NEED TO KNOW
- Serena Williams said she struggled in the beginning of her tennis career because she had a different body type than other athletes
- The 44-year-old said she thought she was “large” her entire life, but now she realizes she was “fit” and just had “big muscles”
- She admitted that she stopped reading articles about herself and said she’s glad things are starting to change for the next generation of Black tennis stars
Serena Williams is opening up about overcoming her struggles with body image early on in her career.
In the latest cover story for NET-A-PORTER’s digital title, PORTER, the tennis star, 44, reflected on how difficult it was to have a different physique than other athletes.
“It was hard because when I was playing in the beginning – the first 15 years – my body was different,” she told the outlet. “I had big boobs; I had a big butt. Every athlete was like super flat, super thin and beautiful, but in a different way. And I didn’t understand as an athlete how to deal with that.”
“It does affect you mentally. Absolutely,” she continued. “You think you’re large for your whole life and you look [back] and you’re like, I was fit. Yeah, I had big muscles. I didn’t look like these other girls but not everyone looks the same.”
Emmanuel Sanchez Monsalve/ PORTER / NET-A-PORTER.COM
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Williams explained that the comparisons and criticism took such a toll on her body image that she ultimately decided not to read any comments about her.
“When I was 17, when I won the Open for the first time, I took a decision there. I was so young, but I said I’m never going to read anything about me,” she said. “At the Open, there was so much positivity, and I thought, I don’t want my head to get too big. I wanted to stay humble. I also thought if it’s negative, I don’t want to read it. I never really read an article after that.”
That’s one of the reasons why the 23-time Grand Slam champion is often praised for her resiliency, because she’s been able to block out the noise.
“Growing up and being Black in tennis, it’s just like, well, that comes with negativity… You have something mean to say, get in line. You got to go way back. It’s going to take you a few days to get there. Join the crowd,” she said. “I don’t hear the noise. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. How am I going to sit here and change someone’s thought? If [you] don’t like me, you don’t have to.”
Emmanuel Sanchez Monsalve/ PORTER / NET-A-PORTER.COM
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Williams said she’s glad that things are starting to change and get better for the young Black tennis players who are at the top of their game today, like Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka.
“It’s 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.”
“I’m not going to let anyone bring me down,” she continued. “I put enough stress on myself. The last thing I’m going to allow is someone else to do that. But I’m so happy that girls nowadays don’t have to go through it as much. I mean, I think internet trolls are different. So, you have that to deal with…”
To see the full interview with Serena Williams read PORTER at https://www.net-a-porter.com/en-us/porter/article-511c5a2f78ecf782 and/or download the NET-A-PORTER app for iPhone, iPad and Android.
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