Serena Williams tweets support to new mothers after Grand Slam return

Serena Williams wore a black “superhero” catsuit on her Grand Slam return following the birth of her daughter and dedicated the victory to mothers “who had a tough recovery from pregnancy”.

The star, 36, beat Kristyna Pliskova 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 at the French Open in her first Grand Slam appearance since welcoming Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr in September.

Following the victory, Williams – who is married to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian – posted a message of support to mothers who had experienced difficulty giving birth.

She said: “Catsuit anyone? For all the moms out there who had a tough recovery from pregnancy—here you go. If I can do it, so can you. Love you all!!”

In February, Williams revealed she nearly died after giving birth and following her victory on Tuesday she said the eye-catching black catsuit she wore on court was for practical as well as stylistic reasons.

The costume – which included a pink belt – helped her cope with the issue of blood clots, which nearly proved fatal in childbirth.

Speaking about the outfit, Williams said: “I feel like a warrior in it, like a warrior princess, kind of.

“I’m always living in a fantasy world. I always wanted to be a superhero, and it’s kind of my way of being a superhero. I feel like a super-hero when I wear it.”

After her victory, Williams’ husband tweeted his support.