Serena Williams applauds Meghan Markle following Oprah interview

Former WTA No.1 Serena Williams took to social media to show support for her friend Meghan Markle, after the latter's revelatory interview with Oprah Winfrey aired on Sunday night.

Markle and her husband, Prince Harry, sat down with Oprah to discuss their experiences with the royal family. The Duchess of Sussex was candid about her mental health struggles while pregnant with first child Archie, as well as the criticism she faced not only from the press but also from other undisclosed members of the royal family.

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Williams has been close friends with Markle since 2010, with the latter even showing up to support the 23-time Grand Slam champion during some of her tennis matches. Therefore, it came as no surprise when Williams took to Twitter to offer support for Markle following the interview, with the tennis legend applauding her friend for being so brave.

"Meghan Markle, my selfless friend, lives her life — and leads by example — with empathy and compassion," Williams wrote in a statement on Twitter soon after the segment aired. "She teaches me every day what it means to be truly noble. Her words illustrate the pain and cruelty she's experienced."

The former World No.1 went on to stress the importance of mental health, in addition to calling on people to treat others with kindness and respect. Her entire statement can be seen below.

Serena Williams on Twitter: "https://t.co/fYx4HlZutl" / Twitter