Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., the daughter of Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian, is just three years old. Shortly after her birth, Serena Williams tweeted,

“Fun fact my daughter’s initials are AO as in the Aussie open she won with me.” Serena Williams found out she was pregnant with her daughter just two days before the Australian Open in 2017.

According to Serena, she understandably felt nervous once she discovered her pregnancy because, “You hear all these stories about people when they’re pregnant — they get sick,

they get really tired, really stressed out … I had to really take all that energy and put it in a paper bag, so to say, and throw it away.”

Serena Williams hasn’t won a major since giving birth to her daughter, but many speculate that she could still have an exciting tennis career moving forward.

Some also wonder if Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. will be a tennis star like her mother, a successful tech entrepreneur like her father, or something else entirely. It will certainly be fun to see which path she takes.

The tournament had to be cancelled completely last year, meaning the current edition is the first since 2019, when Fabio Fognini was a surprise winner.
That has come with a trade-off, though, with no fans able to attend due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis

“Sad not to see the crowds here this year after practice,” Rafael Nadal, the 11-time champion, posted on his Instagram story.

Interestingly, that was at-odds with Novak Djokovic’s observations, with the world number one saying the lack of fans has made for particularly good practice conditions for players.

“It is better for training because there are no fans, there are only people from sponsoring companies,” the world number one told the Serbian media.

“Under normal circumstances, it is difficult to provide courts for all players and then practice for an hour here, an hour there at the very beginning of the tournament when there are many players.

“Now I notice that most players train one on one without the need to share the court. That may be a positive thing.

“You play matches where you usually train, meet people and spend time outside.

“Now we have time to look at the trainings of other players, for which we are grateful because we are in safe conditions due to all restrictions and it’s nice to catch some fresh air.”

The 11-time Monte Carlo champion Rafael Nadal will make a long-awaited return to the court next week at one of his favorite events, chasing the first title in the Principality since 2018. The greatest clay-courter of all time has won only three titles on his favorite surface after 2018, losing three straight semi-finals in 2019 and competing at only two events in 2020 due to the coronavirus.

Now, the Spaniard is throwing everything on his favorite European clay-swing, entering four or five tournaments and hoping to perform well at all of them. Nadal has played only one event so far in 2021, struggling with a back injury and seeking a better run in the next couple of months.

Rafa had to skip Rotterdam and Miami after the Australian Open, staying at home and working on clay ahead of Monte Carlo. Nadal’s doctor Angel Ruiz Cotorro shared positive news with Rafa’s fans, saying he feels good and that everything goes as it should on the practice court.

Cotorro confirmed that the clay swing is Rafa’s primary goal in 2021, wanting to give his best at these events and secure another Roland Garros title if the season’s second Major goes as planned. Kicking off the new season in Adelaide, Rafa suffered a back injury during the practice session, heading to Melbourne and skipping the ATP Cup as he didn’t want to risk anything.

Rafael Nadal will return to action next week in Monte Carlo.
The Spaniard entered the Australian Open and made a strong start against the lower-ranked rivals, sealing the deal in straight sets to avoid spending more time on the court.

Rafa scored comfortable wins over Cameron Norrie and Fabio Fognini to reach the quarter, feeling good on the court and hoping for more of the same against Stefanos Tsitsipas. Nadal opened two sets to love advantage against the Greek, who made a marvelous comeback to stun the 20-time Major champion in thrilling five sets and advance into the last four.

Rafa has stayed away from the court ever since, preparing a comeback in Monte Carlo, where he claimed 11 titles between 2005-2018. “Rafael Nadal is training hard; everything goes according to his plans. Nadal’s goal is to play at his best during the clay-swing from Monte Carlo to Roland Garros,” says doctor Angel Ruiz Cotorro.