Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, took to social media to wish former rival Maria Sharapova well in her retirement. She addressed the ever-present questions about doping in tennis. In a candid interview, the 43-year-old athlete expressed her surprise regarding the short suspension handed to Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. Williams, who has her own controversial past with doping scandals, called on the sport to remain united in protecting its integrity.
As Williams grapples with life after professional tennis. She’s enjoying life in her post-competitive career and spending time as a “super mom” to daughters Olympia and Adira that she’s raising with husband Alexis Ohanian. Now she’s using that same energy to invest in women-centered entrepreneurial ventures through her firm, Serena Ventures. Williams takes her health and wellness just as seriously outside of the public eye. Her health-related goal is to participate in a half-marathon by the end of 2025.
Reflecting on Sharapova’s controversial past, Williams stated, “Just weirdly and oddly, I can’t help but think about Maria all this time.” Looking forward in many ways, this sentiment emphasizes the burden of their shared history, as well as the current landscape surrounding performance-enhancing drug use within tennis. She showed great compassion for Sharapova during her troubles, saying “I find it hard not to feel for her.”
Williams made a splash by highlighting the double standards that exist in how athletes are treated during doping violations. In 2016 she received a two-year suspension after testing positive for meldonium. Looking back on that experience she said, “Had I done that I would have gotten 20 years. Let’s be honest. I would have had Grand Slams stripped from me. It might not have been the same case in another multiverse. Her comments highlight the sense that there is a double standard when it comes to enforcement of anti-doping regulations in all sports.
Whether she’s discussing the steps she’s taking to address doping or reminiscing about her rivalry with Sharapova, Williams is speaking out. She’s put her energies towards health and fitness. She remarked on her evolving relationship with diet and exercise: “I’ve gotten obsessed, more obsessed with diet and exercise, I think, than when I was playing tennis.” Her dedication is evident—she works to keep herself active and healthy. These days, she’s looking to tackle new challenges outside of pro tennis.