"Winning is now a desire and no longer a need" - Serena Williams on mindset after becoming a mother

Although she is only one title away from equaling Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam trophies, Serena Williams claims that tennis is no longer her top priority in life as she focuses on bringing up her young daughter Olympia.

The 40-year-old American has implied she still wants to continue playing in pursuit of success, but equaling Court's record now appears of secondary importance to her. Furthermore, Williams also detailed how she had to fight to save her own life after complications during Olympia's birth in September 2017.

"Since I’ve had my baby, the stakes of the game have shifted for me," wrote Williams in an essay for Elle magazine. "I have 23 Grand Slams to my name, more than any other active player. But winning is now a desire and no longer a need.

"I have a beautiful daughter at home; I still want the titles, the success, and the esteem, but it’s not my reason for waking up in the morning. There is more to teach her about this game than winning."

The former World No.1 spoke about how giving birth enabled her to find her voice, and speak out when faced with injustice.

"I’ve learned to dust myself off after defeat, to stand up for what matters at any cost, to call out for what’s fair - even when it makes me unpopular," said Williams. "Giving birth to my baby, it turned out, was a test for how loud and how often I would have to call out before I was finally heard."