Days after confirming her pregnancy, tennis great Serena Williams has been ranked as No. 1 on the Women's Tennis Association Tour, according to ESPN. Williams ranks No. 1 for the eighth time in her career.
Williams is expecting her first child with fiance Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and initially announced she was 20 weeks along in a briefly Snapchat post Wednesday.
Her representative, Kelly Bush Novak,confirmed that Williams is expecting a baby in the fall and will be on maternity leave for the rest of the year.
Williams’ leave may affect her No. 1 ranking. Although she plans to return next year, ESPN reported that if Angelique Kerber wins her first two matches at a tournament, Williams’ ranking will fall.
Related: Serena Williams confirms pregnancy; tennis star might have competed while pregnant
Williams indicated she will, in fact, be back on the circuit in 2018 in an Instagram post celebrating her No. 1 rank and her pregnancy. The photo shows Williams in a black bikini as she cradles her bump.
“Dearest Baby, You gave me the strength I didn’t know I had,” Williams wrote in the post Monday. “You taught me the true meaning of serenity and peace. I can't wait to meet you. I can't wait for you to join the players box next year. But most importantly, I am so happy to share being number one in the world with you.... once again today.”
She made the post on her fiance’s birthday and signed the message, “from the world's oldest number one to the world's youngest number one. -Your Mommy.”
See the Instagram post below.
