Serena Williams is expecting a baby this year, her spokesperson confirmed Wednesday, hours after the tennis great hinted at the news in a Snapchat post.
"I'm happy to confirm Serena is expecting a baby this Fall," Los Angeles-based publicist Kelly Bush Novak said in a statement emailed to AFP.
While Williams won't play again this year, "she looks forward to returning in 2018," Bush Novak said.
Williams' Snapchat post, quickly highlighted in US media, showed the 35-year-old in a yellow swimsuit that revealed an apparent baby bump.
But the post was quickly taken down, lending an air of mystery to its meaning.
"The GOAT herself @serenawilliams took to Snapchat to announce she's 20 weeks pregnant! Congratulations Serena!" the US Tennis Association, organizers of the US Open - which Williams has won six times - tweeted, using the acronym for "Greatest Of All Time."
But the Women's Tennis Association deleted a congratulatory tweet and acknowledged in a statement they had not had confirmation of the news.
It was hours before they could tweet: "It's official! @SerenaWilliams and @AlexisOhanian are expecting a baby this fall."
In December, Williams announced her engagement to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, first sharing that news on the Reddit social media site.
If Williams is 20 weeks into her pregnancy, that means she was already expecting when she won her record-setting 23rd Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January – where she beat her elder sister Venus in the final.
For fans and friends the announcement underscored Williams' superwoman status.
AFP
There's gonna be a baby GOAT ..... We are so happy, and we know @serenawilliams will be a great mother
— andyroddick (@andyroddick) April 20, 2017
Serena Williams won the Australian open title pregnant without dropping a set should remove all doubt that she is definitely the GOAT!
— Ransell D'Souza (@rantsell) April 20, 2017
Superman or Batman? I have Serena Williams, thank you very much.
— Lisa Be (@Lisa_BePunkt) April 20, 2017
So Serena Williams is pregnant. Why is everyone surprised that a pregnant woman can do her job as well as when she isn't pregnant?
— Andrea Dowsett (@andidowsett) April 20, 2017
Serena Williams is truly the Greatest of All Time. Bar none.
— Mihira Sood (@mihira_sood) April 20, 2017
Serena Williams casually announced her pregnancy on Maria Sharapova's birthday. She's been around Beyoncé too much.
— Muscle Flexbrook (@Kontra402) April 19, 2017
. @serenawilliams will have a new pride & joy to hug and call her own soon! Congratulations on the exciting baby announcement! #USOpen pic.twitter.com/NXxlY4vC6q
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) April 19, 2017