Forty feminine athletes from world wide descended on Paris for Nike’s “On Air” occasion on the Palais Brongniart this week, with Vogue sizzling on their Air-clad heels. In and amongst different top-notch sporting abilities: the inimitable Serena Williams, who took trip to share some wit and knowledge with Vogue in her resort room, beginning along with her number-one piece of recommendation for the following technology of sportswomen. “Always remember who you’re, and be your self,” she recommended. “Be your self and be pleased with that… You’ll play higher, you’ll really feel extra assured… And typically it’s exhausting, proper? It’s exhausting to, like, simply really go on the market and personal who you’re, however you are able to do it. And that’s one thing that all the time helped me.”

After all, since her splendidly candid announcement of her retirement from tennis in Vogue’s September 2022 subject, Serena has shifted her focus from Olympic golds to Olympia, her six-year-old, and Adira, who’s not but one. (“She retains me very humble,” the previous World No. 1 admits of her firstborn with amusing. “She advised me the opposite day that my abdomen was huge, and I seemed pregnant. And I used to be like, ‘Okay, properly that’s not good…!’”)

Even when Williams’s Grand Slam days are behind her, her way of life stays health and health-focused, with the odd taco evening (“I do like to order something spicy”) and cinnamon roll (her banquet signature) thrown in for good measure (“Mmm, stunning”). As for her AM routine? “I begin my time without work proper by waking up early, , getting an early exercise in, simply one thing very mild, simply to get my mind going–it really works higher than espresso for me after I stand up and work out. Clearly, getting plenty of hugs and kisses from my women. That’s, like, the proper day. After all, none of that really ever occurs. I by no means get up early. I’m all the time working late… I do get the kisses and hugs, however I’m procrastinating each single morning.”