Serena Williams Suffers Backlash After Mentioning Lewis Hamilton’s Skin Color in Tribute – “Does it matter?”

Serena Williams attended the Formula 1 race in Miami, where she won a record eight titles in her tennis career.

Serena Williams Suffers Backlash After Mentioning Lewis Hamilton’s Skin Color in Tribute – “Does it matter?”

Lewis Hamilton, Serena Williams (Image via Sports Illustrated, Fortune)

In Short
  • Serena Williams faced backlash for mentioning Lewis Hamilton's skin color in a tribute on Instagram.
  • Fans criticized her comments, suggesting they were unnecessary and racially charged.
  • Williams' former coach speculated on her potential return to tennis, emphasizing her desire to compete at the highest level.

Tennis legends Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal attended the Miami Grand Prix, held on Sunday (May 3). Ahead of the race, Williams paid a heartfelt tribute to her “bro” Lewis Hamilton.

The race was held at the Hard Rock Stadium, which is also the home of the WTA 1000 and Masters 1000 Miami Open. Williams won the tournament a record eight times.

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion took to Instagram to reminisce about the time she, Hamilton, and her sister Venus Williams used to script history. Back in 2007, Hamilton became the first Black driver to race in Formula 1.

I remember wanting to meet Lewis Hamilton because he was this amazing Black driver winning in England at the same time that @venuswilliams or I were winning at Wimbledon. I felt like we had to meet. We did, and from then on, whenever we both won (which was a lot), we celebrated together. Over a decade later, we’re still very close.

Serena Williams wrote on Instagram

Check out her post here:

Hamilton finished sixth in Sunday’s race. Italy’s Kimi Antonelli won the race, completing a hat-trick, having also won the Chinese GP and the Japanese GP. Antonelli, in fact, won these races on the same day as compatriot Jannik Sinner‘s wins at the Indian Wells Masters, Miami Open, and the Madrid Open.

Fans slam Serena Williams for mentioning Lewis Hamilton’s skin color

Fans think Serena Williams mentioning Lewis Hamilton’s skin color in the tribute was unnecessary. Some think that had Hamilton been “White”, she wouldn’t have thought anything about him.

Serena Williams
Serena Williams (Image via X/ESPN Tenis)

Check out their reactions here:

Williams hung up her racket at the 2022 US Open. Sister Venus has yet to retire and recently played at the Madrid Open, where her run was ended by Kaitlin Quevedo in the first round. The last time Williams won a title was at the 2020 ASB Classic by defeating countrywoman Jessica Pegula.

Patrick Mouratoglou on Serena Williams’ possible comeback

Williams entered the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) drug testing pool last year, and it led to speculation about a possible comeback to the tour. Williams herself kept tight-lipped when asked whether she indeed would be returning.

Serena Williams
Serena Williams (Image via X/We Are Tennis France)

When her sister, Venus Williams, was asked about it, she too didn’t disclose anything. Now, Williams’ former coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, made his feelings known on Williams’ possible comeback. The Frenchman thinks that Williams would only be returning if she is sure of producing her best tennis. He told Spazio Tennis:

Serena, we are still in touch, of course we are. Is she going to come back? I don’t know, I don’t think she has taken the decision yet. I think she was happy to be super fit, happy to be able to practice, and then it’s a decision she will take or not, I cannot say, because I don’t know. I don’t even know if she knows. I think she’s still wondering how she progresses, because Serena will not come back to be number 20.

Mouratoglou joined her team after she suffered a shock opening-round exit at the 2012 French Open. Out of the 23 Grand Slam singles titles, 10 of them she won under the tutelage of Mouratoglou.

If she comes back, it will be to be the best she can, and the best she can is used to being number one, so it’s not her mindset to play some matches here and there. If she comes back, it will be to perform, so she will have to judge if she can perform or not at the highest level, and I guess this is how she’s going to take this decision.

Patrick Mouratoglou added

Many from the tennis world, including Pegula, think Williams would be making her comeback at Wimbledon, where she won the singles titles seven times from 11 finals. The last time she won in the grass-court Major was in 2016.

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