“I had big b***s, a big b**t” -Serena Williams opens up on emotional turmoil due to media criticism about her physique

Serena Williams at the 2025 Baby2Baby Gala presented by Paul Mitchell – Image source: Getty

Serena Williams has recalled her difficulties handling criticism about her ‘large’ physique in the beginning of her career. In her latest interview, the American tennis legend revealed how it affected her mentally and how she overcame it after winning the 1999 US Open.

Serena Williams is the most successful female tennis player in the 21st century, with 73 singles titles. She scripted her name in the history books with 23 Grand Slam women’s singles titles, the most in the Open Era. Williams also won four Olympic gold medals and is the only player to register a career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles. However, despite dominating the court for over 20 years, Serena Williams’ physique has always been a topic of discussion among the media and fans.

In an interview with Net-a-Porter on Monday, December 1, the former World No. 1 shared her feelings about being compared to other athletes based on her physique.

“It was hard because when I was playing in the beginning, the first 15 years, my body was different,” Serena Williams said. “I had big b***s; I had a big b**t. Every athlete was like super flat, super thin, and beautiful, but in a different way. And I didn’t understand as an athlete how to deal with that.”

“It does affect you mentally. Absolutely, you think you’re large for your whole life and you look [back] and you’re like, I was fit. Yeah, I had big muscles. I didn’t look like these other girls but not everyone looks the same,” she added.

However, Williams was quick to silence her critiques on the court as she won her first Grand Slam, the 1999 US Open, at the age of 17, and went on to rule the sport till her retirement in 2022. She revealed that her first US Open title inspired her to avoid reading negative things about her physique.

“When I was 17, when I won the Open for the first time, I took a decision there,” Williams said. “I was so young, but I said I’m never going to read anything about me. At the Open, there was so much positivity, and I thought, I don’t want my head to get too big. I wanted to stay humble. I also thought if it’s negative, I don’t want to read it. I never really read an article after that.”

Before the 2015 US Open final, Serena Williams talked about how support from her fans helped her overcome negative comments about her ‘thicker’ body.

When Serena Williams admitted to taking weight-loss drugs

In an interview with Vogue in August this year, Serena Williams surprised everyone by admitting to taking a weight-loss drug. The 44-year-old said she started consuming a GLP-1 drug with Ro after putting on weight at work. She also revealed a positive effect of the drug and said she felt ‘sexier and confident’.

“I was putting in the work,” she said. “I actually think it’s a problem a lot of other women can relate to, that you are in the gym and eating healthy, but just can’t get to the level you want or need to. I feel lighter mentally, I feel sexier, I feel more confident.”

Serena Williams’ fans were divided over her revelation of using a weight-loss drug, with a few online expressing their disappointment with the global superstar’s decision.