"I was a Black woman with a figure, that doesn't make you bad" - Serena Williams revisits criticism about her body image during early days
Serena Williams has had a remarkable run in tennis, winning 23 Grand Slams through her 27-year-long career. The American star made her debut in 1995 and claimed her first Grand Slam at the age of 17 when she beat Martina Hingis in the finals of the US Open in 1999.
Williams recently appeared in her docuseries "In The Arena: Serena Williams" where she spoke about her journey during the tough phase of 2006-07.
The American star faced a major setback in her career in 2006 when a knee injury forced her out of action for over six months. This caused her ranking to drop outside the top 100. This was a period where Williams faced opinions and comments from fans and critics around the world.
"The general consensus was that I was a big fat cow," Williams said.
Williams also recalled the comments she received during the 2007 season in the documentary:
"They were used to seeing women that didn't have a figure, and I was a black woman with a figure, and that doesn't make you bad, or doesn't make you well. It just makes you a girl with a butt and a small waist."
The veteran went on to make a strong comeback at the 2007 Australian Open. Ranked 81st in the world at the time, she defied the odds by beating Maria Sharapova in the finals to claim her third Australian Open title.
"I actually retired in 2006" - Serena Williams on her struggles following the death of her sister, Yetunde
In 2003, Williams was in the midst of a heart-wrenching personal loss as she lost her sister Yetunde. The American veteran also had a series of setbacks with injuries and losses after that.
Williams spoke about the mental state she was in during the 2007 Australian Open in the docuseries on her life and career, on which she is an executive producer on one epidode, "In The Arena: Serena Williams":
"Going to Australia, I was in a really bad place emotionally, I was dealing with a lot of things and I wasn't dealing with them well. I just remember being in Australia and just playing, playing and try not to think about Yetunde, but it's impossible to not think about it, as it's always in your mind."
"I actually retired in 2006, I didn't make an announcement. I was just like I'm done with tennis. I needed to figure out what makes me happy," she added.
Williams' documentary released on 10 July, 2024 and has three episodes aired so far.