Serena Williams and Meghan recount the challenges they faced as working mothers in the first podcast of the Duchess of Sussex, including stories of having to work shortly after frightening incidents involving their children.

Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam champion, who recently said "the countdown has begun" for her retirement, told Meghan on Tuesday that she played a match at the 2018 French Open after a night of almost no sleep following her daughter's broken arm, saying: "I somehow managed to win, but I was very emotional, and I was emotionally drained, it was crazy, and you know, like every night after that, I was with her all the time."

The great tennis player and Meghan, who are friends, spoke extensively on Tuesday's episode about the challenges of balancing high-profile careers in the public eye and motherhood. Meghan said about Williams' experience at the French Open: "When she went and played that match the next morning, no one knew how the night before had been. They forgot that human piece."

Meghan recounted an incident during a tour in South Africa with her husband Prince Harry and their son Archie, where a fire broke out in their son's room and the couple had to leave their child to continue their official duties as Archie was supposed to be napping in the room at that time, but the nanny took him outside to eat. Meghan said the incident left everyone shaken, saying, "The focus ends up on what you look like, not on how you feel."

Williams, who will turn 41 next month, and Meghan discussed the tennis star's recent announcement to step away from tennis, and Williams said she discussed it with Prince Harry before making the decision public.