"So proud" - Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian congratulates her for receiving the Portrait of a Nation award

Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian has applauded the American tennis sensation on receiving the Portrait of a Nation award.

The 2022 Portrait of a Nation award was recently bestowed upon Serena Williams and her sister Venus Williams. Along with them, those honored included Marian Wright Edelman, José Andrés, Clive Davis, Ava DuVernay, and Dr Anthony Fauci.

The award, which honors people who have had a particularly significant influence on American society, is housed at the Smithsonian's Art Museum in Washington, D.C. The new commissions have joined over 23,000 permanent portraits already on display featuring Spike Lee, Aretha Franklin, Frida Kahlo, and Abraham Lincoln.

In light of this, Williams' husband, Alexis Ohanian turned to Twitter to express his admiration for the 23-time Grand Slam champion.

"So proud," Ohanian wrote.

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"I can’t tell you how hard it was; I lost so many matches after I had Olympia" - Serena Williams on the impact of motherhood on her career

Serena Williams with her daughter Olympia at the 2020 Women's ASB Classic.

In an interview published by Variety Magazine, Serena Williams, who announced her retirement prior to the start of the 2022 US Open, discussed how motherhood affected her tennis career. Serena was speaking at an event hosted by actor Bradley Cooper for the History Channel.

She revealed that once Olympia was born, it had become difficult for her to to play tennis and she frequently lost. She went on to say that she had dedicated her "entire life" to tennis and that it was finally time for her to invest in something new.

"As a super hands-on mom, I can’t tell you how hard it was. I lost so many matches after I had Olympia. Because it was so hard to be on the court. I feel like I’ve given so much of my life to tennis, my entire life, that it’s time to do something different for me and also work on other things," Williams said.

The 41-year-old confessed that she always wanted to stop playing the game while she was at her best and spend time with her family and daughter.

"I just needed to stop. I always said I wanted to stop when I’m playing really good tennis and winning and beating good players. For me, it’s really about things I want to do spiritually and spending time with my daughter and family

Williams also hinted at a possible comeback in the future.

"I feel like if I want to come back. I definitely can still come back," Serena Williams said.