennis star Serena Williams suffering from postpartum emotions Serena Williams of the US (right) hugs Venus Williams of the US after winning the women's singles final on day 13 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 28, 2017. (AFP/William West)

S

erena Williams says she is suffering from "postpartum emotions" as the 23-time Grand Slam winner struggles to deal with juggling family life and tennis.  

The 36-year-old American is seeking to regain her top form after missing most of the 2017 WTA season due to a pregnancy.

"I read several articles that said postpartum emotions can last up to three years if not dealt with," Williams said on Monday.

Williams' disclosure comes a week after she suffered the worst loss of her career in San Jose, losing the final 12 games in a shocking 6-1, 6-0 first-round upset to unseeded Johanna Konta.

On Monday, she described her mindset at the time as being in a "funk".

"Last week was not easy for me. Not only was I accepting some tough personal stuff, but I just was in a funk. Mostly, I felt like I was not a good mom," Williams wrote on her social media Instagram account. 

Williams said she is trying to work through her despair by sharing her feelings with family and friends.

"Talking things through with my mom, my sisters, my friends let me know that my feelings are totally normal. It’s totally normal to feel like I’m not doing enough for my baby .... Whether stay-at-home or working, finding that balance with kids is a true art," she said.

Organizers announced on Saturday that Williams was withdrawing from this week's WTA Montreal tournament citing "personal reasons". 

Williams battled back from life-saving surgery after giving birth to daughter Olympia in September, reaching the final at Wimbledon, where she was beaten by Germany's Angelique Kerber.

Williams had a tough draw in Montreal. Her opening match would have been against Frenchwoman Alize Cornet who has defeated Williams four out of the six times they have faced each other.

If she advanced past Cornet, her next opponent would have been Kerber.

{

Your Opinion Counts

Your thoughts matter - share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.