Serena Williams has been named to TIME magaazine’s 2025 list of the world’s 100 most influential people for the multi-faceted empire that’s only continued to grow since her retirement from tennis three years ago.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion joined fellow athletes like Simone Biles, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, and entertainers like Demi Moore, Lorne Michaels and Snoop Dogg in being selected to annual list over movers and shakers across world industries that was first published in 1999.
The foreward to Williams’ selection was written by Allyson Felix, the Olympic track star who related to Williams’ motherhood and postpartum athletic journey, and her selection came with a lengthy wrtten profile by Sean Gregory in which Williams discusses the business and pop-culture headlines she’s made in the last year; her appreciation for Jannik Sinner, whom she says is a “fantastic personality,” and her thoughts on his current doping controversy; and being “content” with the current state of her life, despite feeling like she could still physically compete on tour.
“I’ve given my whole life to tennis, and I would gladly give another two years if I had time. But it’s nice to do something different,” she said.
