Serena Williams Said She Won't Be Competing in the 2020 Olympics

london, england june 27 serena williams of the united states attends a press conference ahead of the championships wimbledon 2021 at all england lawn tennis and croquet club on june 27, 2021 in london, england photo by aeltcpoolgetty images

(Image credit: Pool)

published 28 June 21

Serena Williams won't compete in the Tokyo Olympics, she said in a press conference Sunday.
"There’s a lot of reasons that I made my Olympic decision," Williams said. "I don’t really want to … I don’t feel like going into them today. Maybe another day. Sorry."
"In the past it’s been a wonderful place for me. I really haven’t thought about it, so I’m going to keep not thinking about it," she added.

Serena Williams will not be competing in the Tokyo Olympics, the GOAT confirmed in a press conference Sunday on the eve of Wimbledon. "I’m actually not on the Olympic list," Williams, a four-time gold medalist, told reporters."If so, then I should not be on it."

"There’s a lot of reasons that I made my Olympic decision," Williams said, as the New York Times reports. "I don’t really want to … I don’t feel like going into them today. Maybe another day. Sorry. In the past it’s been a wonderful place for me. I really haven’t thought about it, so I’m going to keep not thinking about it."

One factor in Williams' decision might be the COVID-19 restrictions preventing international spectators from attending the Tokyo Games, which would separate her from her 3-year-old daughter, Olympia. Last month, Williams spoke to reporters in Rome ahead of the Italian Open; asked if she'd compete in Tokyo if Olympia couldn't accompany her, she responded, "I haven’t spent 24 hours without her, so that kind of answers the question itself. We’re best friends."

Williams won singles gold at the London Olympics in 2012, while she and sister Venus won gold in doubles at three games: Sydney 2000, Beijing 2008, and London 2012. She also holds a staggering 23 Grand Slam singles titles—and she's currently gearing up for Wimbledon, where she could secure her 24th.

Emily Dixon is a British journalist who’s contributed to CNN, Teen Vogue, Time, Glamour, The Guardian, Wonderland, The Big Roundtable, Bust, and more, on everything from mental health to fashion to political activism to feminist zine collectives. She’s also a committed Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves, and Tracee Ellis Ross fan, an enthusiastic but terrible ballet dancer, and a proud Geordie lass.