The 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams spoke about her struggle to lose weight and how she found a solution in GLP-1 medication, which helped her lose 31 pounds (14 kilograms). The former World No. 1 is celebrating three years since her retirement at the 2022 US Open, where she reached the fourth round and fell to Australian Ajla Tomljanovic. She has been seen actively on the tennis courts recently.
While her sister Venus Williams has had a respectable return to the courts over the last month—even securing a singles debut victory against World No. 35 Peyton Stearns—several videos of Serena have emerged on social media showing her training on tennis courts and in the gym, in addition to looking particularly in great shape.
Rumors of a potential return to the courts quickly followed, though Serena was actually reaping the benefits of her battle with weight after retiring from professional activity. "I feel great. I feel really good and healthy. I feel light physically and light mentally," Serena told PEOPLE. “I never lost another pound. I just thought, gosh, I don't know if I would ever be able to get back to where I needed to get to.”
The struggle behind the scenes
Despite years of disciplined training and healthy eating, Williams admitted she had reached a point where nothing seemed to work. “I never was able to get to the weight I needed to be no matter what I did, no matter how much I trained,” she explained. “It was crazy because I'd never been in a place like that in my life where I worked so hard, ate so healthy and could never get down to where I needed to be at.”
Known for her tireless work ethic, Williams found this phase frustrating and confusing. “I had never taken shortcuts in my career and always worked really hard. I know what it takes to be the best,” she said. “So it was very frustrating to do all the same things and never be able to change that number on the scale or the way my body looked.”
Turning to GLP-1 Medication
It was only after extensive research that Williams considered GLP-1 weight-loss medication. “I did a lot of research on it. I was like, ‘is this a shortcut? What are the benefits? What are not the benefits?’ I really wanted to dive into it before I just did it.”
Eventually, she decided to take the step. “They were super supportive and it was easy to get the medication,” Williams said of her care team. “I lost over 31 pounds using my GLP-1 and I was really excited about that weight loss.”
But for her, the medication wasn’t a replacement for hard work. “GLP-1 helped me enhance everything that I was already doing — eating healthy and working out, whether it was as a professional athlete at the top level of tennis or just going to the gym every day.”
The transformation has gone beyond appearance. “I just can do more. I'm more active. My joints don't hurt as much. I just feel like something as simple as just getting down is a lot easier for me. And I do it a lot faster,” Williams explained. “I feel like I have a lot of energy and it's great. I just feel pretty good about it.”
She added that her body feels more aligned: “I always felt comfortable at any size, whether I was a lot heavier or not. I do feel like my body didn't like me at that weight. I had pain in my joints and pain in different areas just because of the extra weight that I'm not used to carrying since I had children.”
Body confidence and public pressure
Beyond the physical, Williams has long navigated the pressures of public scrutiny. “Weight loss should never really change your self-image,” she insisted. “Women often experience judgment about their bodies at any size, and I'm no stranger to that. So I feel like you should love yourself at any size and any look.”
Despite her global fame, she never let outside voices dictate her identity. “I've never felt that pressure to maintain a certain appearance. But the size I was before, there was nothing wrong with it. It's just not what I wanted to have. I just knew that I wanted to be where I personally felt comfortable.”
Reflecting on her journey, Serena emphasized self-love at every stage. “With me going through what I've went through growing up in public and just having millions of people commenting on my body, it's really important to teach them to be confident at any size, just like I try to be,” she shared.
Looking back at old photos, she concluded: “I was looking back at pictures, whether I was smaller or thicker, and at that moment I felt so confident. And I looked great, too. So I just think it's so important to love who you are. You'll never get that moment back. You don't want to judge yourself when you're just always showing up as your best.”
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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