Serena Williams has always been unapologetically herself—whether it’s dominating on the tennis court or addressing criticism head-on. And this time, she’s making waves off the court by shutting down rumors with her signature flair. Recently, Serena found herself at the center of a controversy about her skin tone, with critics speculating she had bleached her skin. But in true Serena style, she didn’t hold back. The tennis legend delivered a sharp and confident clapback, putting the rumors to rest and proving once again why she’s a role model for owning your narrative.

The former American sensation found herself in the midst of a debate where users claimed that she had bleached her skin. The discussions started after the star player shared a clip on her social media platform with her husband Alexis Ohanian, with fans taking to X and claiming that she used cosmetic products or other mechanisms to brighten her skin tone. But Williams decided to shut the rumors once and for all with a sharp take at her haters. 

The 23-time Grand Slam champion engaged in an Instagram live for her make-up brand WYN and revealed how she uses her make-up products. However, she ensured to take digs at her naysayers and revealed that she never bleached her skin. One such moment came when the star player revealed that she changed the background of the place where she creates videos. “If you follow me you will see that I got new wallpaper in my backdrop. Hope you guys like it, I actually hate it,” Williams cheekily said. However, she highlighted how this change helped her overcome rumors. 

“I really hate it but it actually works better for the light. It gives me more of my true color. The color that I have never bleached. Yeah!” the tennis great added. Interestingly, this was not the only point during the live interaction when Williams took a jibe at her critics. “For you haters out there, I do not bleach my skin,” she said earlier and clearly highlighted that she is proud to be a black woman.

Speaking during the interaction the 43-year-old shared, “I am a dark black woman and I love who I am and I love how I look. That’s not just my thing and people do it that’s their thing when they have every opportunity. I don’t judge.” Remember, Williams has been facing such accusations for quite a few years now and this is not the first time she has clapped back at her naysayers. 

Serena Williams faced a similar scenario in 2021 when she posted a picture of herself on Instagram. In the photo, the star player’s face looked a little too bright. This caused many users to claim that the American player had bleached her skin as they failed to consider elements like light that could have impacted the picture. Similar accusations took place in August this year with fans claiming her to have used external procedures to brighten her skin tone. Taking a veiled jibe then, Williams shared a picture donning double-denim attire and wrote, “100% real … forehead to toe … lol.” The scenario, meanwhile, would indeed be causing amazement to a player like Williams who has expressed immense pride in being black time and again. And this pride has not just helped her boost her own confidence but has also inspired numerous athletes. 

When Naomi Osaka revealed how Serena Williams inspired her to pick up racquets

Serena Williams has not just depicted immense resilience in overcoming several challenges that came her way during her athletic career but also redefined sports for many black athletes and inspired them to pursue sports. One such revelation came from none other than the Japanese WTA star Naomi Osaka who shared how Williams paved the way for many athletes like her. 

Speaking in an interview with TIME, Osaka shared, “I remember as a kid watching in awe, and I was so happy to be seeing a strong Black woman on my screen.” Continuing further, she added, “Even though she is retiring, her legacy definitely lives on through Coco [Gauff], Sloane [Stephens], Madison [Keys], and other women of color at the top of their game. Serena is unequivocally the best athlete ever. Forget female athlete, I mean athlete. No one else has changed her sport as much as she did and against all odds.” And now, with the latest video, Williams has yet again proved not only the rumors of her bleaching her skin are untrue, but also that her pride in her skin tone has remained intact. 

For now, it would be interesting to see if the star player takes more such digs at her critics and slam the rumors. But with the latest revelation, Williams once again showed the world that she’s not just a sports icon—she’s a voice of strength and empowerment.