In a powerful and emotionally charged interview released today, tennis icon Serena Williams has spoken candidly about her decades-long career, revealing that despite her unmatched achievements, she often felt disrespected by peers, critics, and even the tennis establishment.
“I was never truly respected—not for my game, not for my discipline, not for how I changed the sport,” Williams said in the exclusive feature with Time Magazine. “There was always a ‘but’ after my victories. I had to win twice as much to get half the recognition.”
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, reflected on her most high-profile rivalries—including those with Maria Sharapova, Justine Henin, and even fellow American Venus Williams. She admitted that many of those relationships were strained not just by competition, but by a lack of mutual acknowledgment. “It wasn’t always about tennis. There were moments where I felt like no matter what I did, I wouldn’t be accepted in the way others were.”
The interview has reignited discussions about race, gender, and double standards in professional sports. Fans and fellow athletes quickly rallied around Serena’s statements, with Billie Jean King calling her “a warrior who redefined greatness in the face of resistance.”
Critics of the sport’s governing bodies say the revelations expose long-standing institutional biases, while social media exploded with support under the hashtag #RespectSerena.
Serena’s words arrive as part of a broader cultural reckoning in tennis, and many are now calling for the sport to not only recognize her records, but to also reckon with how she was treated throughout her career.
