Inspired by professional female athletes that have come before her, former world No. 1 tennis player Victoria Azarenka made it clear last July, when she was expecting her first child, that she had every intention of resuming her competitive tennis career after giving birth.
That comeback came into clearer focus Monday, when Azarenka announced that she aims to return for the grass court season and will play at Wimbledon, which will come just seven months after she gave birth to her son, Leo, in December.
The 27-year-old two-time Australian Open champion has not competed since losing in the first round at last year’s French Open, but she can look to fellow tennis players and other professional athletes as examples of athletic success shortly after giving birth.
“My training has been progressing well and I feel ready to start competing,” Azarenka said in a statement. “I will be finalizing my schedule before Wimbledon in the coming days.”
— victoria azarenka (@vika7) May 22, 2017
In 2009, Belgian Kim Clijsters announced her comeback to the professional tour, which was a little over a year after she had her first child. That September, Clijsters won her second U.S. Open title. American Lindsay Davenport won the 2008 ASB Classic in Auckland just six months after giving birth to her son.
Olympic runner Sarah Brown embarked on an even more accelerated path, competing at the U.S. Olympic trials last summer four months after giving birth. Brown trained throughout her pregnancy.
“The best moment of this was going out there and seeing her,” Brown told Sports Illustrated.
Women’s marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe was running again just 12 days after the birth of her daughter, Isla, in 2007 and would go on to win the New York City Marathon that year. Golfer Catriona Matthew won the British Open in August of 2010 just 10 weeks after giving birth to her second daughter.
Sarah Brown says running in Olympic trials 4 months after giving birth was a 'victory' https://t.co/7X0XPQJajV pic.twitter.com/NW0KN3Mee5
— People (@people) July 21, 2016
But the quick turnaround from childbirth for high-level athletes is not without its challenges.
Heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill claimed gold at the IAAF World Championships in 2015, just nine months after returning to training following the birth of her son, Reggie. But according to Vice Sports, the period after Reggie’s birth was tough enough that Ennis-Hill considered quitting the sport.
“It’s just so hard — in fact, ‘hard’ isn’t a strong enough word,” Ennis-Hill told The Telegraph last year. “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done, juggling everything and becoming a new mum.”
Earlier this year, it was revealed that Serena Williams was approximately two months pregnant when she won the Australian Open in January for her 23rd Grand Slam title. Like Azarenka, Williams also plans on returning to tennis after she becomes a mother.
“I definitely plan on coming back — I’m not done yet,” the 35-year-old Williams told Gayle King last month. “My story isn’t over. … This is just a new part of my life. My baby is going to be in the stands, hopefully cheering for me and not crying too much.”
U.S. Olympic swimmer Dana Vollmer also competed while pregnant this year when she entered a midseason pro meet while six months pregnant. Vollmer competed at the Rio Olympics just 15 months after giving birth to her first son, Arlen. She won three medals at the Games.
