Mother of Grand Slams
For the first time ever, three moms are in the Grand Slam U.S. Open Quarterfinals!
On Monday, September 7, 2020, Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, and Tsvetana Pironkova made history by becoming the first trio of moms to ever simultaneously reach the quarterfinals of the Grand Slam.The US Open Tennis Twitter account affectionately nicknamed this phenomenon the “Mother of Grand Slams” and the name quickly caught on!
SERENA WILLIAMS
The first mother to secure her spot in the quarterfinals is none other than the super-mom herself, Serena Williams. Williams, who continues to set records and make waves in the sports world, is no stranger to Grand Slam victories, as this is her 53rd Grand Slam quarter.
Williams is truly a super-mom.
On top of leading an incredibly successful career as the top tennis player of all time, Williams always finds time to be there for and connect with her daughter, Olympia. In a sweet interaction caught on camera during her match over the weekend, Williams and Olympia are seen sharing a heartwarming, mother-daughter moment. In a post-match interview, in regards to her daughter watching her match, Williams said, “I hope that she saw her mama fighting.”
TSVETANA PIRONKOVA
Tsvetana Pironkova was the second mother to secure her spot in the quarterfinals, although it came at a bit of a cost. In a recent interview, Pironkova confessed that she hadn’t seen her two-year-old son, Alexander, in 2 weeks, due to the tournament. She said, “It’s very tough, it gets tougher every day. I know he’s watching me and I know he’s proud of me - and it’s worth it.”
Pironkova also confessed something which most mothers can relate to, that after having her child, there was a period where she considered not returning to her professional tennis career. Having a child is a wonderful thing, but it is also an event that can cause a mother to rethink their entire career path. While some mothers hop right back into their normal work routine, others ease into the process, or switch up their careers completely. This is a decision only a mother could know and make. We give major props to Pironkova for not only making it into the quarterfinals but for doing it all with the strength and courage of a mother!
VICTORIA AZARENKA
Lastly, but definitely not least, the third mom to make it into the Grand Slam quarterfinal was Victoria Azarenka, a former World No. 1. Azarenka is the mother of Leo, her three-year-old son who she simply adores (and who wouldn’t, he’s adorable)!
Azarenka is very well aware of the history she is making alongside Williams and Pironkova and is hoping to be an inspiration to all of the other mothers out there who have dreams of their own. In her post-win interview, she gave an empowering message to all of the moms out there, “I’m so proud of the ladies. It’s incredible. I’m just really happy to see that. I hope we all keep going as far as possible. It’s inspiring. I hope it’s inspiring for other women that they continue to go for their dreams and don’t only identify as mothers, but continue to do what they want to do.” This quote is perfect because it touches on the duality of women; a woman’s capability to be a dedicated and phenomenal mother, as well as a woman’s capability to go after their own dreams and achieve the unimaginable.
Mom’s can achieve anything they set their mind to, and these three tennis superstars are living proof of that. Congratulations, Serena, Tsvetana, and Victoria, we’re all rooting for you!
