Serena Williams has spent decades in the global spotlight, whether dominating on the tennis court or dazzling on the red carpet.
At the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty, she turned heads in a stunning off-shoulder black gown while mingling with Hollywood’s elite, including Kim Kardashian. But despite the glitz and glamour of the evening, Williams remained committed to something even more significant-her faith.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion may have retired from professional tennis in 2022, but she has shifted her focus to a new chapter, centered on faith and family. In 2023, she officially embraced her religious upbringing by getting baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness, a faith that has shaped both her personal and professional life.
This commitment was evident in a recent Instagram post, where Williams shared a special bedtime moment with her daughter, Olympia.
Still in her elegant attire from the Oscars event, she made sure to tuck her little one in for the night, but not without first saying a prayer. “I try my best to pray every day with them no matter the circumstances. I slay and pray,” she captioned the heartfelt post.
Williams’ devotion to her faith goes beyond personal practice-she actively incorporates it into her children’s lives. Since becoming a mother in 2017, she has remained steadfast in her beliefs, even when it comes to traditions that differ from mainstream culture.
“Olympia doesn’t celebrate birthdays,” Williams previously told People Magazine. “We’re Jehovah’s Witnesses, so we don’t do that.”
In a 2024 interview with Glamour, she elaborated on her hopes for her daughters’ spiritual growth. “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.”
Williams comes from a family with diverse religious beliefs. Her mother, Oracene, and sister, Venus, are Jehovah’s Witnesses, while her father, Richard, is not. Her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, does not follow the faith either but has always been supportive of her religious journey.
Finding strength in faith
Throughout her life, Williams has credited her faith as a source of strength, particularly in times of hardship. One of her most difficult moments came in 2003 when her sister, Yetunde Price, was tragically killed in a drive-by shooting in Compton. In the aftermath, Williams turned to her spirituality for guidance and healing.
“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.”
Her faith has also been a presence in her athletic career. Fans often saw her thanking God after victories, and even in moments of controversy, she sought spiritual reflection. In 2009, following a heated exchange with an official during the U.S. Open, Williams revealed that the Jehovah’s Witness elders had addressed the situation with her.
“They just talk to you. They show you Scriptures,” she told People Magazine. “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.”
A lasting legacy of faith and love
From her unmatched success in tennis to her glamorous Hollywood appearances, Serena Williams remains grounded by her beliefs.
She continues to ensure that faith plays a vital role in her family’s life, offering her children the same guidance that has carried her through triumphs and challenges.
Even in retirement, Williams is shaping a legacy beyond sports-one of devotion, love, and unwavering faith. Whether through bedtime prayers with Olympia or setting an example of spiritual discipline, she is ensuring that the values that defined her career will live on in her children.
For Williams, true success is not just measured in Grand Slam titles but in the foundation she builds for her family’s future.
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