Serena Williams Jokes About the Breakup That Fueled Her ‘Invincible’ Era

Tennis icon Serena Williams reveals the surprising truth behind her golden era and the personal struggle that pushed her to greatness.

As the 23-time Grand Slam winner teamed up with her sister Venus Williams for an exciting project, she recalled a remarkable chapter in her life.

In a joint Instagram post, the duo teased fans about their upcoming podcast, building excitement for what’s to come.

“We’re switching courts. From baseline to punchlines! @VenusWilliams and I are serving up Episode 1 this Wednesday at 11am ET @StocktonStPodcast Come for the tea, stay for the laughs,” the post reads.

Transitioning from the podcast announcement, the video also highlighted moments from their careers. In it, Venus Williams mentioned a time when her sister was unbeatable and couldn’t even outshine her on the court.

“I feel like there was a period, though, where you were invincible and I couldn’t play better than you,” the younger Williams said, adding, “It was like a two-year period.”

This period of dominance, as the Grand Slam queen recalled, coincided with a particularly challenging time in her relationship.

“I think that’s when I went through a breakup,” she said, to which the four-time Olympic gold medalist joked, “Oh. I wish I would have broken up too.”

The post drew interesting reactions from fans, with the majority looking forward to their upcoming podcast.

“I can’t wait for this!” award-winning television creator Shonda Rhimes said.

Others also pointed out how the tennis champion used her breakup to her advantage.

“Story of a strong woman’s life. We break up and break barriers smh,” a fan said.

“Oh, Serena already knew she was not letting anyone past her after that breakup! This podcast is a great idea!” a user commented.

A follower agreed and noted, “Sometimes we need the breakup to GLOW UP!!!!”

Who Did Serena Williams Date?

Serena Williams’s ex-boyfriend in the early 2000s was Rush Hour director Brett Ratner. After two years of dating, they called it quits and the filmmaker told The Hollywood Reporter that they ended the relationship because it wasn’t what he was looking for at the time.

After Ratner, she was rumored to be dating rapper Common after she appeared in his music video “I Want You” in 2007.

The tennis legend denied the relationship despite being photographed holding hands and kissing.

There was also a time when she was seen out with basketball player Amar’e Stoudemire in 2010.

Another famous ex-boyfriend of Serena Williams was Drake, whom she reportedly dated around 2011 and 2015.

Although she mentioned in a 2015 press conference that the “One Dance” hitmaker was “just like a family” to her, Drake released a song mentioning her. It was his collaboration with Rihanna on “Too Good.”

After her past romances, Serena Williams is happily married to American internet entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, whom she met in 2015 in Rome.

The couple are proud parents to their daughters Olympia, whom they welcomed in 2017, and their second child, Adira, born in 2023.

Related: Serena Williams, 43, Proves She’s Still Got It in Striking Bikini Post

This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.