Serena Williams made history at the 2017 Australian Open while carrying her first child
In short: At the 2017 Australian Open, Serena Williams secured her 23rd major singles title by defeating her sister, Venus. This victory was historic, marking her seventh title in Melbourne and establishing a new Open Era record. Remarkably, she achieved this feat while roughly two months pregnant, cementing her legacy in tennis history.
The 2017 tournament was a landmark event for Serena Williams, who outperformed her sister Venus in straight sets, 6–4, 6–4, to claim the championship. This win was significant not only for the sibling rivalry, which saw its ninth and final major final meeting, but also for the record books. By securing her 23rd major title, Serena surpassed the previous Open Era record held by Steffi Graf. Furthermore, the victory allowed her to reclaim the world number one ranking, and at 35 years and four months old, she remains the oldest woman to win a major singles title in the Open Era.
The tournament was notable for its unique physical circumstances, as Serena was approximately eight weeks into her pregnancy with her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., by the conclusion of the event. Her dominance throughout the two weeks was absolute; she did not drop a single set during the entire competition. This performance stood in stark contrast to the defending champion, Angelique Kerber, who was eliminated in the fourth round by CoCo Vandeweghe.
The event also featured a remarkable comeback story from Mirjana Lučić-Baroni. She reached the semifinals, a feat she had not accomplished in over 17 years. Her previous semifinal appearance occurred at the 1999 Wimbledon Championships, where she faced Steffi Graf. In a poetic turn of history, her 2017 semifinal appearance saw her face Serena Williams, who had by then matched the 22-major title count that Graf had held. This tournament remains a definitive moment in tennis, highlighting both the endurance of veteran players and the shifting landscape of the sport's record books.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2017 Australian Open – Women's singles
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