Serena Williams covers the latest issue of SELF magazine in all her brown-skinned glory, giving the world true body and ab goals for what might be her best photo shoot yet.
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Inside, the 34-year-old 22-Grand Slam winner talks being a role model and loving her strong curves, before responding to Raymond Moore’s sexist comments about women in tennis “riding on the coattails of the men.” Moore stepped down from his position as Indian Wells CEO following the comment, but Serena still saw fit to give him a piece of her mind during her interview with SELF – just one of the many reasons we love the champion.
Here are a few interesting excerpts and photos you’ve got to see.
On loving her body, despite negative feedback:
“I love my body, and I would never change anything about it,” she says. “I’m not asking you to like my body. I’m just asking you to let me be me. Because I’m going to influence a girl who does look like me, and I want her to feel good about herself.”
On leading the way for Black women in tennis:
“I can’t say I am the pioneer because it was Althea Gibson, it was Zina Garrison, it was Arthur Ashe, it was so many people before me,” she said, referring to some of the first black professional tennis players. But, she adds proudly, “I appreciate being in a position where I was chosen to be a role model. Obviously, being black in tennis wasn’t easy, even in the ’90s.”
On Moore’s comment:
“Last year, the women’s final at the U.S. Open sold out well before the men’s,” she said at the time, pointing to a competition in which she was vying for a rare sweep of the season’s Grand Slams. “Did Roger play in that final, or Rafa, or any man? I think not.”
On tennis being a bonus following a life-threatening health scare in 2011:
“All this is a bonus. I’m happy to even be alive right now. I win a Grand Slam, and I’m more appreciative about it. I’m not like, on to the next….OK, I still am! But I at least take five minutes to be in the moment.”
One thing is for certain, Serena Williams is one of the greatest athletes ever. Check out the rest of her interview and more photos here.
SOURCE: SELF | PHOTO CREDIT: Instagram, Getty
These Photos Of Serena Williams In SELF Magazine Are All You Need To See Today was originally published on globalgrind.com
