Serena Williams celebrates her post-baby body as she poses in a bikini

SERENA WILLIAMS has highlighted the need for 'self-love' as she posed in a bikini photo to celebrate her postpartum body.

The tennis legend posted herself on Monday with her second daughter, whom she gave birth to only six months ago.

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Williams, 42, has been vocal about spreading body positivity since her retirement from tennis in 2022.

And has emphasized the need for 'self-love' to her fans in her recent film Instagram after.

The American captioned the photo: “Loving yourself is essential. I find myself having to remind myself of that self-love at all different stages of my life.

“Right now, I love that my body isn't perfect. I love that I smell like milk – that milk supports Adira Ohanian.

“I'm enjoying getting to know a new version of my body. It's a change, but it's a change that has been well worth it.

“So start this week knowing that you are loved, and it starts with you.”

The tennis superstar revealed to Vogue in 2020 that she had grown up “without a positive body image” and had struggled with accepting her body shape throughout her career.

Williams, who has 23 Grand Slam titles to her name, is married to Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian.

And in 2017, the couple had their first daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.

Less than a year after Alexis Williams was born, he made a Grand Slam appearance at the French Open.

But Williams revealed how she had to have an emergency C-section and surgery due to blood clots in her lungs.

The former world number one has also opened up about her struggles with depression since having children.

Williams told Harper's Bazaar UK: “To be honest, sometimes I think I'm still dealing with it.

“I think people need to talk about it more because it's almost like the fourth trimester, it's part of pregnancy.

“I remember one day I couldn't find Olympia's bottle and I got so upset that I started crying… because I wanted to be perfect for her.”

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