A day before the Labor Day holiday, Serena Williams, an inspiration for many fans, was a working mom hoping to earn a quarterfinal spot in the US Open draw.
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, struggled Sunday, but fulfilled the goal of reaching the quarterfinal with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 win over Kaia Kanepi of Estonia.
The next step is taking on eighth seed Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic, a finalist here in 2016. Pliskova outlasted 18th seed Ashleigh Barty 6-4, 6-4 in the fourth-round.
It’s been a year — Sept. 1, 2017, to be exact — since daughter Alexis Olympia came into Williams’ world. Since then she’s offered fans via the HBO special series “Being Serena” and social media a steady glimpse into her journey through the joys and struggles of balancing her life.
From being pregnant, giving birth, overcoming post-delivery health issues, to ending her maternity leave and returning to work, it’s all out there for fans to follow.
For the full story, visit USAToday.com/Sports/Tennis.
