23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams makes winning look effortless on the court, but the star has been open that there's more than meets the eye.
Williams takes the court at the 50th U.S. Open in Flushing, New York on Monday as the No. 17 seed. The tennis champ spoke with E! News' James Chairman recently at the Lotte New York Palace 2018 Invitational about work-life balance and being a mom to Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.
"It's hard," she said. "It's not easy being a working mom, but that's what we do. Women are strong and we are continuing to be, so I'm really proud of that."
But does the all-star tennis player, fashion designer and mom really believe there's such a thing as work-life balance? "I think there is," she said. "The thing is, you just have to find it."
Williams went on to explain whether or not she has unearthed the secret to handling it all. "I'm not sure if I've found it yet, but I'm getting there. I'm finding my personal work-life balance," she told E! News.
Alexis Olympia turns 1 on Sept. 1, which is right in the middle of the U.S. Open (it runs from Aug. 27-Sept.9). Whether or not Alexis Olympia follows her mother's tennis-laden footsteps is up in the air...for now. According to Williams, Alexis Olympia has taken a liking to a new sport: soccer. Williams told E! News exactly how she feels: "I'm a little heartbroken about it."
The Grand Slam champion has been very vocal about parenting and all the growing pains that come with being a new mom. "Some days, I cry. I'm really sad. I've had meltdowns. It's been a really tough 11 months. If I can do it, you guys can do it too," she told TIME in a recent cover story.
She lost in the finals at Wimbledon this year, but still made it an empowering experience for women and moms all over the world. "It 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," she wrote on Instagram.
Williams has also spoken about the difficulties of practicing tennis and returning to the sport while Alexis Olympia takes big steps (literally) in growing up. The new mom missed her daughter take her first steps while she was training for Wimbledon and she cried. In May, the star told E! News, "I just want to be the best and I want to work the hardest. I also want to be the best mom."
In early August, Williams posted on Instagram about how she felt like she "was not a good mom" after falling "in a funk." She praised fellow working moms and said, "Whether stay-at-home or working, finding that balance with kids is a true art. You are the true heroes."