Serena Williams says motherhood has given her a new sense of confidence as she looks to surpass Margaret Court’s record of 24 grand slam singles titles.

Williams was due to defend her Australian Open title in Melbourne this month but pulled out of the tournament after admitting she was “not where I personally want to be” after the birth of her daughter Alexis, who she calls Olympia, in September. However, the former world No1 told Vogue in an interview published on Wednesday that she believes becoming a mother will help her in the long term.

“Maybe this goes without saying, but it needs to be said in a powerful way: I absolutely want more grand slams. I’m well aware of the record books, unfortunately,” said Williams, who has 23 slam titles to her name, one behind Court’s record. “It’s not a secret that I have my sights on 25, and actually, I think having a baby might help. When I’m too anxious I lose matches, and I feel like a lot of that anxiety disappeared when Olympia was born.

“Knowing I’ve got this beautiful baby to go home to makes me feel like I don’t have to play another match. I don’t need the money or the titles or the prestige. I want them, but I don’t need them. That’s a different feeling for me.”

Williams also spoke of the medical issues she faced during Olympia’s birth. She was first given an emergency C-section after the baby’s heart-rate dropped. Williams then underwent several procedures after blood clots settled on her lungs and her C-section wound popped open – she spent the following six weeks unable to get out of bed. It was not the first time the American has had problems with blood clots – she had to quit tennis for a year after a clot reached her lungs in 2011.

The former world No1 added that she hoped her daughter would share her drive. “I think sometimes women limit themselves,” said Williams. “I’m not sure why we think that way, but I know that we’re sometimes taught to not dream as big as men, not to believe we can be a president or a CEO, when in the same household, a male child is told he can be anything he wants. I’m so glad I had a daughter. I want to teach her that there are no limits.”

In September Williams turned 36, an age at which most players are well past their prime – if they are still playing on the professional circuit at all. But Williams, perhaps inspired by her older sister Venus who had one of the best years of her career in 2017, says she does not see her age as a problem. “I’ve been playing tennis since before my memories started,” Williams said. “At my age, I see the finish line. And when you see the finish line, you don’t slow down. You speed up.”