Serena Williams Shared The Sweet Moment She Told Her Daughter She’s Pregnant

Serena Williams made a major fashion statement at the 2023 Met Gala. Hard-launching her second pregnancy at the high-profile New York City fete on May 1, the retired tennis pro debuted her growing baby bump alongside husband Alexis Ohanian on the red carpet. As it turns out, the couple’s 5-year-old daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., found out she was going to be a big sister just hours before the rest of the world did.

After changing out of her custom Gucci gown, Williams later shared the reason she waited to tell Olympia she was expecting, while also teasing a video of the adorable family moment. “Olympia does not know right now that I am pregnant, so the big reveal will be at the Met, and then before we leave, I’ll tell Olympia,” the 23-time singles Grand Slam champion explained in the clip, which also features behind-the-scenes peeks at her Met Gala prep — and her positive pregnancy test. “The reason I haven’t told her is because she can’t keep a secret.”

Though fans get a glimpse of the youngster’s excited reaction, the full video will be available “soon” on the athlete’s yet-to-be-launched YouTube channel.

Speaking to Lala Anthony for Vogue on the red carpet, Williams joked about her “new addition” being at their first Met Gala and shared a small pregnancy update. “I feel pretty good,” she said. “I can breathe. I can stop [hiding].” Williams also shared a carousel of photos of her Met Gala look via Instagram the same night, writing that she “was so excited when Anna Wintour invited the 3 of us to the Met Gala.”

Ohanian, for his part, shared some of his own date night photos, giving his own take on getting ready for second-time fatherhood. “Mama [Serena] & Papa love this parenting thing, so we’re back at it,” the Reddit founder captioned his May 1 Instagram post. “[Olympia] is gonna be the best Big Sister — she’s been asking & praying for this for a minute.”

She wasn’t the only one. In an August 2022 Vogue essay, Williams discussed expanding their family while announcing she was “evolving away” from professional tennis. “In the last year, Alexis and I have been trying to have another child,” the athlete — who experienced a life-threatening medical complication and was bedridden for six weeks immediately following Olympia’s birth — shared. “And we recently got some information from my doctor that put my mind at ease and made me feel that whenever we’re ready, we can add to our family. I definitely don’t want to be pregnant again as an athlete. I need to be two feet into tennis or two feet out.”

Now we know exactly where she stands.