Source: getty / Getty
via Essence:
Serena Williams may have lost her Wimbledon final on Saturday, but the tennis champ still had the most memorable moment of the day.
The 23 grand-slam champ is being celebrated for her response in a post-tournament press conference in which she was questioned about her commitment to tennis over activism.
She was asked about critics — specifically a comment made by legend Billie Jean King—who have questioned whether she should take a break from activism and celebrity to pay more attention to her tennis.
And Willams’ answer was epic: “The day I stop fighting for equality and for people that look like you and me will be the day I’m in my grave.”
In June, King had commented that Williams could benefit from putting “everything else aside” from tennis in her quest to the Grand Slam title record of 23 wins.
“She’s got business, a baby, she’s trying to help gender equity, particularly for women of color, she’s actually on the Billie Jean King leadership initiative, she and Venus are both advisors for it. [It makes winning a Slam] much harder. I would like to see her put everything else aside from that. She’s got people working on these things.”
King did add that she recognized that it was not fair to ask this of Williams.
Williams lost in back-to-back sets to Simona Halep
