Serena proudly bares baby bump for Vanity Fair cover

(Annie Leibovitz exclusively for Vanity Fair)

Serena Williams appears onthe latest cover of *Vanity Fair*, with this message: "I don’t think my story is over yet." She hopes to be back in January—after she has her baby this fall and marries Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.

The 35-year-old was photographed by the one and only Annie Leibovitz.

“I’ve been photographing Serena since she was 16 years old,” Leibovitz said in a press release. “It was wonderful to do these pictures at this stage of her life.”

Williams tells the tale of learning she was pregnant, just a week before winning her record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam at the Australian Open. She didn't even want to entertain the idea of taking a pregnancy test, but a friend encouraged it.

“I’ll take it just because (a) to prove you wrong and (b) because it’s fun, whatever. It’s like a joke. Why not?” Williams told Vanity Fair.

When she saw the results, her first thoughts were: “‘Oh my God, this can’t be—I’ve got to play a tournament. How am I going to play the Australian Open?’ I had planned on winning Wimbledon this year.”

Ohanian flew to Melbourne early, and learned the surprising news when Williams gave him a paper bag containing six positive pregnant tests.

“It just doesn’t seem real. I don’t know why. Am I having a baby?” Williams said. The couple are waiting to find out the sex of their first child together.

Ohanian is looking forward to the marriage, while Williams tells Vanity Fair (jokingly), “I’m trying to enjoy the little freedom I have left.”

The story outlines their international love story, from their fateful meeting in Rome to their first date—walking around Paris for six hours—to Ohanian’s proposal at the same table where he had first met her. Their next few chapters together will be even more exciting.

The August issue of Vanity Fair will appear on newsstands in New York and Los Angeles on July 6, and nationally on July 11.

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