In pictures: Venus and Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka among women given special Women's Day tribute by World Surf League stars
Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Naomi Osaka were honored by the World Surf League surfers to celebrate International Women's Day. The tennis stars were celebrated for making significant contributions to their sport and becoming role models for many young girls around the world.
The MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal is a highly esteemed professional surfing competition that is part of the WSL World Tour. This year, surfers participating in the event paid tribute to several tennis players. They donned surf suits that displayed the names of these iconic tennis players on their backs.
American surfer Lakey Peterson represented Venus Williams, while French surfer Maxime Huscenot took the name of Serena Williams. Similarly, Japanese surfer Kanoa Igarashi and Australian surfer Molly Picklum put on Naomi Osaka and Ashleigh Barty's names respectively.
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) took to their social media to share pictures from Peniche, Portugal.
Serena Williams also received special tribute from West Ham United star Michail Antonio
English football star Michail Antonio, who is currently playing for West Ham United FC, paid a heartfelt tribute to American tennis legend Serena Williams on the occasion of International Women's Day.
Fifteen players from the east London Premier League team commemorated International Women's Day in a unique and heartwarming way. They donned special training kits that paid homage to their mothers, featuring either "Mum," "Mama," or their mothers' names on the back. This gesture was a touching tribute to the women who have supported and nurtured them throughout their lives.
Antonio, chose to honor a different woman who has inspired him. He wore a jersey with the name "Serena Williams" emblazoned on the back, along with his kit number.
The all-time leading goal scorer for West Ham United in the Premier League, expressed his deep admiration for the former World No. 1.
"It was great to show our support for International Women’s Day. I could have chosen several inspirational women, but in the end, I picked Serena Williams as the name on my shirt for training," Antonio said.
Antonio elaborated on Williams' impact on him, emphasizing the skill and fortitude of the 23-time Grand Slam winner. Her influence has been profound, inspiring countless athletes to believe in themselves and strive for greatness.
"Serena was arguably the greatest tennis player of her generation, and really showed what you can do if you put your mind to something and believe in yourself. Her achievements speak for themselves really. She is such a talented individual," the footballer stated.
To mark International Women’s Day, West Ham's men's first team have paid tribute to the inspirational women in their lives by wearing training tops with their respective names on the back.
15 players paid tributes to their mothers. Michail Antonio chose Serena Williams. #whufc https://t.co/fz1q3KFBaj