Serena Williams had fans divided with her latest Instagram drop — a sultry set of bikini snaps taken during a luxe yacht getaway.
The 43-year-old tennis icon, who recently flaunted her toned figure in mirror selfies, turned up the heat on Thursday as she showed off her post-retirement glow-up.
In one sizzling snap, the Wimbledon champ struck a high-fashion pose with her arm raised, flaunting her abs and sculpted curves like a seasoned swimsuit model.
Another photo showed her perched on the edge of the boat in a sheer sarong and bikini top, with a postcard-worthy ocean behind her.
‘Me and my girls… are out in the streets tonight. But we starting here,’ Serena captioned the carousel, which included a peek at her group of glam yacht companions.
But while plenty praised her latest look, others were quick to sound off — accusing the superstar of changing her figure too drastically.
Serena Williams stirred up mixed reactions with her latest Instagram post — a steamy bikini photo shoot aboard a lavish yacht
The 43-year-old superstar served major heat as she embraced life after tennis with a sultry new post
‘She’s too thin… why?’ one critic asked, sparking a heated back-and-forth in the comments.
As the debate raged on, some fans defended the star’s new look while others said they barely recognized her.
One fan chimed in, ‘She’s definitely not thick anymore.’
Someone else added, ‘They don’t know that she was even thinner from 1998-2007.’
Of course, many rushed to staunchly defend the superstar.
‘I dunno what ppl talking about she still thick and healthy let her live,’ wrote one.
A different commenter posted, ‘She’s not too thin, her body looks like how it looked around 2013-2014.’
A fierce defender fired back, writing, ‘They just want to trash Serena all the time. She too thick, she too muscular, she too slim, her husband white, she bleaching her skin.
In one sizzling snap, the Wimbledon champ struck a high-fashion pose
Perched confidently on the edge of the yacht, Serena struck a striking pose in a bold blue bikini, soaking in the sun and the spotlight
Serena captioned the post, “Me and my girls… are out in the streets tonight. But we starting here,” giving fans a glimpse of her stylish squad aboard the yacht
‘When they see she still dark they realize it was just makeup and lighting why she looked light, they ain’t have sh** to say. One thing though, Serena is living her life.’
One more agreed, sharing, ‘Serena could care less about her haters. If she didn’t look so good, she wouldn’t have any haters. Serena and her mom and sister look fabulous!’
Amid all the buzz over her latest look, it’s a reminder of just how much Serena’s tennis legacy continues to dominate headlines—both on and off the court.
The icon last claimed a Grand Slam title in 2017, winning the Australian Open, though she fell short in the US Open and Wimbledon finals twice more after that.
Over her illustrious career, Serena has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles — the most by any player in the Open Era — and spent 319 weeks as world No. 1.
Her most recent match came at the 2022 US Open, where she battled Ajla Tomljanovic in a grueling three-hour, three-set thriller before coming up short.
Off the court, Serena balances her business ventures and philanthropy with family life alongside husband Alexis Ohanian and their two daughters.
She married Reddit co-founder Alexis on November 16, 2017, in a star-studded ceremony in New Orleans
But while plenty praised her latest look, others were quick to sound off — accusing the superstar of changing her figure too drastically
The couple welcomed their first daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. (known as Olympia), in September 2017.
They expanded their family five years later when Serena gave birth to their younger daughter, Adira River Ohanian, in August 2023.
Meanwhile, Serena’s older sister Venus shows no signs of slowing down — the seven-time Slam champ recently secured a wild card to compete in the DC Open at age 45.
Venus, who hasn’t played a tour-level match since March 2024, is proving age is just a number.
