Serena Williams' Tribute to Daughter Olympia, Who Just Turned Two, Will Make You Emotional

Serena Williams, greatest athlete of all time, winner of 23 Grand Slams, has an awful lot of accomplishments. But the biggest one of them all, she wrote on Instagram Sunday, is Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr., who just turned two years old. Alongside a hospital photo with husband Alexis Ohanian, Sr. and a newborn Alexis Olympia, Serena wrote, "The last 2 years have been my greatest accomplishment." Yes, I am crying, and no, I will not apologize for that.

Alexis Sr. took to Instagram too, with a photo of mother and father holding Olympia's tiny hand. "How has it already been two years? Happy cake day @olympiaohanian," he wrote (and yes, "happy cake day" is Reddit terminology.) He used the post to voice his support for paid family leave, continuing, "Thank you for being the greatest thing we've ever done. And thank you for teaching me that every parent in the US deserves those first months with their newborn. I'm a better business leader because of it. #PaidFamilyLeave."

Serena's been open about the difficulties of navigating motherhood and a champion's career (currently, she's seeking a 24th Grand Slam at the US Open) both at the same time. "I actually prefer playing in the day because I get to go home and see my baby," she told Forbes last week. "I’ve been missing her the last few nights when I play."

"In the beginning she would really be upset when I left. And now she's a little bit better. I think I'm a little more upset. But at the same time, she definitely still takes it a little hard. She's still super young," Serena continued.

"You know, it's hard. Sometimes my heart literally aches when I'm not around her. But, you know, it's good for me, I guess, to keep working and just to all moms out there that it's not easy. It's really kind of painful sometimes," she said. "Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do."

For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

subscribe here