Serena Williams conquered the tennis world with power and precision, but a much smaller court apparently got the best of her. During a recent interview, the 23-time Grand Slam champion made a surprising admission: she avoids pickleball because of an injury.
While she remains active on the tennis court with her daughters, the trendy paddle sport is currently off-limits for the legend.
Why Does Serena Williams Avoid Playing Pickleball?
Williams appeared on “Good Sports with Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson” on Amazon Prime Video when the conversation turned to the popular paddle sport. Hart pressed the Saginaw, Michigan, native about her stance, leading to a candid revelation about why she stays away from the pickleball court.
Hart asked, “Serena, look, I know this is highly controversial, but I have to ask anyway, are you pro pickleball? What the f*** was that? What was that?”
Williams explained that despite her prowess with a tennis racket, the mechanics of pickleball caused unexpected issues. She noted that the equipment differences played a major role in her injury.
She replied, “I’m a tennis player, you know, and so I love paddle. I love tennis, but only because I hurt myself playing pickle. And I’m used to playing with tennis rackets, and that pickleball racket is actually way heavier than a tennis racket, if you can imagine, it’s way smaller. And so ever since I kind of hurt myself, I’ve been like, but yeah. I do, I love to paddle. I think it’s so fun.”
The comedian immediately seized the opportunity to tease the tennis icon about her answer. Hart jokingly framed her injury admission as a declaration of war against pickleball enthusiasts. Hart said, “Well, you heard it here first, pickleball community, Serena Williams hates you. I mean, I don’t know what’s happening here, but whatever. It’s breaking on this show, breaking news.”
Despite the pickleball setback, Williams continues to spend time on the tennis court. She recently shared heartwarming moments from a practice session with her youngest daughter, Adira. Williams shares Adira, 2, and Alexis Olympia Ohanian, 8, with her husband, Alexis Ohanian, the former executive chairman and co-founder of Reddit. Reflecting on the special moment with Adira, Williams added, “This is me sharing my passion for tennis with my youngest daughter.”
This caution with new sports aligns with the physical toll her legendary career took on her body. The four-time Olympic gold medallist battled various physical ailments throughout her playing days, including knee surgery in 2003, foot injuries, and a serious lung blood clot.
