The former World No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki, once impersonated Serena Williams during an exhibition match against Maria Sharapova. Following the act, accusations of racism emerged across the internet as Wozniacki received widespread criticism on social media. But it was Serena Williams herself who came to the defense of Wozniacki by pointing out the double-standards.
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Wozniacki imitated Serena by stuffing towels underneath her clothes in an exhibition match in the Gillette Federer Tour of South America.
Serena Williams once defended fellow tennis player Caroline Wozniacki
The legendary American tennis player weighed in on the matter when Caroline Wozniacki was accused of racism. Serena said, “I know Caro and I would call her my friend and I don’t think she (meant) anything racist by it.”
Serena also stated that she was in Mauritius at the time and hadn’t watched the video of Wozniacki that was circulating on the internet. She also expressed her confusion as to why people suddenly regard it as a subject of racism when others have done so in the past.
She further added by naming other stars who had previously mocked her physique. Williams said, “(Roddick) and (Djokovic) do it all the time and Caro does (it) and now it’s racist.??”
The American tennis player also stated that in such situations, she would rather remain aloof. She added, “At the end of the day I spend my time focused on things to become better and not bring me down.”
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Despite not being personally bothered, Williams did imply that Wozniacki should be much more considerate before doing anything similar next time, considering the repercussions.
“I must add if people feel this way she should take reason and do something different next time,” Williams stated.
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Tennis imitations are usually associated with the Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic. He has tried to impersonate rivals, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer along with WTA stars like Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.
Serena’s charity work
Apart from being one of the greatest tennis players, Serena Williams has also worked for social welfare. Serena Williams has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2011. She supported the UNICEF Schools for Africa initiative, which aimed to educate the most marginalized and vulnerable children.
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The 23-time grand slam champion also contributed to another campaign by advocating for affordable and high-quality healthcare for all mothers and their babies. Additionally, she has taken a stand against a number of issues, including climate change, extreme poverty, gender inequality, and racism.
Watch this story – Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian plans a huge surprise to delight daughter Olympia with a trendy gift