Will, a brother for 18-month-old Ava, weighed a little over two pounds and was just 15 inches long when he was born at the Winnie Palmer Hospital.

The baby was delivered by Caesarean section after the former world women’s No.1 had suffered bleeding and a condition known as placenta abruption.

“We were scared that we may have lost our son,” her husband Mike said. “When we heard his heartbeat we were immediately brought to tears of joy.”

Sorenstam came up with the boy’s name because “he’s a fighter and he’s going to need to will himself through this process.” The 40-year-old Swede went on to thank Mr. Palmer for helping to provide the Orlando community with “one of the finest hospitals of its type in the whole country with marvelous doctors and nurses.”

Will is currently in an incubator and is expected to remain in hospital for at least another month.