Smiling-Serena-Williams

Watch: Serena Williams’ vulnerability is what makes her a champion

It seems as if everyone is talking about Serena Williams, whether it’s her dominance or the way she perseveres in the face of obvious sexism and racism. Regardless, for the second time in her career, she has achieved the “Serena Slam,” which is holding all four major titles simultaneously. Now, the tennis world is alive with the possibility of another tennis player winning all four major titles in the same calendar year. Despite the pressure, Williams’ personality still shines through even in her post-match interview at Wimbledon.

Going beyond the typical “it hasn’t sunk in yet” and praising her opponent, Williams’ ability to still be the goofy kid who splashed onto the tennis scene as a teenager is refreshing and real on so many levels. To be sure, she isn’t perfect and has had unflattering moments, but at her core she is relatable and lovable. On the possibility of winning the US Open and completing the calendar year slam, she cringed and groaned about not wanting to talk about it. She has poise, grace, and she just makes me laugh. For someone who has endured such a highly criticized career and endless scrutiny of her body, for her to still maintain a softness about her is truly remarkable.

Watch the full video below. If anyone has time to add a transcript in the comments section, I’d be grateful!

Header image credit: Desktop HD Photos

CT

Katie Barnes (they/them/their) is a pop-culture obsessed activist and writer. While at St. Olaf College studying History and (oddly) Russian (among other things), Katie fell in love with politics, and doing the hard work in the hard places. A retired fanfiction writer, Katie now actually enjoys writing with their name attached. Katie actually loves cornfields, and thinks there is nothing better than a summer night's drive through the Indiana countryside. They love basketball and are a huge fan of the UConn women's team. When not fighting the good fight, you can usually find Katie watching sports, writing, or reading a good book.

Katie Barnes is a pop-culture obsessed activist and writer.

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