Published: 3:51 PM PST, November 28, 2023
Tennis superstar Serena Williams is opening up to her fans about her mental well-being.
The iconic athlete took to X (formerly known as Twitter) this morning to express that she’s struggling. In a message to her massive following of over 10 million, Williams also emphasized the importance of accepting the fact that it’s okay not to be okay.
“I am not ok today. And that’s ok to not be ok,” she tweeted. “No one is ok every single day. If you are not ok today I’m with you. There’s always tomorrow. Love you.”
Her followers responded with words of support, with one saying, “This resonates with me. Thank you for these empowering words. I have prayed for you, you will be okay! I will be okay also.” Another added, “I hope you feel better. You’re absolutely right. It’s okay not to be okay sometimes, and to acknowledge it. But, here’s the thing. Put on some feel-good music and do the running man throughout the house. It just might lift your spirit.”
While Williams did not echo the same message or expand on it on Instagram or TikTok, where she has nearly 20 million more followers.
Just a week ago, the renowned athlete shared a TikTok video showcasing the reality of motherhood. The video begins with her looking glamorous while getting ready for the 2023 CFDA Awards at the American Museum of Natural History earlier this month, before switching to her pumping breast milk.
“What my life is really like,” she captioned the video. “It’s not as glamorous as you think.”
She also included hashtags like “momhumor,” “workingmom,” and “workingmomstruggles,” among others.
Williams, who has a 6-year-old daughter, Olympia, and a 2-month-old daughter, Adira, with husband Alexis Ohanian, has been open about her mental health struggles over the years. In a 2018 article for TIME magazine, reflecting on her remarkable Wimbledon Championships run (in which she was the runner-up), Williams spoke about the highs and lows of her life both on and off the court.
“I dedicated that to all the moms out there who’ve been through a lot,” she said. “Some days, I cry. I’m really sad. I’ve had meltdowns. It’s been a really tough 11 months. If I can do it, you guys can do it too.”
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Jessica Roberts serves up the latest in the world of tennis. With a love for the racket sport, she reports on tennis matches, player rankings, and Grand Slam events, ensuring readers stay informed about the tennis world.
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