Tennis legend Serena Williams has once again stirred headlines — but this time, it’s not for a comeback or a business venture. In a recent interview with a major lifestyle magazine, the 23-time Grand Slam champion made a blunt admission that has fans and sports commentators divided:
> “Tennis isn’t my priority anymore. It hasn’t been for a while.”
The statement, while perhaps unsurprising to those who’ve followed her pivot to entrepreneurship, motherhood, and philanthropy, has sparked backlash among die-hard tennis fans who feel her words diminish the sport that helped build her global legacy.
Within hours of the interview’s release, social media erupted with both disappointment and defense. Critics accused Williams of turning her back on the sport that made her a household name.
One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote: “Millions of young girls still idolize Serena as a tennis icon. To say the sport isn’t a priority anymore feels like a slap in the face to everything she’s built.”
Another commented, “You can move on, but don’t act like it didn’t matter. Tennis gave her everything.”
The outrage was further fueled by the fact that the interview highlighted Serena’s growing fashion empire, her venture capital fund Serena Ventures, and her recent involvement in Hollywood production projects — all of which she seemed far more enthusiastic about than tennis.
“I’ve given everything I had to tennis. I have nothing left to prove,” she said in the interview. “Now, I want to build generational wealth, tell stories, and raise my daughters to believe they can do anything.”
To some, this perspective was refreshing and empowering — a testament to a woman evolving beyond her initial chapter. To others, it felt like a detachment from the competitive fire and grace that once inspired a generation.
Sports analyst James Blake defended her on-air: “Athletes evolve. Serena isn’t just a tennis player anymore — she’s a mogul, a mother, a force. Let her grow.”
Still, the backlash underscores a growing tension between fans’ expectations and athletes’ evolving identities in retirement. Serena may have put down the racquet, but the reactions prove her impact — and her words — still resonate deeply.
Whether you see it as a bold evolution or a bitter goodbye, Serena Williams’s statement is yet another reminder: she’s always called her own shots.
