Six-time US Open winning tennis star Serena Williams has done a very special cover story for the August issue of Harper's Bazaar.
Williams also wrote a personal essay for the magazine to accompany her un-retouched shoot as she reflected on some of the tougher moments she has faced in her career.
In the final of the US Open in September of 2018, the umpire took the game from Williams after issuing her three violations – one for allegedly taking signals from her coach in the stands, one for throwing her racket in frustration and one for calling him a thief. Her reaction to the umpire drew criticism in some quarters and sparked an online debate on whether female anger is considered less acceptable.
Williams admits her opponent, Naomi Osaka, just played better than her that day but also explores the questions running through her head after her loss.
“How can you take a game away from me in the final of a Grand Slam?” she writes for Harper’s Bazaar. “Really, how can you take a game away from anyone at any stage of any tournament? I turn over, exhausted from lack of sleep, thoughts still spinning in my head. Why can’t I express my frustrations like everyone else? If I were a man, would I be in this situation? What makes me so different? Is it because I’m a woman?”
“So often, in situations similar to mine, when men fight back against the referees, they’re met with a smile or even a laugh from the umpire, as if they’re sharing an inside joke,” she writes in her personal essay. “I’m not asking to avoid being penalized. I am asking to be treated the same way as everyone else. Sadly, that’s simply not the world we currently live in.”
In the end, Williams decided the best thing she could do to overcome the incident was to apologize to Osaka. She wrote to her, “Hey, Naomi! It’s Serena Williams. As I said on the court, I am so proud of you and I am truly sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing in sticking up for myself. But I had no idea the media would pit us against each other. I would love the chance to live that moment over again. I am, was, and will always be happy for you and supportive of you. I would never, ever want the light to shine away from another female, specifically another black female athlete. I can’t wait for your future, and believe me I will always be watching as a big fan! I wish you only success today and in the future. Once again, I am so proud of you. All my love and your fan, Serena.”
Osaka’s response was heartwarming. “People can misunderstand anger for strength because they can’t differentiate between the two,” she wrote back to Williams. “No one has stood up for themselves the way you have and you need to continue trailblazing.”
“It’s not about quitting when someone presents a challenge,” Williams writes, “it’s about getting up when you are down, dusting yourself off and asking, ‘Is that the best you got?’ Because I have God with me, and I can take whatever comes my way.”
