How Australia influenced Serena Williams’ daughter’s name

SERENA Williams has paid tribute to Australia after a jaw-dropping performance at Melbourne Park while pregnant.

TENNIS legend Serena Williams shocked the world earlier in the year at the Australian Open as she claimed her 23rd grand slam title.

Williams battled her sibling Venus in another classic display of the pair’s longstanding rivalry, taking the win 6-4 6-4 to raise the cup at Rod Laver Arena.

It was one of the all-time great performances seen in the Open era, so it’s no surprise fans were gobsmacked at the news she was pregnant throughout her undefeated fortnight in Melbourne.

After seven wins at Melbourne Park, it’d be right to assume Ms Williams is a fan of the land down under — but this has taken it to a new level.

The 36-year-old announced her daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr’s first two initials were a memento of their time spent together in January.

“Fun fact my daughters initials are AO as in the Aussie Open she won with me,” Williams tweeted.

Fun fact my daughters initials are AO as in the Aussie open she won with me @AustralianOpen

— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) September 28, 2017

Williams remains focused on her tennis comeback just weeks after becoming a mother and will make a strong return, according to her friend Caroline Wozniacki.

Wozniacki, who was speaking at the WTA Wuhan Open Monday ahead of her first-round match in the Chinese city, said the tennis superstar had been sending her pictures of the baby girl, Alexis Olympia Ohanian.

“She’s so cute and I’m looking forward to meeting her,” Wozniacki told reporters, adding that her tennis commitments had so far prevented her visiting the new family.

Asked whether Williams was keeping an eye on the sport she has dominated for so many years, the world number six said: “Serena, I think she can be focused on both (the baby and tennis).

“I think she’s going to do a strong comeback but I think at the same time she’s enjoying being a mum as well and getting that whole experience. I think it’s very special.” Williams, 35, has said she wants to return to competitive tennis in January to defend her Australian Open title after giving birth to her daughter on September 1.

Earlier this month two former stars who became parents questioned whether she would be able to regain top form so soon after childbirth.

Three-time US Open champion Kim Clijsters, who retired for two years and had a baby before returning to win the US Open in 2009, said it depends on “how your body reacts — everybody reacts different in those situations”.

American Mary Joe Fernandez, a runner-up at the 1990 and 1992 Australian Opens and 1993 French Open, said that she could not have done it but “Serena is an exception to a lot of rules”.

— with AFP