There’s no sugarcoating it, Serena Williams is a global icon, but behind the 23 Grand Slam titles and the booming beauty empire lies a story of sacrifice. At 43, she’s still battling the one opponent no champion ever really beats: the cost of fame.
Recently, while promoting her WYN Beauty x Shopify pop-up event in Los Angeles, Serena gave PEOPLE a rare glimpse behind the glam. And no surprise, it was all heart.
“Yeah, it definitely costs a lot,” she said candidly. “I’m here without my kids, and that’s a big cost for me.”
If you think Serena’s done with the spotlight, think again, but now, the stakes are personal. With two daughters, Alexis Olympia (7) and Adira River (18 months), Serena admits she constantly calculates what success really means.
“Every Win Had a Price Tag, and It Wasn’t Just Money”
Throughout her tennis career, Serena’s had to make what she calls “very expensive” decisions, none of which involved shopping sprees. We’re talking about skipped birthdays, missed moments, and strained relationships.
“If I wanna win a championship, well what is that going to cost me? It’s going to cost me time with my family, it’s going to cost me friends, it’s going to cost me relationships,” she told PEOPLE.
“And they’re very expensive. You have to decide if it’s worth it for you.”
Back in 2024, Serena Williams sat down with Hot Ones and recalled getting her first $1 million check… and basically forgetting about it. Casual.
“I went through the drive-thru … and the guy was like, ‘Uh, I think you need to come inside for this’, and I was like, ‘Oh, OK.’”
“I never played for money. I played ’cause I loved the sport.”
She even admitted her tax guy had to remind her about uncollected prize money.
“I didn’t get that one in Zurich… or that one in Moscow.”
For Serena, it wasn’t about being the richest. She just wanted to win. And even then, if she lost, it wasn’t about losing money, it was about losing that one chance to improve.
Now, Serena’s pivoted from tennis courts to boardrooms and beauty counters. Her WYN Beauty line is making waves in an already saturated market. But just because the racket’s in the closet doesn’t mean life’s any less intense.
“They’re very attached to me, which a part of me loves,” she said of her daughters.
“So it’s always some cost.”
Whether it’s a brand launch in L.A. or a dinner event in Quebec, the question remains: How much is too much?
This isn’t a sob story. Serena’s not asking for sympathy. But it’s a rare confession from someone who’s often seen as superhuman. The gold medals. The historic wins. The cover shoots. And now, the entrepreneur grind.
But at her core? She’s a mom. A wife. A woman doing her best to stay grounded in a life that’s anything but.
Her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, has often praised Serena’s ability to juggle it all. But even he knows the load can be crushing.
So the next time you see Serena Williams glammed up on a red carpet or shaking hands at a pop-up event, know this: every step took sacrifice. Not just for the trophies, but for the kind of peace she’s still chasing.
