Serena Williams returned to the world’s top 30 in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings, which were released on Monday, after she finished as a runner-up on Saturday in Wimbledon.
But to many of her fans, the 36-year-old Williams is the greatest of all time, or GOAT.
Williams climbed 153 places to No. 28 despite losing Saturday’s final to German Angelique Kerber. Saturday was Williams’ fourth tournament since giving birth to her daughter 10 months ago.
Williams dedicated her comeback at the London Grand Slam event to working moms and stay-at-home moms.
These past 2 weeks was a sound for all moms stay home and working you can do it you really can! I’m not any better or diff than any of you all. Your support has ment so much to me. Let’s keep making noise everyday in everything we do. #roadtoUSOpen pic.twitter.com/5OLYk1a6cK
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) July 16, 2018
Williams was also thinking about moms on Saturday after her loss. “I was really happy to get this far,” she said. “For all the moms out there, I was playing for you today.”
You are awesome. Thank you for your contribution to the game of tennis, to the fight for equity, and to the continuing struggle for equality and respect for all women.
— Camille Gage (@CamilleGage1) July 16, 2018
Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, said he thought his wife was going to die after giving birth to their daughter. The Reddit co-founder said on Instagram that he couldn’t be prouder of the tennis champion despite her loss in the women’s final of Wimbledon on Saturday.
Williams had life-threatening complications after her daughter, Olympia, was born in September. An emergency C-section resulted in blood clots in Williams’ lungs. Her scar ruptured due to coughing. During surgery, doctors found a large hematoma in her abdomen. After another procedure to prevent more clots in her lungs, she was bedridden for six weeks following the birth.
To all the Moms trying to make it do what it do!
— Mimi Butter (@mimi_butter) July 16, 2018
Williams has stuck to her story that she’s just happy to still be in the game.
“To hear people say, ‘Oh, she’s a favorite,'” Williams said after her semifinal win, according to ESPN. “Like, the last 16 months, I’ve played in four tournaments and was carrying another human for half that time. It’s like, ‘C’mon, guys, this is pretty awesome.'”
I’m right there with you Serena ♥️🎾
— Ladybug (@Butterbaby227) July 16, 2018
So proud of you…our hero…keep using your voice…GOAT
— All Things Serena (@all_serena) July 16, 2018
Williams has removed all doubt over the past two weeks over whether she will be able to return to the level she was at before she announced to the world that she was pregnant, ESPN reported:
“Her power is there; so, too, is her serve, which topped out at 125 mph in the final against Angelique Kerber. Williams also showed much-improved footwork, speed and overall fitness. She also went into the women’s final carrying something just as important: the belief that she could win. At some point, everyone else started to believe, too.”
It was the seventh Grand Slam final loss of Williams’ career.
https://twitter.com/snwann/status/1018905068433821696
https://twitter.com/aliciavperry/status/1018834809710415872
Thanks Serena as a fellow working mom I can appreciate & validate this. We got this! Oh and you may not be any better than any of us but you’re certainly #thegreatest of all time! 💪🏽
— Roz 💎 (@RenasArmyFans) July 16, 2018
Mom, dad, black, white, gay, straight…. you #Inspire so many people. Not sure you understand the full scope of your influence and example. White men in the media are discussing your incredible talent and inspiration. What you're doing / have done is truly super human. 👑👊🏿
— CJ (@CJoneses100) July 16, 2018
Serena is the best to ever play the game
— Joseph (@cgafutbol) July 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/AndaSobs/status/1018834525571506176
Some of Williams’ fans designate her GOAT, but so does one of her peers — tennis great Roger Federer.
“She became one of the greatest, if not the greatest tennis player of all time,” Federer said, according to a report today in the Wall Street Journal:
“Federer, considered by some to be the tennis GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), just suggested Serena was the GOAT? Did he mean GOAT on the women’s side—or overall? “Overall,” Federer clarifies.”