Serena Williams debuts new hairstyle: 'I needed a change'

Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Serena Williams is changing up her look ahead of the holidays.

The 36-year-old tennis star showed off her longer, lighter hair in a slideshow of photos Wednesday on Instagram.

Williams, who previously sported her natural dark locks, added caramel and honey blonde extensions. She highlighted her hairstyle by wearing a simple leather jacket, t-shirt and black pants.

"I needed a change," the athlete explained in the caption.

Williams' new look comes nearly four months after the birth of her first child, daughter Alexis Olympia, whom she shares with her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. She asked her followers for teething advice in a post this week.

"Teething- aka the devil -is so hard," the star wrote. "Poor Alexis Olympia has been so uncomfortable. She cried so much (she never cries) I had to hold her until she fell asleep."

"I almost need my mom to come and hold me to sleep cause I'm so stressed," she confessed. "Help? Anyone??"

Williams had addressed Alexis Olympia a new commercial for Gatorade released in November. She encouraged her daughter and generations of women to use sports as a source of self-empowerment.

"Baby girl, I won't mind if you play tennis badly. I won't mind if you choose to never pick up a racket. But I beg you, in this game of life, please keep playing no matter what," the athlete said.