In pictures: Serena Williams visits the fair with daughter Olympia
Serena Williams has been using her time away from the game to pursue activities she would never usually have time for in the midst of her busy tennis schedule. For example, she would not be able to visit a fair in January, considering she is normally battling it out at Melbourne Park at this time. But that is exactly what Williams did recently.
On Sunday, the 40-year-old regaled her fans with a stream of Instagram stories from a fair she visited with her daughter Olympia Ohanian. The mother-daughter duo were accompanied by one of Williams' friends, Lara Lucas, and her son.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion was spotted on one of the rides at the fair along with the rest of the group. She later shared a video of herself ordering a donut burger at one of the many restaurants. Williams revealed that she does not usually eat meat, but made an exception this time.
"I will have a donut burger with all the stuff but tomatoes. Because I want to be as unhealthy as I can," Williams said. "I actually don't eat meat but I am at a fair so I may as well try it. It is also a $23 burger so I better eat it all."
The former World No. 1 later said the burger tasted much better than she expected it to. She also joked about throwing it away after the first bite since it was not healthy for her.
"It is actually not bad. This is terrible [for my health]. I am going to throw the rest of this immediately away so I don't gain a hundred pounds," Williams said. "[The burger] was really beautiful."
Williams' final video of the day showcased her dancing skills at the fair grounds, as her friends cheered in the background. She ended the day with a group photo, incorporating the word 'Fair' into the accompanying caption.
"What an afFair," Serena captioned the photo on Instagram.
There has been no official word yet on Serena Williams' return to the WTA tour
Serena Williams last played a competitive match at Wimbledon in 2021, where she retired in the first round against Aliaksandra Sasnovich with a hamstring injury.
The recovery process has kept her out of action ever since, forcing her to opt out of two consecutive Grand Slams for the first time since her pregnancy in 2017. Her WTA ranking has taken a heavy blow in the meantime with the 23-time Major winner slipping to No. 245 in the world.
Estimated WTA rankings after the Australian Open
Naomi Osaka: 84
Serena Williams: 245
Hard to believe https://t.co/HIFPf0PNBn
This, however, shouldn't be a problem for someone of Williams' caliber and reputation. She will most likely receive wildcards at big tournaments, and climbing back up the rankings is probably only a matter of time for the serial champion.
@hBencee Coming!!!!
The only question is when fans will finally be able to watch the American in action. The 40-year-old recently dropped hints on social media, teasing fans about an imminent return. But there has been no official word about the former World No. 1's return yet.
Williams has been stuck on 23 Majors for five years since her 2017 Australian Open triumph, losing four finals in the intervening period.