Why Did Serena Williams Skip Meeting Michael Phelps Despite Being In The Same Place?

Serena Williams, the G.O.A.T of tennis is a name that redefined women’s place in the world of sports. The moment she took the racquet in her hand,  she transformed into a powerful and fierce warrior ready to take on any challenge. It would be unbelievable to say that Serena shied away from doing something. But, there was a time she did something unexpected when she came across Michael Phelps, the most decorated swimmer in the world.

Just as the saying goes, “birds of a feather flock together,” one would assume that all gold medallists are buddies. However, it is not the case for Williams and Phelps despite playing for the same country. 

Serena Williams has never met her Olympic idol, Michael Phelps 

Olympians are the humans who have demonstrated talent and will that’s beyond imagination. If there is one place where all the legends in the world of sports gather, it’s during the Olympics. Williams and Phelps have been to the Olympics several times but they have not met each other.

Notably, Williams idolizes Phelps but never met him despite having a chance. She said, “I was in the [Olympic] Village the other day and I passed by him, and I’m really shy,” she said. “And he didn’t see me, so …” It is surprising to know that the legend Serena, who’s fierce on the court, was shy to even say a casual hi just because he didn’t see her. 

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“Rio, that’s where I’ll go. I need to get there, Rio,” she said hopefully about meeting Phelps in the next Olympics. She finally met Phelps, her Olympics idol in the 2016 Olympics. 

How about meeting her childhood idols?

Serena Williams started her journey just as any other player. She grew up watching Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova play. Serena loved watching Martina play and she also said, “I don’t play anything like her.” She fondly idolized them.

Having played and won against all the players she had named as idols, she said, “All the players I played I had pretty much beaten before. I had beaten Martina a few times and Monica and Lindsay. I knew I could do it.” 

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The confident and daring Serena also shared about her weird feelings or instincts before a tournament. She recalled her 1999 US Open memory that she was not surprised when she won the title as she knew she would win the title when the tournament started.