(Image source from: Vogue)

American tennis player Serena Williams, who will be participating in her third Grand Slam tournament after giving birth to daughter Alexis Olympia, has said that motherhood has intensified the fire in her belly and she is working hard to do well in the imminent 2018 the United States Open.

The 36-year-old further expressed the sureness that all her hard work would unquestionably pay off.

"If anything, (after becoming a mom) I have more fire in my belly. It's very hard to describe. It's very difficult to describe. I thought after having a child I would be more relaxed. I think I've said this before, but I'm not. I work just as hard if not harder actually. I just feel like I take it just as serious if not more. That's been really surprising for me," WTA official website quoted Williams, as saying.

"I feel like I have to just be happy, you know, continue to work hard. I've been working incredibly hard. I feel like it will for sure pay off eventually," she added.

Considering her preparations ahead of the concluding Major Slam of the year, the former world number one stated that she is trying to take things flippantly and is taking out some moments to relax.

"I definitely am more of a high-strung person where everything is dramatic for me. But I've been working on just taking things more easy and being more light. Most of all, just being nicer to myself, trying to take moments where I can relax and I can just take different things and I can be easier," she said.

The U.S. Open is scheduled to be held from August 27 at the National Tennis Court.

By Sowmya Sangam