Imagine looking at a bottle of red hot sauce and being reminded of your past relationships. Not because you shared a spicy affair with your previous partner, but because the color of the sauce mirrors the status of those relationships: ‘the red flags.’ In the dazzling world of professional tennis, where every serve and volley is scrutinized under the brightest of lights, even the greatest champions harbor a touch of humor and humility. And Serena Williams’ latest confession about her previous affairs is a resemblance of the same. 

During a recent interaction, Serena Williams let her guard down and shared a laugh about not being able to identify the obvious signs. Speaking to the YouTube Channel First We Feast, for their show Hot Ones, the 23-time grand slam winner was seen going candid about her past relationships and termed some of them ‘red flags.’

Looking at a bottle of hot sauce labeled Red Flag, Williams said, “Red flag. Oh like some guys I dated (laughs).” Continuing further, she revealed how she often got attracted to people with the warning signs. “I went all in on the red flag.” The 42-year-old’s dating history has not been a new discussion in the tennis community. 

Serena Williams is married to American entrepreneur and investor Alexis Ohanian. The pair met ‘by chance,’ in Rome in 2015 and soon their friendship blossomed into love. Finally, they declared their matrimony in 2017 and have been happily together since then. However, the tennis star’s relationship before she met Ohanian has often caught headlines. 

The tennis great was closely associated with the Canadian rapper Drake. The duo shared an on-and-off relationship between 2011 and 2015. Besides, she is rumored to have dated some known faces from her very own tennis community as well. This includes the likes of Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov and the French tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou. However, this is not the first time when the former tennis player has revealed something about her dating life. 

In her latest documentary, In the Arena: Serena Williams, the legendary player recalls her first relationship when she dated a guy in her 20s who disappeared without explanation. “And it wasn’t even that serious, but it was like I used that and I made it way more serious than what it was. So, when he ghosted me, I used that as an opportunity to say, ‘He’s gonna regret this for the rest of his life.’” Besides her personal life, Serena Williams was also seen taking a dig at some professional tennis norms.

Serena Williams reveals the dilemma she faced during post-match conferences 

In the same interview, Williams shared her candid thoughts on the tradition of immediate post-match press conferences. She revealed how difficult it was for her to remain diplomatic while answering those questions. Giving an example, Serena recalled the type of questions that were shot at her and the responses she wanted to give.

“You won 6-0, 6-0, how do you think your opponent played? Well, she played terrible, or else I wouldn’t have won.” Serena’s response highlights the pressure journalists face from fans to ask relevant questions during these press conferences. She points out that, often, the questions can seem odd or silly.

Recently, Carlos Alcaraz was asked whether Grand Slam matches in the men’s game should be switched to best of three sets instead of the traditional best of five. This question ticked off Boris Becker, who deemed it ‘ridiculous’. 

Serena Williams has continued to woo her fans with her sense of humor. And her recent interview is a latest addition to the list!