Mom-to-be Serena Williams created a stir on social media Tuesday after saying giving birth will make her a "real woman."
In a cover story for Stellar magazine, the tennis star opened up about the significance of having a baby in her life and as a woman.
"I am about to be a real woman now, you know? It's going to be something incredibly impressive to go through," Williams said.
But social media users criticized the comments, pointing out that many women often cannot or do not want to have children.
The Grand Slam champion has not publicly addressed the social media backlash.
Williams, engaged to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, announced she was expecting in April after a Snapchat photo of her with a small baby bump was spotted by users.
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The tennis star won the Australian Open in January while pregnant, according to The Washington Post.