“I was a Black woman with a figure, that doesn’t make you bad” – Serena Williams revisits criticism about her…see more

“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.