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It’s a girl? Serena Williams lauds baby gender ‘surprise’

Jun 1, 2017 | 7:00 AM

PARIS — Serena Williams wants everyone to slow down with all of that “It’s a girl!” talk prompted by her sister Venus.

The pregnant tennis star sent out a tweet on Thursday to “clarify what Venus said” after the older sibling appeared to accidentally let something slip during a TV interview with Eurosport at the French Open by blurting out about the baby, “She’s going to call me ‘Favourite Aunt.’”

Venus’ use of the pronoun “She” led folks to figure that meant Serena is expecting a girl.

But a day later, Serena wrote: “I think the surprise of knowing what you are going to have on that very special day you give birth is prob the best surprise you can ever have.”

She continued: “I did not grow up with brothers, only sisters and we all say ‘she’ more than ‘he.’”

Serena announced her pregnancy with Reddit co-founder Alexis Olhanian in April, but has not hinted at the baby’s gender.

She is due in the fall and is taking the rest of this season off, but plans to return to the tour in 2018. Serena sat in the stands during Venus’ second-round victory at Roland Garros on Wednesday.

Venus takes on Elise Mertens in the third round of the French Open on Friday.

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More AP tennis coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-Tennis

The Associated Press