Serena Williams has been praised for sharing a picture of her post-partum bikini body on social media.
Taking to Instagram, the all-star tennis player posted an image of her cradling her second daughter, Adira, just six months after giving birth to her in August last year.
"Loving yourself is essential," Williams wrote in the caption. "I find that I have to remind myself of that self-love through all different stages in my life."
The star then went onto talk about how she feels about her body right now.
"Right now I love that my body is not picture perfect," she continued. "I love that I smell like milk - that milk sustains @adiraohanian I love getting to know a new version of my body. It is a change, but it’s a change that has been well worth it. So start this week, knowing that you are loved, and that starts with you."
She concluded the post by joking: "Ok, now I’m about to go to the gym."
Have a look at the post below:Fans took to the comments to express their love for the athlete, praising her for being so open and raw with them.
"I was just writing about how you're nurturing yourself postpartum. Motherhood looks good on you Serena," wrote one user.
"Beautiful mama, strong woman, forever and always GOAT," another added while a third chimed in stating: "I love EVERY word of this post. You are a stunning goddess. Thank you for loving yourself. It helps us all do the same."
Others also referred to Williams as an inspiration with this mom writing: "Lawd [sic] you’re making me feel that I too can bounce back with miraculous measures. Doesn’t even look like you had a baby."
Speaking to Today Parents, the 23-time grand slam winner opened up about the trials and tribulations of motherhood.
"I think of what they do literally every single day to support their family and to be a rock for their family," she told the outlet during an interview back in 2020. "And it helps me keep going. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think that women are just really amazing."
The 42-year-old also expressed her admiration for women who work and also looking after their little ones.
"I don't know how moms do it," she said. "I work a lot, and I can't imagine working a full day like most working women and then go back to their babies. I'm fortunate enough that I have days off, and I get to make my schedule and then can spend the rest of the day with her. And that's still hard."
"The hardest part is walking out of the house while she's crying because she wants to be with me. It's very hard and makes me vulnerable and upset," she said. "Even in Australia [during the Australian Open], my heart was aching when I left the door."
When discussing the differences between what it takes to be an athlete versus a mother, Williams realized that there was only one answer.
"As an athlete, you can't be vulnerable. You have to be strong," she expressed. "As a mom, you're completely vulnerable to everything. And that's what makes it scary."
Williams shares daughters Olympia and Adira with her husband, Alexis Ohanian.