One of the biggest talking points from the 2025 Super Bowl wasSerena Williams’crip walk during the halftime show.
As part of Kendrick Lamar’s performance, the tennis star did the popular dance move to entertain the crowd. However, her decision has sparked debate for several reasons.
Some critics argue that the dance is linked to gang culture and was inappropriate for the event. Others believe her appearance was aimed at her ex, Drake, since Kendrick Lamar was performing a diss track against him at the time.
On Tuesday, February 11, 2025, Serena took to social media to share the reason behind her dance move.
“When @kendricklamar and team called and were like ‘we’ve been trying to do something forever, what about this? We loved your crip walk at the Olympics after you won the gold medal’.”
“When in the world would I ever be able to dance at aSuper Bowl?(Never) let’s do it. The best 15 seconds of my life!” she shared on social media.
The post came with a video of the dance, with Serena Williams entertaining the crowd with her moves.
Sisters Isoken and Ifueko Igbinedion founded Parfait with one objective to assist women of color in styling and caring for their textured hair.
Their journey started with Isoken, who founded the AI and machine-learning wig customization company after going through the difficulties of trying to live up to social expectations of beauty as a Black woman.
After relocating to a primarily white area in the U.S., Isoken, a Nigerian immigrant, felt compelled to undergo cultural and physical assimilation.
She told Essence, “I looked so different from everybody else and no matter what, I got bullied for the texture of my hair.”
But her brilliant plan to use a hair relaxer backfired, causing her to lose a lot of hair and wear wigs for most of her childhood and adolescence to block out the mockery. Her hair gradually returned to health, but she was now having difficulty finding well-made wigs at a reasonable price.
Leveraging their extensive IT expertise, she and her sister Ifueko co-founded Parfait, a startup that uses AI and machine learning to create customized wigs tailored to each customer’s individual characteristics.
She explained, “Ifueko’s past experiences at companies like Target, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and IBM and mine at Microsoft and Target informs the way we use technology to increase the efficacy of our products.”
She, however, narrated that getting funding was quite difficult at first. She told Tech Crunch, “It was extremely hard. Nobody would give us the time of day in the beginning. Nobody believed in the space. They didn’t feel it was a big enough problem. And they didn’t fully understand that it was a solution that required technology to solve it.”
Shortly thereafter, Serena Williams, the former tennis star and accomplished entrepreneur, discovered their innovation and chose to express her support by investing in the company. Parfait, which seeks to revolutionize the $13 billion wig industry, secured $5 million in a Seed funding round led by Upfront Ventures and Serena Ventures.
Williams shared her reason for investing in a statement, saying, “Parfait’s mission to leverage Al to solve core issues for both the tech industry and communities of color is something we, at Serena Ventures, have believed in since the beginning.”
According to Essentially Sports, Williams recently shared Parfait’s Instagram post, which featured Simone Biles wearing the company’s custom-made wig. Williams shared the photo on social media and remarked, “@simonebiles stunning in her @my.parfait wig!”
The business has since expanded and even secured a retail collaboration with Ulta Beauty, allowing clients to visit any of its locations for a consultation with a stylist and assistance in purchasing a personalized ponytail, wig, or partial.
According to Isoken, the groundbreaking collaboration is more than just providing customers with quick cosmetic services.
She said, “I’m so excited about being able to create an institutional space that I think our community has really never had before. Where you can go into a place and feel comfortable because your unique needs will be addressed. The stylists have been trained by the Parfait experience to ensure you get full support across the entire product journey.”
The family of Alexis Ohanian and Serena Williams just grew! The couple welcomed their second child, a baby girl named Adira, on August 22. Ohanian confirmed the name and date in an Instagram post showing a portrait of the family of four today.
“Welcome, Adira River Ohanian,” he wrote in the caption. “I’m grateful to report our house is teaming with love: a happy & healthy newborn girl and happy & healthy mama. Feeling grateful. @serenawilliams you’ve now given me another incomparable gift — you’re the GMOAT. Thanks to all the amazing medical staff who took care of my wife & our daughter 🙏 I’ll never forget the moment I introduced @olympiaohanian to her baby sister.”
Williams announced her second pregnancy at the 2023 Met Gala, where she debuted her baby bump while wearing a body-hugging black Gucci gown. Later on Instagram, she confirmed the baby news by expressing her excitement over “the 3 of us [going] to the Met Gala,” referencing her and Ohanian’s incoming addition as the third guest.
In an emotional essay published last year about her retirement from tennis, the superstar athlete revealed her intention to expand her family.
“I have never liked the word retirement. It doesn’t feel like a modern word to me. I’ve been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people. Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution,” she wrote at the time. “I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me. A few years ago I quietly started Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm. Soon after that, I started a family. I want to grow that family.”
Alexis Ohanian is in high gear as he prepares for the arrival of baby number two.
While preparing for the expansion of their family, the tech entrepreneur, 40,and his wife Serena Williams, 41, are enjoying the summertime.
In an interview with PEOPLE regarding his recent collaboration with Sharpie, the soon-to-be father of two said that staying organised is assisting him in managing his hectic daily schedule while they wait for their newborn.
“We’ve got everything basically good to go,” he tells PEOPLE.
“I think I’ve I’ve definitely forgotten what it’s like to have a new one around, so it might be a rude awakening, maybe literally,” he says with a laugh. “But right now, we’re excited.”
The couple, parents to 4½-year-old daughter Olympia, are talking about baby names for their little one, whose sex they have yet to share.
Ohanian jokes, “After Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., Serena told me we cannot name the next kid Alexis, so I’m out of ideas.”
“Serena Williams Ohanian Jr., I guess it wouldn’t be a junior, or maybe it could be,” he muses. “I don’t know the rules — but we already broke the rules anyway. But yes, we’ve got some names bopping around if it’s a girl. I used ChatGPT to come up with some ideas too, so we’ll see where we go.”
When it comes to getting ready for the baby, Ohanian smiles at how “Olympia’s fired up.”
“No one’s more excited than her,” the proud dad shares. “She’s been wanting this. She’s been praying and asking about this for quite some time, so she’s very ready.”
COURTESY OF SHARPIE
When he’s not making and managing lists for different personal goals and professional to-dos, Ohanian uses the Sharpie S•Gel to write notes to his daughter, a budding reader.
“It’s been one of the best parts of her learning to read, that I get to surprise and delight her with some fun notes,” the proud dad shares. “Seeing her develop is so rewarding.
“You go from stringing together some letters, then you start doing some phonics, and it’s been really awesome seeing her just continue to level up. The notes get more fun too because I can write more and make it a little bit more interesting.”
For Ohanian, it’s important that his daughter knows that even when he’s busy, “I want her to really feel, not just to know, but to really feel that in some way I’m thinking about her every day, and these are fun little surprises that she seems to enjoy.”
The two also like to get messy with some daddy-daughter art time, with some guidance from YouTube.
JEAN CATUFFE/GETTY IMAGES
“I put some plastic down so we don’t ruin the table with our Sharpies, and then we’ll do daddy-daughter drawing classes. I’ll fire up YouTube and we’ll go through a tutorial video together. She’ll get to pick whatever she wants to draw,” he shares.
“And it’s great, too, because if Mom is around, I’ll bring her in, and we’ve had grandparents join, aunties join, and whoever is at the house is obligated to get in on these drawing classes.”
For Ohanian and Williams, watching their daughter dabble and flourish in her different interests has been one of the most rewarding parts about their experience as parents.
“I do think she’s a mix of both creative and athletic right now. Mini golf was her thing a year or so ago, and then we got her proper golfing lessons, and she’s loved it,” he notes.
“On the creative side, she loves to dance. I guess dance is a little bit of both. Maybe that’s where she’ll land — somewhere in the creative end and athletic,” he says.
Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian at daugher Olympia’s dance recital. ALEXIS OHANIAN SR./INSTAGRAM
“Like any parent, we just want her to have fun, and we’re fortunate enough to be able to expose her to anything she could be interested in. It’s already been an interesting journey, seeing the stuff she’s into. We don’t want to limit that.”
In fact, he encourages it with cute little traditions like “challenging her to bring a big ‘why’ question every day to dinner.”
“She can ask, and if I don’t know the answer, we just look it up together, and we learn together. It’s fun for me,” he explains. “This really got fun in the last year and a half because of those parts of her development that we’ve unlocked.”
That said, dad life does present challenges, like seeing his daughter model some of the parts of his personality “I want her not to inherit.”
“But it’s also so interesting, I’ve become more reflective or introspective about the parts of me that I know I need to keep improving on because I actually see them in her,” he explains, also acknowledging all the “great things” he sees in his little girl.
KEVIN MAZUR/MG23/GETTY IMAGES
“Don’t get me wrong, she’s awesome. But I feel the weight of the things I see, like when she gets locked into something, focused on something — it could be a screen, it could be a drawing, and nothing will distract her.”
As they prepare for the rest of the summer — where they’ll enjoy a baby shower and more quality time before their family of three becomes a family of four — Ohanian is feeling more confident than his first go around.
“We’re not first-time parents anymore.I feel more confident about having a newborn, all of those things that I just had zero confidence about with Olympia because I’d never even been around babies at that point in my life,” he explains. “We’re also obviously taking every precaution and doing everything we can to make sure everything goes smoothly for Serena.”
Tennis player Serena Williams announced her second pregnancy when she and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, arrived at the Met Gala.
Williams wore a long-sleeved V-neck dress with pearl necklaces to highlight her growing belly.
Writing on Instagram, Williams said she was “so excited when Anna Wintour invited the three of us to the Met Gala”.
Hers was not the only pregnancy revealed on the red carpet – model Karlie Kloss also announced she is expecting her second child with husband Joshua Kushner.
“I got a plus one, don’t tell anybody,” Kloss joked in an interview with Vogue on the red carpet. “You know what, this is also the first time I’m sharing my news, so it’s very special.”
The Met Gala is an annual invitation-only fundraiser for the Costume Institute, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
In a TikTok post on Monday, Williams said she was “so excited when Anna Wintour invited the 3 of us to the Met Gala”.
The American died on Sunday after coaching players like Andre Agassi, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Boris Becker.
He established the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, which is now the IMG Academy, and has long established a reputation as one of the sport’s most recognizable instructors.
Bollettieri also coached Tommy Haas, who on Monday gave him an emotional tribute.
The German posted on Instagram: “So many memories, I am not sure where to begin. Nickiiiii, that’s how I have called you for the longest time.
“Thank you for your time, knowledge, commitment, expertise, the willingness to share your skill, your personal interest in mentoring me and giving me the best opportunity to follow my dreams.
“You were a dreamer and a doer, and a pioneer in our sport, truly one of a kind.
“I surely will miss you around the academy, our tennis talks, miss showing of [sic] your tan, white teeth and body fat, miss watching you do Tai Chi, miss playing golf with you watching you try to cheat, eating a Snickers bar and running for the bushes, and hearing all about your plans even at the age of 91.
“Thanks again for everything……..
“RIP Nickiiiii.”
Monica Seles and Jim Courier were among the other players who were coached by Bollettieri.
Serena Williams says the chances of her returning to the tennis court are “very high”.
Recently, she declared her intention to step away from tennis before the US Open last month.
Though she deliberately avoided saying she would retire prior to the tournament, instead saying she planned to “evolve” away from the sport, many believed Williams’ third-round exit at Flushing Meadows last month was the last time she would be seen playing competitive tennis.
Her defeat to Ajla Tomljanovic was met with the kind of fanfare that suggested she was calling it a day on an illustrious career that included 23 grand slam titles, the second most in history behind Margaret Court.
But Williams implied she could yet step on the court again when speaking at a TechCrunch Disrupt event in San Francisco on Wednesday.
In quotes collected by the San Francisco Standard, Williams said: “I am not retired.
“The chances [of me returning] are very high. You can come to my house and [see] I have a court.”
Serena Williams’ Serena Ventures has backed a Nigerian financial data and insights company called Stears to raise $3.3 million in a seed round. The investment falls in line with her post-retirement plan after she quit tennis last month.
The seed round was led by MaC Venture Capital with the participation of Melo 7 Tech Partners, Omidyar Group’s Luminate Fund, Cascador, and Hoaq Club.
“One of the reasons I invested in Stears is not because of my love and appreciation for Africa, but because Stears has strategically thought of how to increase the investment community on the continent,” she was quoted by Bloomberg.
“Better and more transparent business and financial data is expected to lead to more investment on the African continent. Stears has shown a deep appreciation of the complexities involved in solving this problem for globalprofessionals. Through a combination of technology and data, Stears is well placed to leverage the massive data opportunity on the continent,” she added.
The startup was founded in 2017 by Preston Ideh, Abdul Abdulrahim, Foluso Ogunlana, and Michael Famoroti. They met at the London School of Economics and Imperial College in the UK.
The startup offers subscription-based data and insight to businesses and professionals. According to the founders, they established the company because of challenges in getting data-driven insights on the African continent. The company focuses primarily on Nigeria.
According to Bloomberg, Stears is a rare subscription success story in a country where subscription services are quite low. The company said its user base has grown at around 6.5% month-on-month.
“Enterprise customers make up more than 75% of revenue, up from 45% in 2021. The company said its revenue in the first half of 2022 surpassed that for all of 2021,” Bloomberg reported.
Premium Times Nigeria reports that the company plans to use the seed round to enhance its data collection and analytics capabilities, talent acquisition and expansion to East and Southern Africa.
“We know global professionals need our data and insight because banks, research firms, development organizations, and investors are already using our early products. Our customers tell us we are building a ‘systemically important’ company to address Africa’s data problem,” co-founder Ideh said about the funding round.
“Globally, information providers like Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters have built data powerhouses, which act as information gateways to Western markets. We are executing an African version of this model, focused on the often missing, outdated, or poorly digitized African datasets needed by operators, finance and policy professionals, researchers, and even regulators,” he added.
Last month, Stears was among 60 startups that got accepted into the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund 2022 cohort.
Serena Williams, who recently retired from tennis and welcomed her male counterpart, Roger Federer, into retirement.
While welcoming him to the “retirement club”, Serena said the Swiss professional tennis player inspired a lot of people across the globe.
“You inspired countless millions and millions of people – including me – and we will never forget,” said Williams.
“Welcome to the retirement club. And thank you for being you,” she added.
Federer, 41, will end a career that featured 20 Grand Slam singles titles after the Laver Cup, which begins in London on 23 September.
“I have always looked up to you and admired you,” said Williams. “I applaud you and look forward to all that you do in the future.”
Williams and Federer played against each other only once on court, facing off in a mixed doubles match at the Hopman Cup in 2019.
Roger Federer’s first Wimbledon title in 2003 coincided with Serena Williams’ second
Federer and fellow Swiss Belinda Bencic beat Williams and American compatriot Francis Tiafoe in front of a tournament-record 14,000 crowd.
Federer’s decision to retire from the sport after three years blighted by knee injuries has prompted a wave of tributes.
Federer’s great rival Rafael Nadal, one of only two men’s players with more Grand Slam singles titles, said it was “a sad da” for sport.
Current world number ones Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz, 21 and 19 respectively, thanked Federer for inspiring them.
“I just want to thank you for everything you’ve done and everything you are for our sport,” Pole Swiatek said.
“It’s been a privilege to witness your career. I wish you all the best.”
Spaniard Alcaraz said: “Roger has been one of my idols and a source of inspiration! Thank you for everything you have done for our sport. I still want to play with you!”
Andy Roddick, who lost to Federer in a five-set Wimbledon final in 2009, joked that Federer’s retirement could prompt him to launch an All England Club.
“Thanks for the shared memories my friend,” the American said.
“It was an honour to share time/experiences on the most hallowed grounds in our sport. Don’t be a stranger.
“Also, seems like a good time to start training for Wimby (Obviously kidding).”
The key numbers in Federer’s career
20 Grand Slam singles titles
310 weeks as world number one
103 ATP titles
28 Masters 1,000 titles
6 ATP Finals victories
31 Grand Slam finals
1 Davis Cup triumph
£114m career prize money
Federer’s appeal extended to legends of other sports.
Argentina and Paris St-Germain forward Lionel Messi described Federer as a “genius”.
“Unique in tennis history and a role model for any sportsman,” said the 35-year-old.
“I wish you the best in your new stage, we will miss seeing you on the court.”
Tendulkar and Federer in conversation at Wimbledon in 2011
Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, a regular in Wimbledon’s Royal Box, said, like many, that the style of Federer’s tennis had captivated him.
“What a career,” he said. “We fell in love with your brand of tennis. Slowly, your tennis became a habit. And habits never retire, they become a part of us.”
Serena Williams is reminding the world why she just may be the greatest women’s tennis player of all time.
The 40-year-old legend upset No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit in the second round of the US Open on Wednesday, winning 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2.
Williams, who has said she will “evolve away” from the sport after the tournament, turned in a vintage performance two days after she defeated Danka Kovinic 6-3, 6-3 in her opening match.
Over her career, Williams has won 23 grand slam singles titles, which is the most in the Open era and one behind the all-time record held by Margaret Court. She has also won four Olympic gold medals and over $94.5 million in prize money.
She and her older sister, Venus, transformed the sport when they became professionals as teenage phenoms. They’ve teamed up for many grand slam doubles titles and will play together at this year’s Open. Their first match is on Thursday.
Williams takes pictures with fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium after her win on Wednesday
Williams returns a shot during Wednesday’s match
Fans cheer on Williams on Wednesday
Williams reaches for a shot
Williams reacts after winning the first set tiebreaker
Serena Williams, playing what could be the last US Open of her storied career, won her second-round singles match Wednesday evening, downing world No. 2 Anett Kontaveit 7-6 (4) 2-6 6-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.
“After I lost the second set, I thought, ‘Oh, my goodness, I got to give my best effort because this could be it,’” Williams told ESPN in an on-court, post-match interview.
Williams looked better than in previous matches this year, where she was still trying to shake the rust of a long layoff.
In Kontaveit, however, Williams faced a much sterner test and was undoubtedly the underdog on paper but certainly not with the full house at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
A boisterous but behaved crowd cheered her every point.
She referred to the long layoff in her interview Wednesday but said, “I love a challenge.”
Williams will next face Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round. Tomljanovic, who was playing at the same time as Williams on Wednesday, defeated Russian Evgeniya Rodina 1-6, 6-2, 7-5.
And Williams is not playing just singles; she will open doubles play with her sister Venus Williams on Thursday night.
“I need more matches,” she told ESPN. “I love rising to the challenge. Yeah, I haven’t played many matches, but I’ve been practicing really well. In my last few matches, it just wasn’t coming together. I’m like, This isn’t me.”
Things have changed since she started playing at the Open, she said.
She began singles play Monday with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Danka Kovinić of Montenegro. It was Williams’ third match since announcing in Vogue magazine she will “evolve away from tennis” after the US Open.
“I have never liked the word retirement. It doesn’t feel like a modern word to me. I’ve been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people,” Williams said in the Vogue article published earlier this month.
“Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me,” she said.
At her post-match news conference Monday, Williams was asked if this is definitely her last tournament.
“Yeah, I’ve been pretty vague about it, right?” she said with a smile. “I’m going to stay vague because you never know.”
The opening-round win over Kovinić was the best Williams had looked since making her comeback from injury. She has managed to win just one match since returning to the circuit in June and was unable to get close to the form that helped her win her last grand slam title in 2017.
But Kontaveit, who had said she was excited to play against Williams, encountered a player who showed no signs of wanting to hasten her retirement.
“I think she played really well,” said the Estonian during the post-match news conference. “I mean, I thought I didn’t play a bad match at all.”
After the players split the first two sets, Williams stepped up her play for the decider, Kontaveit said.
“She really switched it on from there,” she said. “There’s a few points here and there where I feel like I could have done better on my serve maybe. I mean, she was returning better. She was playing the rallies better. I felt like she did everything a little bit better in the third set.”
The passionate pro-Williams crowd was also a challenge, Kontveit added.
“I mean, I think they were not rooting like against me. They just wanted Serena to win so bad,” the Estonian said. “So, I mean, I don’t think it’s a personal attack against me or anything. I mean, it’s fair. I mean, she deserves this, yeah.”
On a fun night in New York full of hope and excitement, Serena Williams extended her US Open farewell with a tough opening victory.
Williams defeated Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, winning 6-3 6-3. Williams will retire after the competition.
A fairly full 25,000-person Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd yelled at their hero, who reacted with trademark tenacity.
Williams, 40, will play Estonian second seed Anett Kontaveit in the second round on Wednesday.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, who is one short of Australian Margaret Court’s all-time record, is also playing in the doubles alongside older sister Venus, adding another exciting element to what she hopes will be a long goodbye this fortnight.
Her first assignment was beating Kovinic, ranked 80th in the world, and there was a thunderous noise when she took the first of three match points to ensure her singles career was not over yet.
Williams jumped on the spot when Kovinic’s backhand return hit the net, then twirled ecstatically in the center of the court before blowing kisses to her adoring fans when she had returned to her seat to soak in the occasion.
“The more tournaments I play, I feel like the more I can belong out there. That’s a tough feeling to have, and to leave knowing the more you do it, the more you can shine.
“But it’s time for me, you know, to evolve to the next thing. I think it’s important because there are so many other things that I want to do.”
Williams thrills the crowd on a night of celebration
Williams’ announcement about her retirement plans led to a surge in ticket sales and a record 29,402 fans turning up at the opening night session of the tournament
Williams has long been more than a tennis player and it was a sign of her status – as an American icon and one of the world’s most recognizable sports stars – that she announced her retirement in an essay for glossy fashion magazine Vogue.
Although the former world number one did not use the word retirement itself, preferring to say she was “evolving away” from the sport, there is no mistaking her intention is to end her glittering career this fortnight at her home major.
Suitably, for what could have been her final match, it was a night of celebrity and glamour.
Williams – wearing a glittery, figure skating-inspired dress and diamond-encrusted trainers to add further theatre to the occasion – unsurprisingly arrived on the court to a rapturous reception, moments after the stadium watched a video montage in celebration of what she has achieved as a player and a person.
“When I walked out, the reception was really overwhelming. It was loud and I could feel it in my chest. It was a really good feeling,” she said.
“It’s a feeling I’ll never forget. It meant a lot to me.”
Kovinic had already come out to the court, leaving her with a long – and what must have been nervous – wait next to her chair.
Film director Spike Lee, who called Williams his “little sister” in a video released earlier on Monday, took part in the coin toss, while Vogue editor Anna Wintour, another close personal friend, was sat in her support box behind the player’s family.
Other famous faces picked out by the stadium cameras included former US President Bill Clinton, soul singer Gladys Knight, boxer Mike Tyson and model Bella Hadid.
On Tuesday, the tennis superstar, 40, shared a black-and-white photo onInstagramof her posing with her 4-year-old daughter Olympia and Markle, 41, while teasing her interview on Markle’s podcast.
“I loved talking about so many important topics with my dear friend Meghan as her first guest on #archetypes for @spotify,” she captioned the snap. “It’s out now and worth the listen, especially if you’re ambitious â¤ï¸”
In the premiere episode, the duo discussed the double standard society sets for women who chase their dreams.
In the opening of the episode, which dropped Tuesday, Markle said that the nuns of Immaculate Heart, the all-girls Catholic school in Los Angeles she attended from sixth through twelfth grades, always empowered the students to go after what they wanted.
“This feminist ideology trickled down into nearly every aspect of my education. It’s probably safe to say into every aspect of my life,” she explained. “This message to me and my classmates was clear: our futures as young women were limitless. Ambition? That was the whole point!”
“So I don’t remember ever personally feeling the negative connotation behind the word ‘ambitious’ until I started dating my now-husband,” she said.
Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage
Reflecting on life in the limelight as Prince Harry’s partner, she continued, “and apparently ambition is a terrible, terrible thing, for a woman that is — according to some. So, since I’ve felt the negativity behind it, it’s really hard to un-feel it. I can’t unsee it, either, in the millions of girls and women who make themselves smaller — so much smaller — on a regular basis.”
Introducing Williams as “someone who embodies the spirit of ambition,” the two addressed the negative light society views ambitious women.
“Often women are definitely put in these different boxes when we are ambitious or when we do have goals or when we reach our goals, it’s a negative connotation on how we reach the goals,” Williams said.
Noting that the notion even applies to “little girls in a school room,” Markle pointed out that if a young girl “is ambitious or raises her hand more,” she’s likely to be labeled “bossy” because of her gender, to which Williams agreed.
Markle and Williams first met at the Super Bowl in 2010 and immediately hit it off. They also appeared together at the 2014 Super Bowl, competing in DIRECTV’s Celebrity Beach Bowl. They played former NFL pros for the prize but made sure to make some time for fun on the sidelines.
Since then, the Duchess of Sussex and Williams have supported each other, including Markle watching her friend play at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
Serena Williams began her pursuit of a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title with a dominant 7-5 6-3 win over fellow American Kristie Ahn.
The 38-year-old went a break down in both sets but recovered to win in an hour and a half as she chases Margaret Court’s Grand Slam tally.
Williams gathered momentum late on, winning four straight games against the world number 96 in the second set.
“I was really happy with how I fought for every point,” she said.
“No matter how I was playing, I just had to get my Serena focus back so that was what I was working on today.”
But she will not be joined in the next round by her sister Venus Williams, who lost 6-3 7-5 to Czech 20th seed Karolina Muchova.
An error-strewn performance meant that two-time champion Venus, 40, made her first ever opening-round exit at her home Grand Slam.
Meanwhile, men’s second seed Dominic Thiem advanced, having been leading 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 when Spanish opponent Jaume Munar retired from the match.
Thiem, 26, will face Indian world number 124 Sumit Nagal in the second round as he looks to capitalise on the absence of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to win a maiden Grand Slam title.
Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev is also through to the second round, comfortably beating Argentine Federico Delbonis 6-1 6-2 6-4. He will play Australia’s Chris O’Connell next.
Women’s 10th seed Garbine Muguruza sealed her place in the second round with a 6-4 6-4 win against Japan’s Nao Hibino.
Seventh seed Madison Keys is through after beating Hungary’s Timea Babos 6-1 6-1, while American second seed Sofia Kenin claimed a 6-2 6-2 victory against Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer.
But former world number one Kim Clijsters’ return to Grand Slam tennis ended in defeat as Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia prevailed 3-6 7-5 6-1.
Belgium’s Clijsters – a three-time US Open champion – was given a wildcard for the tournament after coming out of retirement earlier this year.
‘I love my job’ – Williams:
With six of the world’s top 10 absent from the women’s draw because of the coronavirus pandemic, Serena Williams has a prime opportunity to claim the 24th title she has been chasing since her last win at the 2017 Australian Open.
The third seed will face world number 117 Margarita Gasparyan of Russia in the second round, with the trickier challenge of compatriot Sloane Stephens possibly awaiting her after that.
Williams had to overcome some inconsistencies, gifting Ahn two breaks of serve, but brushed aside the suggestion that the lack of fans on Arthur Ashe Stadium had affected her level of play.
“It’s quiet,” she said. “It’s such a good stadium. It’s a Grand Slam and I think I’m still as passionate and intense out there.
“I love my job. I love what I do. You can’t do it forever even though I’ve kind of been doing it just over forever. One of these days it’s going to end and I love being out here.”
Serena Williams needs to “change her strategy” and “face reality” after failing to win a Grand Slam title since returning to tennis, says her coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
The American 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, 38, has lost four major finals since giving birth to her daughter in September 2017.
She was knocked out of the Australian Open in the third round last month.
“We have to accept the fact that it is not working,” said Mouratoglou.
Speaking to BBC Sport, he added: “Maybe come back with a different angle, a different strategy and different goals so she can make it.
“She does feel positive, she feels negative too because it is a failure when she doesn’t win a Grand Slam.
“We have to face reality, but she is positive that she can make it otherwise she probably wouldn’t be on a tennis court anymore.
“She believes she can make it and I believe it too. She’s not that far, but we have to change a few things.”
Serena Williams said she made “far too many errors to be a professional athlete” when she lost to China’s 27th seed Wang Qiang in Melbourne.
She has been coached by Mouratoglou since 2012 and has won 10 of her Grand Slam singles titles under him.
She returned to tennis four months after giving birth to daughter Olympia with the aim of breaking Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.
In January, she won her first title in three years and first since becoming a mother at the Auckland Classic – her 73rd WTA title overall – but Mouratoglou says her performance in Melbourne was “disappointing”.
“We didn’t expect at all to be losing so early, or to be losing at all,” he said.
Mouratoglou added: “She had everything to retire, 23 Grand Slam titles. But she decided to come back, she decided to make all the efforts, the physical efforts, the mental efforts, to come back to the game, with the goal to score more Grand Slams and beat the all-time record.
“It’s difficult to know how many chances she will have, I don’t know how long she is going to be able to play, but being able to reach four Grand Slam finals says a lot about her level, and she’s not that far.
“Her level is good enough but we have to understand what is going on and why she is not able to win one. There is a big difference between reaching a final and winning one.”
All-conquering Novak Djokovic Sunday said a turbulent childhood where he had to queue for milk and bread in war-torn Serbia made him hungry for success, after he fought back from the brink to win his eighth Australian Open.
The 32-year-old needed to dig deep to rally from two sets to one down for the first time in a Grand Slam final and battle past fifth-seeded Austrian Dominic Thiem 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.
His eighth victory in eight finals at Melbourne Park handed him a 17th Major to move within three of Roger Federer’s all-time 20.
Asked how he managed to keep winning in pressure situations, Djokovic said it stemmed from his early life.
“My upbringing was in Serbia during several wars during the ’90s, difficult time, embargo in our country where we had to wait in line for bread, milk, water, some basic things in life,” he said.
“These kind of things make you stronger and hungrier for success I think in whatever you choose to do.
“That probably has been my foundation, the very fact that I came from literally nothing and difficult life circumstances together with my family and with my people.
“Going back to that, reminding myself where I came from always inspires me, motivates me to push even harder.
“That’s probably one of the reasons why I managed to find that extra gear or necessary mental strength to overcome challenges when they present themselves.”
The match against Thiem was one of those occasions.
‘I was a bit shocked’
He looked in trouble after losing the second and third sets, with his energy levels down and a trainer telling him he was dehydrated.
“I definitely did not feel good. I didn’t know what the next moment brings. I was trying to keep myself alive mentally as well, and emotionally,” he said.
“I was a bit shocked that I did feel that way because everything was fine before the match. For the first two sets, everything was okay. But it’s something that you have to accept that you’re going through.
“Those kind of circumstances really kind of force me to let things go and to really try to be in the moment and fight my way back.”
Victory ensured Djokovic will once again be world number one when the new rankings are released on Monday, displacing Nadal. Federer remains third with Thiem moving up a place to a career-high fourth.
It also moved him alongside Nadal (12 at the French Open) and Federer (eight at Wimbledon) as only the third man ever to win eight or more titles at the same Slam.
Djokovic said winning Major titles was the reason he kept playing tennis.
“Obviously at this stage of my career, Grand Slams are the ones I value the most. They are the ones I prioritise,” he said.
“Before the season starts I try to set my form, shape for these events where I can be at my prime tennis, mental and physical abilities.
“Grand Slams are one of the main reasons why I am still competing and still playing full season.”
Novak Djokovic battled through a five-set thriller with Dominic Thiem to maintain his dominance at the Australian Open Sunday, claiming a record eighth title and returning to world number one in the process.
The indomitable Serb stretched his unbeaten streak this season to 13 but he had to rally from two sets to one down to beat the courageous fifth-seeded Austrian 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a nearly four-hour marathon.
It was his 17th Grand Slam title, moving him within two of Rafael Nadal and three of Roger Federer on the all-time list.
“Definitely my favourite court, my favourite stadium in the world and I’m blessed to hold this trophy once again,” said Djokovic.
Victory put him alongside his fellow legends as only the third man in history to win eight or more titles at the same Slam after Nadal (12 at the French Open) and Federer (eight at Wimbledon).
It also ensured he will once again be world number one when the new rankings are released on Monday, usurping Nadal. Federer remains third with Thiem moving up a place to a career-high fourth.
But it wasn’t easy with the Serb looking lethargic and out for the count in sets two and three before regaining his mojo after a medical timeout to grind down the talented Thiem.
Djokovic had never before won a Slam final in seven previous attempts when finding himself two sets to one down.
“You and two other guys (Nadal and Federer) brought men’s tennis to another level. I am happy I can compete in these times,” said Thiem.
“I fell short today but I hope soon I can compete with you again.”
– Nerveless start –
The Serb, 32, was the overwhelming favourite, but the supremely fit and fast Thiem, 26, always had the weapons to trouble him, which he deployed successfully for much of the match, taming his serve and unleashing some explosive groundstrokes.
It was a nerveless start from Djokovic, who comfortably held then put big pressure on the Austrian’s serve, with a forehand into the net giving him an immediate break and a psychological edge after some monster rallies.
Thiem, though, is as strong mentally as he is physically and he finally got on the scoreboard after another tough service game.
And against the run of play, with Djokovic seemingly in control, he broke back, unleashing pinpoint groundstrokes to make the most of some loose Djokovic shots.
But the world number two was unrelenting, breaking again as Thiem served to stay in the set, with the Austrian sending down his first double fault of the match at the crucial moment.
Remarkably, a rare Djokovic double fault handed Thiem a break to go 2-1 up in set two with the courageous Austrian refusing to go away.
The Serb was getting frustrated, looking at his coaching box and pointing at his head.
He refocused and once again began attacking the Thiem serve, breaking back for 4-4, pumping his fists when the fifth seed sent a backhand wide.
But two time warnings on his serve in the next game rattled Djokovic and he was broken again, with the Serb losing his cool by patting the umpire’s foot at the changeover and telling the official: “Great job… you made yourself famous.”
– ‘Tough luck’ –
With Djokovic still looking distracted, Thiem served out the set — the first the Serb had dropped in an Australian Open final since 2015.
Djokovic appeared dejected and was immediately broken twice in set three as Thiem raced to a 4-0 lead, having won six games in a row with Djokovic imploding.
The Serb was heard telling a trainer he was tired and after losing the set, he went for a medical timeout.
He came back and the fourth set went with serve until a Thiem double fault handed the Serb two break points and he converted to regain control, serving out the set with an ace.
Djokovic drew on all his experience to force another break in the deciding fifth set to take a 2-1 lead and kept his foot on the gas to claim an eighth crown from the last 13 Australian Opens.
“It wasn’t meant to be tonight,” Djokovic told Thiem. “Tough luck. It was a tough match. But you were very close to winning it.
“You know, you definitely have a lot more time in your career and I’m sure that you will get one of the Grand Slam trophies. And more. More than one.”
“I knew I had to play better and couldn’t keep making unforced errors like that, otherwise it was going to be a long evening for me.”
The eighth seed will next face China’s 27th seed Wang Qiang, who was thrashed by Williams at September’s US Open.
Wang froze as she lost in 44 minutes on her maiden Grand Slam quarter-final appearance and will be hoping to put up a better fight in Melbourne on Friday.
Williams again looks in menacing form, however. Victory over 22-year-old Zidansek was a seventh straight win for Williams, who claimed the Auckland title earlier this month.
Williams, a seven-time champion at Melbourne Park, started sharply with a break in the opening game and, after staving off an opportunity for 22-year-old Zidansek in the fourth, pulled away to take the first set in 31 minutes.
Zidansek raised her level to make the second set more of a contest as errors started to creep into Williams’s game.
The American had to dig deep to fight off four break points before eventually holding for 3-3 – and that sucked the life out of 70th-ranked Zidansek.
Williams, whose roars after each point were becoming increasingly loud, almost inevitably pinched her opponent’s serve to love in the next game.
From that point it was relatively comfortable, Williams winning eight of the final 11 points to seal victory.
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