Lindsay Davenport says life is ’so much greater’ with baby

As she heads into the Australian Open, Lindsay Davenport — who just seven months ago gave birth to her first child, Jagger Jonathan — has become an unlikely role model for her often younger, often childless peers on the WTA Tour.  Her decision to return to the court so soon after becoming a mom was viewed with a certain degree of skepticism by the tennis community, but she has since proven the skeptics wrong, dropping just one match while going on to win 18 others.  Lindsay’s play has caught the attention of Serena Williams, who recently said,

I mean, I’m speechless because she looks better than me and she’s seven months out of having a baby.  I’m convinced if I had a baby, seven months later, I’d probably still be in the hospital trying to get over the pain. She is my ultimate role model. I mean, I’m really so motivated. Like she’s just taken it to a new level.

Jagger travels with Lindsay on the road, along with a full-time nanny, and since his birth the two have spent just two nights apart.  Mom and son sleep together in their various hotel rooms, so it is Lindsay who tends to the baby when he wakes overnight, usually at 4 a.m.  Lindsay says that at that point she and Jagger usually co-sleep until the sun comes up.

I haven’t really forced anything because I’m too tired in a week like this (leading up to the Australian Open) to really sit there and wait for an hour for him to go back to sleep.  I’m giving in.

At no time is Jagger’s presence more apparent than when Lindsay begins to pack for a tournament, however.  As anyone who has ever flown with a baby knows, airline travel is never quite the same.

Life is obviously so much greater now, but traveling is way more difficult.  I swear I didn’t appreciate even silly things like reading magazines or books, and packing is way different. I pack for myself at the very last minute, throwing things in, and for him it’s like ‘Do we have enough diapers, do we have enough formula?’ All of that stuff is much more important.

Click ‘continue reading’ for more of Lindsay’s interview.

Lindsay admits that — once upon a time — she would have viewed a comeback like her own with bemusement. 

I never thought my whole career that I would be a player to do that; I probably would have been the one making fun of someone doing that. You always see people coming back to the sport, and I’ve always thought, ‘Gosh, when you’re done playing, wouldn’t you just want to stay at home?

And she says she understands the backlash — however minor — which occurred after she played her first team tennis match six weeks after delivering Jagger.  When a columnist in the local paper questioned whether it was ‘good or bad’ that she return to the sport she loves so soon after giving birth, Lindsay admits she "freaked out."  Lindsay reminded herself, however, that although her ‘job’ is unique the notion of women returning to the workforce after having a baby is not.

I come from a family of working women, my mum went to work two weeks after I was born – my parents had no money, there was no choice. Both my sisters work, they have kids; obviously, it’s not abnormal in my family.

Of course I’m traveling and so it’s a little different, but my husband is totally supportive, so we’re all good with it. You get the odd old-fashioned woman that thinks differently, but we always think (Jagger’s) much better off with me.

She adds,

I wouldn’t do this job – there would be no question – if I had to leave him at home. But fortunately, I’ve earned enough money to be able to bring him, and bring someone to watch him while I practice, and my husband can come so we’re not apart that much, so it kind of works for us.

Lindsay married investment banker Jonathan Leach in 2003.

Source:  The Age

Photo:  Vince Caligiuri