SERENA WILLIAMS

Serena Williams Wows U.S. Open In A Custom Diamond-Encrusted Dress

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From beads to skin-tight dresses Serena Williams has been making fashion statements on the court throughout her legendary career.  And last night she didn’t disappoint debuting an instantly iconic outfit during last night’s U.S. Open. The 23-time Grand Slam winner said farewell and bid the tennis world a heartfelt adieu in high fashion and in true Serena style.   Serena, who defeated her opponent Danka Kovinic in the first match and what is expected to be her final professional tennis tournament, began her “evolution” (Serena refuses to call it retirement)  wearing NikeCourt Flare 2 sneakers that included a diamond-encrusted swoosh, solid gold shoelace tags and 400 hand-set diamonds—and that’s just on Serena’s sneakers. 

The outfit also included a removable cape and a matching jacket with star-shaped embellishments. The matching mommy and me Nike dress-her daughter Olympia was wearing the same replica, had diamonds and crystals embedded on the outside with a matching jacket and a tote bag.  

The figure skating-inspired Nike dress that she designed also in collaboration with her ‘Serena Williams Jewelry’ company was constructed of a six-layer skirt to commemorate her six singles at the U.S. Open throughout her career, only playing with two of the layers stating that wearing all the layers would have been “too heavy to play in” as she told Gayle King in an interview after the match. “For her latest outfit for Flushing, Serena took control, providing the full vision and dialing the details for a thrilling design created to make her feel comfortable and confident,”  Nike said in a statement.  According to Nike, Serena’s diamond-encrusted bodice  “refracts light and shines bright, alluding to the night sky at the tournament.  

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[WATCH] Beyoncé Narrates ‘For Serena Williams, With Love’ Spot for Gatorade

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Beyoncé Narrates 'For Serena Williams, With Love' Spot for Gatorade

Two icons of the world collide in a new Gatorade spot. With Serena Williams set to take the tennis court for the final time at the U.S. Open, Gatorade tapped Beyoncé to narrate For Serena Williams, With Love.

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“When the world writes her down in history, we’ll begin where she started,” Beyoncé recites. “At love. It’s a love that we’ll remember through the generations, a love that started a movement, a movement to always love exactly who you are and who you can be. To be so in love with your identity, that your very essence cannot be contained.”

The post [WATCH] Beyoncé Narrates ‘For Serena Williams, With Love’ Spot for Gatorade appeared first on The Source.

Gatorade Got Beyonce To Narrate A Special Serena Williams Ad For Her Final U.S. Open

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Serena Williams will begin her final Grand Slam tennis tournament on Monday night when she takes on Danka Kovinic in the first round of the U.S. Open at 7:00 p.m. ET on center court at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Williams announced she will retire from tennis after the tournament earlier this summer, citing her desires off the court steadily pulling her away, from motherhood to business.

For arguably the greatest tennis player of all time, it will be quite the send-off at the tournament she has dominated since bursting onto the scene more than 20 years ago. Williams has six U.S. Open titles to her name and will be looking to add a seventh in storybook fashion — while also competing one more time with sister Venus in the doubles competition. But however her career ends, it will be a celebration of one of the great athletes of this generation, with plenty of tributes that figure to pour out in the next week-plus.

Among the first comes from her longtime sponsor Gatorade, which introduced a special S logo replacing their normal G for some U.S. Open gear, and tabbed Beyonce to narrate a video about her friend, celebrating the unapologetic manner in which Williams carried herself — her true self — for the world to see and millions of girls to look up to.

“When the world writes her down in history, we’ll begin where she started,” Beyonce’s narration reads. “At love. It’s a love that we’ll remember through the generations, a love that started a movement, a movement to always love exactly who you are and who you can be. To be so in love with your identity, that your very essence cannot be contained.”

Serena Williams Invests Millions Into Actress Selena Gomez’s Wondermind Media Company

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Serena WIlliams

Looks like Serena Williams is wasting no time when it comes to the projects she will take on post-retirement, which appears to be focusing on her Venture Capital company Serena Ventures. The Grand Slam Champion has invested $5 million in actress Selena Gomez’s company Wondermind. A media platform that was created to help change the narrative around mental health, including depression, addiction, and even suicide. In addition to her investment, Williams will work alongside Wondermind which is already valued at $100M to promote the brand and will also be involved in content creation.  In an Instagram post (see below) shared by Selena Gomez on Monday, the tennis icon, Serena, and former Disney star, Selena Gomez discussed the topic of “mental fitness” for their newest mental health platform, Wondermind.”Mental fitness for me is just really learning to shut down,” Williams, 40, said. “And you know I did this years ago before even mental health was a topic among everyone’s mind. She says. “It was more just like, alright, I’m shutting myself down today. Just subconsciously, it was something I’ve always done, and so now that I know that it’s so important to just put yourself first, especially mentally, I always have shut down moments. I have serious boundaries and I don’t let anyone cross those boundaries. “For me, it’s so important to make sure, every day, I have a period of, like … it’s so bad because I really don’t do anything for me, I’m terrible at that! And I’ve said it time and time again – I’m working on it. But more or less, at least prioritizing what I need to do,” added Williams, before concluding, “And then when I’m turned off, I’m turned off.”  

According to a University of Houston report, suicide rates have been increasing among Black men and women, showing how important it is for Black Americans to take mental health seriously.  Gomez, who suffered an emotional breakdown in 2018 and revealed in 2020 that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, has previously discussed her issues with depression and anxiety. The Only Murders in the Building actress is now helping others deal with their mental health issues.   Serena Ventures has invested in numerous diverse companies, including a wig company, Boss Beauties, Kiira Health, and many more.

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SOURCE SPORTS: Serena Williams Announces Her “Evolution” Away From Tennis

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Serena Williams Withdraws From U.S. Open Due To Hamstring Injury

In a new Vogue cover story, Serena Williams revealed she is beginning her transition away from professional tennis.

In the story told to Rob Haskell, Williams opens by revealing the desire of her daughter to become a big sister. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Williams wrote. “She doesn’t know I’m listening, but I can hear the answer she whispers into the phone. She says, “I want to be a big sister.”

Williams would highlight that she does not want to choose between tennis and a family, highlighting the male advantage of being able to continue an active sports career while also being a parent.

“If I were a guy, I wouldn’t be writing this because I’d be out there playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical labor of expanding our family. Maybe I’d be more of a Tom Brady if I had that opportunity. Don’t get me wrong: I love being a woman, and I loved every second of being pregnant with Olympia. I was one of those annoying women who adored being pregnant and was working until the day I had to report to the hospital—although things got super complicated on the other side. And I almost did do the impossible: A lot of people don’t realize that I was two months pregnant when I won the Australian Open in 2017. But I’m turning 41 this month, and something’s got to give.”

While Williams expresses that she is moving away from the game, she stands on not liking the word “retirement.”

It doesn’t feel like a modern word to me. I’ve been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people. Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis toward other things that are important to me.

You can read the full story from Williams and Vogue below.

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Serena Williams Pens Powerful Essay on Near-Death Experience After Child Birth

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Serena WIlliams

Ahead of Black Maternal Health Week, Serena Williams details the series of complications and dismissals that almost ended her life.“I know my body” Serena begins in the essay, after admitting that her body belonged to tennis for as long as she can remember experiencing every injury imaginable including a busted knee, an Achilles heel, and back spasms.  But when she found out she was pregnant she knew that not only her body would change but also her mindset. “Since I’ve had my baby, the stakes of the game have shifted for me. I have 23 Grand Slams to my name, more than any other active player. But winning is now a desire and no longer a need. “I have a beautiful daughter at home; I still want the titles, the success, and the esteem, but it’s not my reason for waking up in the morning.”  A near-perfect pregnancy turned into long labor which lead to a c-section and ultimately a complicated recovery.

“I began to cough. The nurses warned me that coughing might burst my stitches, but I couldn’t help it. The coughs became racking, full-body ordeals. Every time I coughed, sharp pains shot through my wound.”  I couldn’t breathe. I was coughing because I just couldn’t get enough air. I grabbed a towel, rolled it up, and put it over my incision. Sure enough, I was hacking so hard that my stitches burst. I went into my first surgery after the C-section to get restitched. I was coughing because I had an embolism, a clot in one of my arteries. The doctors would also discover a hematoma, a collection of blood outside the blood vessels, in my abdomen, then even more clots that had to be kept from traveling to my lungs. That’s what the medical report says, anyway. To me, it was just a fog of surgeries, one after another.”

Williams “fought hard” to be heard, and a doctor would soon confirm her fears were legitimate, as she had a blood clot in her lungs that needed to be quickly dissolved before it reached her heart.

“I told her, I need to have a CAT scan of my lungs bilaterally, and then I need to be on my heparin drip.” She said, “I think all this medicine is making you talk crazy.” I said, “No, I’m telling you what I need: I need the scan immediately. And I need it to be done with dye.” I guess I said the name of the dye wrong, and she told me I just needed to rest. But I persisted: “I’m telling you, this is what I need.” Finally, the nurse called my doctor, and she listened to me and insisted we check. I fought hard, and I ended up getting the CAT scan. I’m so grateful to her. Lo and behold, I had a blood clot in my lungs, and they needed to insert a filter into my veins to break up the clot before it reached my heart.  In the U.S., Black women are nearly three times more likely to die during or after childbirth than their white counterparts. Many of these deaths are considered by experts to be preventable. Being heard and appropriately treated was the difference between life or death for me; I know those statistics would be different if the medical establishment listened to every Black woman’s experience.”  

Read her essay in its entirety HERE

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Beyonce Kicked Off The 2022 Oscars By Performing ‘Be Alive’ From ‘King Richard’ At The Compton Tennis Courts

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Beyonce Oscars 2022 Performance
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Even before the trailer for King Richard dropped, the Beyhive was buzzing about a potential new Beyonce song in the Venus and Serena Williams biopic. “Be Alive” ended up being pretty much the only new music we got from Bey last year, but it did not disappoint. Like the title suggests, the powerful track glories in the simple pleasure of being alive, and how satisfying it feels to confound expectations when the world is against you.

The song picked up a 2022 nomination from the Oscars for Best Original Song after initially being shortlisted by the selection committee, and rumors were swirling last week that Bey would actually perform the song during the awards show tonight, but would do so from the Compton tennis courts named after the Williams sisters.

And that’s exactly how the show’s planners chose to open tonight, with a glowing Beyonce clad all in yellow, surrounded by plenty of other dancers — some even rocking the signature hair beads that defined Venus and Serena’s early looks as players. Blue Ivy showed up to perform alongside her mother too, making this moment feel very full circle. This is the first time Beyonce has performed at an awards show in almost five years, and she nailed it with an over-the-top spectacle as she always does. Check out clips from her performance below.

Jim Jones, Serena Williams & More Walk Runway in Off-White Paris Fashion Week Show

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Jim Jones, Serena Williams & More Walk Runway in Off-White Paris Fashion Week Show

Jim Jones adds high-fashion runway model to his multi-hyphenate profile as he hits the runway with an all-star cast as part of this year’s Off-White show on Monday (February 28) at Paris Fashion Week. 

The Harlem native surprised fans of his involvement in the Fall-Winter 2022/2023 by Virgil Abloh (In memoriam) show with a series of Instagram posts that ranged from the entertainer eating in Paris to sitting in the make-up chair, preparing to walk to walking the runway in an all-egg plant Off-White outfit with a lavender undershirt. Jones walked with icons in both fashion and sports like Serena Williams, Cindy Crawford, and Kendell Jenner.

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“Talkin bout my walk told u I’m a #RunwaySteppa I’m back on my DiddyBop had to put that shit a n real quick,” Jim Jones wrote in an Instagram caption with video of him posing in front a chandelier, in the center of the Off White showroom. “yal mad cause I’m a runway model a rapper and a trainer lol Came to the @off____white fashion in my @off____white turn it to a splashin show.”

It was a proud moment for Jones and Hip Hop as well. The Harlem native was showered with praise by peers and fans alike in the hip hop community on social media throughout the entire fashion show. Commentary ranging from celebratory to comic relief.

“I’m just gonna say this you get it from your mama! Do the damn thing! You got to love him! Because I love him all the way up to God,” Mama Jones, Jim Jones’ mother, comments.

“Legendary sh*t,” Yella Beezy comments. “1 time for Harlem @jimjonescapo,” Kanye West captioned soon after in an Instagram story showing Jim Jones walking the runway. “Walking like you had it on you and the boys was getting close,” followed media correspondent Wayno, who wrote on Jim Jones’ Instagram post.

“Gooooooooo jimmy,” Fat Joe commented with fire emoji.

“cat walk capo!” commented Angie Martinez with three fire emojis.

“I never saw you walk like that before? Lol,” Maino comments with wide-eyed face emoji.

“The Artist Formerly Known As Capo,” Dave East comments with six hilarious laughing-faced emojis.

MORE: North West Makes Kim Kardashian Proud With Runway Debut

In other news, several days before the show, Jones shared that he was in the studio with the Migos working on new music. The two acts recently collaborated on Jim Jones’s latest project Gangsta Grillz: We Set The Trends, hosted by DJ Drama. “@djkhaled voice another one wit @Migos 😂 in the studio layin down #WeSetTheTrends youtu.be/BPxO1JkTXXs,” he tweets.

Want to see all the pieces in the OffWhite Paris Fashion Week show? Watch the whole show below.

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Beyonce Has A New Song In Venus And Serena Williams’ Upcoming Biopic ‘King Richard’

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It’s been five years since the world received a new album from Beyonce, and while that streak will go on for a bit longer, she will return with music within the next couple of months. The singer will have a new track in the closing credits of King Richard, the upcoming biopic about tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. According to the Los Angeles Times, who is reporting from Telluride Film Festival, where the movie debuted ahead of its November 19 release, the upcoming song is titled “Be Alive” and it’s co-written by Roc Nation signee DIXON.

The news comes after Beyonce shared an exciting update about her future. “I feel a renaissance emerging, and I want to be part of nurturing that escape in any way possible,” she said in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar. “I’ve been in the studio for a year and a half. Sometimes it takes a year for me to personally search through thousands of sounds to find just the right kick or snare. One chorus can have up to 200 stacked harmonies. Still, there’s nothing like the amount of love, passion, and healing that I feel in the recording studio.”

She concluded, “After 31 years, it feels just as exciting as it did when I was nine years old. Yes, the music is coming!”