Serena Williams knows how to own a red carpet. The 23-time Grand Slam champion turned heads at the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty, dazzling in a midnight-black, off-shoulder gown. But while she spent the night mingling with A-list stars like Kim Kardashian, she also made sure to keep up with something far more important—her nightly ritual with her daughters. Find out how!
The American tennis legend may be retired from tennis, but she hasn’t slowed down one bit. Since stepping away from the sport in 2022, she has embraced a new chapter in her life, one rooted in faith and family. Shortly after retiring, she got baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness, a commitment that now plays a central role in her everyday life.
In an Instagram post, while Williams was still in her glamorous avatar, she tucked her eldest daughter Olympia in for the night. But not without first offering a prayer to god. In her caption, she revealed, “I try my best to pray every day with them no matter the circumstances. I slay and pray.”
It’s a practice she holds close to her heart, ensuring her children grow up with the same faith that has guided her through life. Her devotion to Jehovah’s Witness beliefs has shaped many aspects of her family life. After welcoming Olympia in 2017, Williams surprised many by revealing that they wouldn’t be celebrating her daughter’s first birthday. “Olympia doesn’t celebrate birthdays,” she told ‘People’. “We’re Jehovah’s Witnesses, so we don’t do that.” In a 2024 interview with ‘Glamour’, she shared her hopes for her daughters to follow the same path. “I pray every night that the girls stay close and have a true relationship with God on their own and get to know him,” she said. “It’s the most important thing that I personally think you can do.”
Serena Williams’ family is one of diverse beliefs, but they respect each other’s choices. While her mother, Oracle, and sister, Venus, are Jehovah’s Witnesses, her father, Richard, is not. Her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, also does not follow her faith, but he has always supported her religious commitments.
While the 43-year-old tennis icon was raised in a Jehovah’s Witness household, she wasn’t officially baptized into the faith until 2023. Over the years, she has spoken openly about how her spirituality has helped her both on and off the court.
Serena Williams opens up on finding strength in her beliefs
Serena Williams has often credited her faith as the source of her resilience, especially during difficult times. In 2003, she suffered a devastating loss when her sister, Yetunde Price, was tragically killed in a drive-by shooting in Compton. In the aftermath, she leaned on her spirituality for strength.
“I tried to develop a better relationship with God,” she told The New York Times in 2007. “You have a strong solid foundation, the Bible says, you won’t crack, but the man who built his house in the sand, his house went down spiritually. I have a really strong foundation. That’s how I was raised.”
On the court as well, the ‘Queen of Court’ was often seen thanking god after her victory. Even when she made a mistake, she was quick to take accountability— Williams had a controversial outburst against Kim Clijsters at the 2009 U.S Open due to a foot fault on her serve. This drew reprimand from the elders of the Jehovah’s Witness community, one she accepted earnestly. Talking to People Magazine, she revealed, “They just talk to you. They show you Scriptures. Not ministers; they call them elders. It’s almost like a reprimand, but it’s not bad because in the Bible it says God loves you, and if someone reprimands you, they love you.”
From Grand Slam titles to glamorous nights at the Oscars, Williams continues to balance it all with faith at the center. She is making sure her daughters grow up with the same values that have guided her throughout her life.
The post ‘I Slay and Pray’- Jehovah’s Witness Serena Williams Reflects on Her Faith With Daughter Olympia in a Candid Confession appeared first on EssentiallySports.