Tennis great Serena Williams has said that conversations around Black women in sport have “changed”.
Featuring in the latest cover story for Net-A-Porter’s digital title Porter, the 44-year-old, who won 23 Grand Slam titles over a 27-year professional career, opened up to the magazine about the resilience she built as a Black woman in sport.
Williams said: “Growing up and being Black in tennis, it’s just like, well, that comes with negativity. I don’t hear the noise. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.”
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Breaking into the predominantly white game was no easy feat for the tennis star, who faced criticism and racial bias over the course of her career.
Many now credit the player for her influence and role in transforming the game, and she said that conversations around Black women in sport have “changed”.
She said: “No one’s calling these girls the (things) I was called. People would say we were like men and all this other stuff.
“But I’m so happy that girls nowadays don’t have to go through it as much.”
Statistically the greatest tennis player of her era, Williams played 1,011 matches on the WTA Tour and faced opponents born in every year from 1966 to 2003 over the course of her long career.
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The tennis star retired in 2022 and she said she finds it “a little difficult” despite having prepared for the transition.
She said: “No matter how prepared you are to retire, and particularly from doing something every day at such a high level, it’s hard. I really prepped myself the best way I could but it’s still something that’s a little difficult.
“I want to bring in more clarity, confidence that I made the right decisions and that you don’t always have to live only for your children. I’m discovering me again.”
The mother of two also shared that she “always” wanted to be a mum and that she is very dedicated to prioritising her family.
She said: “I want to be around my family.
“I’m cooking every night that I’m home. I’m home 29 nights a month… Sometimes I’ll fly to New York, do what I need to do, fly back and be home in time for dinner.”
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