5 times Serena Williams was targeted by tennis legends ft. Chris Evert, Martina Hingis
Serena Williams is arguably the greatest women's player of all time. The American superstar won 23 Grand Slam titles, the most in the Open Era, while also dominating in the doubles division with her sister Venus Williams. Throughout her successful career, Williams was involved in plenty of controversies.
Serena Williams was a player who wore her heart on her sleeves, which often got her involved in controversies on and off the field. Many tennis stars have targeted Williams for her comments or actions on the court, with Serena returning the compliment more often than not.
Here is a list of five notable tennis figures who have targeted Serena Williams in the past.
#1. Maria Sharapova
Serena Williams' rivalry with Maria Sharapova was more than just their on-field battles. Williams and Sharapova were engaged in a battle of words during the peak of their careers, which later escalated to the point of no return.
It started back in 2013 when Serena's phone call with her sister Venus was leaked to the media. The American was supposedly talking about Sharapova's relationship with Grigor Dimitrov.
"She begins every interview with 'I'm so happy. I'm so lucky' – it's so boring. She's still not going to be invited to the cool parties. And, hey, if she wants to be with the guy with a black heart, go for it," Williams speaking about an unnamed player.
Sharapova hit back at Williams by talking about the American's private life and her alleged relationship with coach Patrick Mouratoglou. Williams was rumored to be dating Mouratoglou while he was midst of divorcing his wife.
"If she wants to talk about something personal, maybe she should talk about her relationship and her boyfriend that was married and is getting a divorce and has kids. Talk about other things, but [don't] draw attention to other things. She has so much in her life, many positives, and I think that's what it should be about," Sharapova on Serena.
#2. Chris Evert
Tennis legend Chris Evert has a long history with Serena. The 18-time Grand Slam champion wrote a letter to her in 2006, asking her to concentrate more on tennis, while avoiding the outside noise.
In the letter, which was later published in the media, Evert strongly conveyed her feelings about Serena's career path while she was struggling for form in 2006. Evert asked her to get back to her best and avoid 'pet projects' that distract her.
“Just a couple of years ago, when you were fully committed to the game, you showed the athleticism, shot-making, and competitive desire to become the greatest player ever. You won five of the six Grand Slams you entered over the 2002 and 2003 seasons and looked utterly dominant in the process. Then you got side-tracked with injuries, pet projects and indifference, and have won only one major in the last seven you’ve played. I find those results hard to fathom," the letter said.
Later on, during the 2021 Australian Open, Evert was criticized for her commentary during Serena's match against Naomi Osaka. Evert suggested that she might retire after the tournament, while Serena had made no such announcement.
#3. Sloane Stephens
Sloane Stephens stunned Serena during their quarterfinal clash at the 2013 Australian Open. Stephens snapped Serena's 20-match unbeaten streak and claimed the biggest win of her career.
After the match, Stephens claimed that Serena totally ignored her and did not interact with her in person or even with a smile. The American did not hold back while talking about Serena's mannerisms during her press conference.
"She’s not said one word to me, not spoken to me, not said hi, not looked my way, not been in the same room with me since I played her in Australia. And that should tell everyone something, how she went from saying all these nice things about me to unfollowing me on Twitter," Stephens said.
#4. Martina Hingis
Martina Hingis was the World No. 1 when Serena and Venus Williams were bursting onto the tennis scene. The Williams sisters were rapidly gaining form having beaten Hingis in their few encounters.
Before the US Open in 1999, Serena and Venus Williams's coach and father, Richard Williams claimed that the Williams sisters would compete for the title. Hingis did not take the comment lightly and hit back saying that the Williams family has a 'big mouth'.
"They always have a big mouth. He always has his comments. You know, it's fun. Because I'm better than them so far. I'm the No. 1, not them" - Martina Hingis on Richard Williams' comments.
#5. Sorona Cirstea
After Simona Halep was banned for an illegal drug, Serena took to social media and threw shade at her rival. She posted a tweet against Halep, who defeated her at the Wimbledon final in 2019, denying Serena an eighth title at the SW19.
"8 is a better number," Williams wrote on social media.
Cirstea rushed to Halep's defense and felt Serena's jibe was unnecessary. She further added that the American is a great player but has a lot of arrogance and that it was hard for Serena to accept defeat against her.
"Serena as a player was extraordinarily good, but as a person, she always had this arrogance. She didn't accept when someone could beat her or when someone took a title from her," Sorana Cirstea on Serena Williams.