Pam Shriver says there is no reason why Serena Williams can't physically return after pregnancy to tie Margaret Court's record of 24 major titles. (0:39)

Serena Williams reclaimed the No. 1 ranking on the WTA Tour on Monday for the eighth time in her career.

The 23-time Grand Slam winner, who announced her pregnancy last week, takes over the top spot for the 317th week overall, third all time behind Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova.

Would the GOAT be part of House Targaryen? Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images

Williams' latest leap to the No. 1 position might be only a temporary one, however; if Angelique Kerber wins her first two matches at this week's Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart, she will once again unseat Williams atop the rankings.

The news for Williams comes on a day when she made her first public comments regarding her pregnancy. In an Instagram post Monday, Williams wrote a letter to her unborn child, sharing her excitement in reaching No. 1 again.

In that post, Williams also put to rest any doubt about her return to the court in 2018, writing, "I can't wait for you to join the players box next year. But most importantly, I am so happy to share being number one in the world with you. ..."

Williams hasn't played a match since winning the Australian Open in late January.