Serena Williams confronted criticism over her Super Bowl appearance with a bold response, shutting down speculation.
Serena Williams found herself at the center of controversy after her appearance during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show, prompting criticism on social media for both her involvement and her dance moves.
Now, the tennis legend is making it clear she isn’t concerned with the noise.
Williams, 43, made a brief but noticeable appearance on the sidelines as Lamar performed “Not Like Us,” his fiery track aimed at rap rival Drake.
But it wasn’t just her presence that stirred debate—it was the fact that she performed the Crip Walk, a dance she was previously criticized for using in her celebration after winning gold at the 2012 London Olympics.
Some online commenters accused her of disrespecting Drake, whom she is widely believed to have dated in the past, by aligning herself with Kendrick Lamar amid the two rappers’ ongoing feud.
As speculation swirled, Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, stepped in to defend her, firing back on X (formerly Twitter).
“Some of y’all have no idea how criticized Serena was for this same dance at Wimbledon 13 years ago, and it shows… This is bigger than the music.”
A week after the backlash began, Williams finally addressed the conversation herself. Turning to X, she acknowledged her husband’s support with a candid response.
“That there my baby daddy and husband. Always got my back. I Love you,” she wrote.
She also took a moment to dismiss any claims that her dance was meant as a dig at Drake, emphasizing that her priorities lie elsewhere.
“Gosh I’m so late to the game (I’ve been sick) & busy investing in billion dollar companies and running @wynbeauty… def not dancing to be petty lol.”
Williams, who boasts an astounding 23 Grand Slam titles and four Olympic gold medals, made it abundantly clear that she isn’t interested in petty feuds.
“I think I proved 23 times over (not counting four gold medals) that I simply don’t have time for petty. All love and respect always nothing negative here.”
Despite the online chatter, Williams appears unfazed, continuing to focus on her growing business ventures and life beyond tennis.
