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Serena Williams Touching Letter To Her Mum Shades Maria Sharapova

By Chidirim Ndeche
20 September 2017   |   2:05 pm
Serena Williams yesterday wrote a touching letter to her mom and published it publicly on Reddit. The letter praises the 23 Grand Title champion's mother for being a role model and talks about how excited she is to have a daughter, but it does something else. Maria Sharapova is Serena's long time adversary in one…

Serena Williams yesterday wrote a touching letter to her mom and published it publicly on Reddit.

The letter praises the 23 Grand Title champion’s mother for being a role model and talks about how excited she is to have a daughter, but it does something else.

Alexis Ohanian Jr adn Serena Williams

Maria Sharapova is Serena’s long time adversary in one of tennis’ most famous feuds. Sharapova released a memoir “Unstoppable” on September 12 in which she mentioned Williams over 100 times.

In Sharapova’s memoir, she talks about Williams’ stature, especially her arms and legs.

“First of all, her physical presence is much stronger and bigger than you realize watching TV. … She has thick arms and thick legs and is so intimidating and strong. And tall, really tall.”

Ironically, Sharapova is 5 inches taller than Serena. She also tends to cover up the fact that she (Sharapova) was taking meldonium — a drug that the World Anti-Doping Agency banned a long time ago — during many (or even all) of the matches she lost to Williams after beating Williams at Wimbledon in 2004.

Serena Williams

In the letter, Williams makes reference to some of these statements: and how she has never used steroids and performance-enhancing drugs.

“I’ve been called man because I appeared outwardly strong. It has been said that that I use drugs (No, I have always had far too much integrity to behave dishonestly in order to gain an advantage). It has been said I don’t belong in Women’s sports — that I belong in Men’s — because I look stronger than many other women do. (No, I just work hard and I was born with this badass body and proud of it).”

Williams did not outrightly drag Maria Sharapova in her letter, but the shade is screaming at her in silence. She may not have given an official statement to the press about her feelings on Sharapova’s memoir, but this letter says enough.

Serena Williams

Read the full letter below:

Dear Mom,
You are one of the strongest women I know. I was looking at my daughter (OMG, yes, I have a daughter 😳) and she has my arms and legs! My exact same strong, muscular, powerful, sensational arms and body. I don’t know how I would react if she has to go through what I’ve gone through since I was a 15 year old and even to this day.
I’ve been called man because I appeared outwardly strong. It has been said that that I use drugs (No, I have always had far too much integrity to behave dishonestly in order to gain an advantage). It has been said I don’t belong in Women’s sports — that I belong in Men’s — because I look stronger than many other women do. (No, I just work hard and I was born with this badass body and proud of it).
But mom, I’m not sure how you did not go off on every single reporter, person, announcer and quite frankly, hater, who was too ignorant to understand the power of a black woman.
I am proud we were able to show them what some women look like. We don’t all look the same. We are curvy, strong, muscular, tall, small, just to name a few, and all the same: we are women and proud!
You are so classy, I only wish I could take your lead. I am trying, though, and God is not done with me yet. I have a LONG way to go, but thank you.
Thank you for being the role model I needed to endure all the hardships that I now regard as a challenges–ones that I enjoy. I hope to teach my baby Alexis Olympia the same, and have the same fortitude you have had.
Promise me, Mom, that you will continue to help. I’m not sure if I am as meek and strong as you are yet. I hope to get there one day. I love you dearly.
Your youngest of five,
Serena

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