Serena Williams on Body Image Pressures in Tennis

Tennis icon Serena Williams is bravely sharing her experiences with body image struggles during the early stages of her groundbreaking career. In a candid interview with PORTER magazine, the 44-year-old athlete opened up about the immense pressure to conform to a specific physique in professional tennis and the negativity she encountered as a result of her unique athletic build.

Standing Out in a Sea of Thin Athletes

Williams explained that during her first 15 years as a professional, her body shape was significantly different from many of her peers. “I had big boobs; I had a big butt,” she recalled. “Every athlete was like super flat, super thin and beautiful, but in a different way.” This stark contrast made her feel self-conscious, and she struggled to reconcile her powerful, muscular physique with the prevailing athletic ideal.

The mental toll of these perceived differences was significant. Williams admitted, “It does affect you mentally. Absolutely. 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.”

Developing Resilience Against Criticism

To shield herself from the constant scrutiny, Williams made a pivotal decision at age 17 to stop reading any media coverage about herself. This strategy helped her maintain focus and humility, preventing external opinions from affecting her mental state. She explained that growing up Black in the predominantly white sport of tennis meant facing negativity was almost a given.

“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,” she stated, emphasizing her determination not to let others bring her down. “I’m not going to let anyone bring me down. I put enough stress on myself.”

Progress for Future Generations

Serena Williams expressed optimism about the progress made for young Black tennis stars like Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka. “It’s changed. No one’s calling these girls the [things] I was called,” she noted, referencing past criticisms that likened female athletes to men. While acknowledging that internet trolls present new challenges, she is glad that today’s young Black athletes don’t have to endure the same level of harsh criticism she faced.