Serena Williams dishes on the legend of Qai Qai 

Serena, Osaka reach fourth round of Aussie Open

Tomic to take legal action against Hewitt

Federer breezes past Fritz at Australian Open

Tiafoe and Anisimova: Meet the young U.S. stars turning heads Down Under

Why there was more to Sharapova\'s win against Wozniacki than meets the eye

Win over Eugenie Bouchard a reminder of Serena\'s longtime dominance

Whether she likes it or not, Naomi Osaka is a bona fide star

Who\'s going to catch Simona Halep as the world No. 1? The race is on

Do aces matter? Hard to say, if you\'re Reilly Opelka or Ivo Karlovic

Was Serena singled out in the US Open final? Here\'s what 73 matches told us

Serena\'s statement is clear: She\'s focused on the future

If this was Andy Murray\'s final act, it was one we won\'t soon forget

Battling Murray falls to defeat, hints at future

A voice for equality, Andy Murray\'s influence goes well beyond his on-court accomplishments

Andy Murray\'s hip gave out, but it\'s his heart we\'ll remember

Djokovic, Federer on polar ends of Aussie draw

Australian Open draw: Djokovic, Halep receive No. 1 seeds

Tennis Australia is navigating some of the sport\'s great barriers

One week into the 2019 tennis season, and the Big Four reunion might be a bust

Nadal: My top form will come if I stay injury-free

Why tennis\' final-set tiebreakers are both a solution and a problem

The tennis coaching business is booming, but it has never been more chaotic

Will Serena\'s US Open controversy, Federer\'s woes carry over to 2019 tennis season?

These matches changed the trajectory of the 2018 tennis season

On ATP Tour, change doesn\'t always come back correctly

One setback won\'t take away from Novak Djokovic\'s comeback to stardom

The Ivan Lendl effect on Alexander Zverev is no laughing matter

Serena Williams\' coach expects big things from Stefanos Tsitsipas, and so should you

Why 2018 could be Serena Williams\' most impactful year yet

Final word: Our take on Serena Williams\' 2018 season

It\'s a pity, yet it makes sense, Jim Courier is leaving Team USA

Follow the money: How the pay gap in Grand Slam tennis finally closed

Jet packs? 200 mph serve? What tennis will look like 50 years from now

Wherever Serena Williams goes, Qai Qai is likely to follow. 

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Serena Williams won her opening match at the Australian Open with such haste that even Qai Qai had to crack a smile.

Well, unless you\'ve had your head buried in the sand, Qai Qai is Serena\'s daughter\'s doll, a social media stalwart who has soared in popularity.

Since moving in with the Williams-Ohanian household this past August, Qai Qai, when healthy, has traveled the globe like a rock star, procuring ringside tennis seats along the way. As of Tuesday, Qai Qai has 87,800 Instagram followers and 15,900 Twitter devotees.

Serena\'s first-round opponent, Tatjana Maria, must have already been feeling deflated amid a 49-minute 6-0, 6-2 loss against the 23-time Grand Slam champ.

Serena was later pressed with questions about baby doll wonder.

"I wanted her to have a black doll," Serena said of her daughter, Olympia. "Growing up, I didn\'t have that many opportunities to have black dolls. And I was just thinking, I want her first doll to be black. And her heritage, obviously she\'s mixed, she\'s Caucasian and black, but I feel like that was her first doll and I said her second doll would be Caucasian."

Just 24 hours earlier, Qai Qai was spotted courtside, perched atop Serena\'s racket bag as, presumably, the 16th-seeded American was prepping for her opener. The doll also spent time checking out Melbourne\'s incredible sites.

finally left the hotel (floor) to explore the city

Qai Qai, who according to Serena on Tuesday was named by her nephew, is a true phenomenon. Qai Qai might not be able to hold court with the record-setting Instagram egg, but she has provided Serena enthusiasts with a new reason to follow her journey onto the tennis court and into her home.

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies?