“I tell all my friends of age, freeze your eggs”: Serena Williams explains how egg freezing helped her continue competing

Serena Williams has opened up about the personal decision that helped her continue competing at the highest level of tennis while thinking about motherhood. Speaking during a conversation with former First Lady Michelle Obama on the IMO podcast, the 23-time Grand Slam champion said freezing her eggs gave her “peace of mind” and removed pressure during the latter stages of her career.

The former World No. 1 welcomed her first daughter, Olympia, in 2017 at the age of 35 with her husband, Alexis Ohanian. Their second daughter, Adira, was born six years later. Williams explained that although she wanted to become a mother, she did not feel ready to step away from professional tennis when she was still competing for major titles.

Williams, who retired from tennis after the 2022 US Open, said the process allowed her to focus entirely on competition without feeling constrained by timelines linked to family planning.

During the discussion, Williams also encouraged other women to consider fertility preservation earlier in life. She revealed she underwent the procedure at around 27 or 28 years old after receiving advice from others, adding that she now feels a responsibility to “pay that forward” by speaking openly about the experience.

Williams described the decision as transformative during a period when she was still fully committed to competing on the WTA Tour. She explained that she wanted to continue playing professional tennis and was not prepared to retire simply to accelerate plans for starting a family.

“I froze my eggs. And I felt like once I did it, because I was still playing professional tennis, and I felt I wasn't ready to stop, and I wanted to keep going, and it just wasn't time. And then all of a sudden, all this pressure came off of my shoulders. Like it was just, all this weight just fell off my shoulders once I did that.”

The American also said she frequently speaks to friends about the importance of fertility protection and believes women should be aware of the options available to them. Advances in reproductive technology have increasingly allowed athletes to extend their careers while keeping open the possibility of starting a family later.

“I tell all my friends of age, freeze your eggs. Because I just feel like that is the best thing that you can do as a woman, as you decide to go on this journey.”

Williams added that she remains grateful she made the decision relatively early. She said hearing similar advice from others influenced her own choice, which is why she now considers it important to discuss publicly. “I was like 27, 28, so it was a really good time to do it. And also, someone told me to do it, so I always felt like it was really important for me to pay that forward.”

Since stepping away from professional tennis, Williams has repeatedly emphasized that family occupies the central role in her life. The American has spoken about wanting to be a present parent while balancing business ventures and public commitments following retirement.

Williams explained that one of the key advantages of egg freezing was preserving flexibility for the future. She noted that the process provided reassurance regardless of when she eventually decided to settle down or have children.

“Even if you get married later, you can still use those eggs with your husband. You just have so many more opportunities and options, and so, I don't know, for me, I was really happy that I did it.”

Her comments come as conversations around fertility, maternity leave and career longevity continue to grow within women’s sports. Tennis, in particular, has become one of the leading sports in implementing measures aimed at helping players combine professional careers with parenthood.

Several leading players in recent years have returned successfully after childbirth, including Naomi Osaka, Elina Svitolina and Belinda Bencic. Williams herself reached four Grand Slam finals after becoming a mother, including at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2018 and 2019.

Williams’ comments come shortly after the Women's Tennis Association introduced a new Fertility Protection Special Entry Ranking Rule. The policy allows players to protect their ranking while undergoing procedures such as egg or embryo freezing.

Under the new regulation, eligible players ranked inside the world’s top 750 can step away from competition for more than 10 weeks and return with a protected ranking that can be used to enter up to three tournaments. The ranking is based on the player’s 12-week average ranking before their absence.

The measure expands the WTA’s Family Focus Program, which already includes maternity leave, postpartum support and ranking protection during pregnancy. The initiative was developed with player support as the tour continues increasing measures aimed at helping athletes balance professional careers with family planning.