Mothers reign at Wimbledon as Serena Williams, Evgeniya Rodina face off

Serena Williams.
(Image credit: Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Twenty-three-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams faces Russia's Evgeniya Rodina at Wimbledon on Monday in what The New York Times described as a "a rare tennis meeting of mothers."

This year's singles group includes a total of six mothers, many of whom are outspoken advocates of changing the way the Women's Tennis Association treats motherhood. Former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, for example, has fought to grant women returning from maternity leave seeding considerations; Wimbledon took steps to give 183rd-ranked Williams the No. 25 seed as she has returned from maternity leave.

"[W]e are all women and life is not just about tennis," explained Kristina Mladenovic of France. "It's very great to see."

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.