Tennis icon Serena Williams has ignited a wave of backlash following a candid interview in which she made comments that many fans have called “divisive” and “disrespectful.” The retired 23-time Grand Slam champion, who has remained a prominent figure in the sport and in business, sat down for a wide-ranging conversation with a major U.S. outlet — but one remark in particular has fans up in arms.
During the interview, Williams was asked whether she felt today’s generation of players, especially young women on the tour, were “carrying the torch” she lit during her two-decade reign. Her response raised eyebrows:
> “I don’t really see anyone out there who reminds me of myself. The level, the mindset, the dominance — that’s rare. I was built different. And I don’t think we’re seeing that right now.”
Social media erupted within minutes of the clip going live. While some agreed with her assessment, many fans and commentators accused Williams of diminishing the efforts of today’s top players — including Iga Świątek, Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and Naomi Osaka, who recently returned from maternity leave.
The backlash was swift. One user on X (formerly Twitter) posted, “Love Serena, but that comment was completely tone-deaf. The game has evolved. Respect the present while honoring the past.” Another wrote, “This is why legends struggle to let go. Just because no one is Serena doesn’t mean they aren’t great.”
Even some members of the tennis community expressed discomfort. A former WTA player who asked to remain anonymous said, “Serena’s legacy is cemented, but that doesn’t give her license to dismiss today’s champions. These women train hard and face pressures she never had to deal with in the social media age.”
Supporters, however, argue that Serena was simply speaking her truth — a perspective she’s never shied away from. “She’s confident, not cocky,” one fan defended. “She’s earned the right to say it how she sees it.”
As the tennis world debates her words, Serena has yet to respond to the backlash. Whether this will fade as another “honest Serena moment” or become a deeper talking point about the generational shift in tennis remains to be seen.
One thing’s certain: even in retirement, Serena Williams remains one of the most talked-about figures in sports.
