Tennis icon Serena Williams may have stepped away from professional competition, but her competitive edge remains firmly intact only now, it plays out in boardrooms instead of stadiums.
During a recent Zoom interview with The Associated Press, Williams appeared mid-glam, seamlessly shifting between makeup touch-ups and business strategy. The moment captured the reality of her post-tennis life: part executive, part producer, part global brand builder.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion is one of the featured leaders in The CEO Club, an eight-episode series premiering Monday on Prime Video. The show follows high-profile female executives as they juggle business expansion, personal responsibilities and high-stakes decision-making.
Williams has not competed since the US Open, where she announced she was “evolving” away from the sport. Earlier this month, she became eligible to return to competition after reentering tennis’ drug-testing pool, though she has not indicated whether a comeback is imminent.
For now, her focus appears firmly set on entrepreneurship.
“I think the biggest lesson is just never give up, and you have to keep trying,” Williams said, drawing parallels between elite sport and executive leadership. “As a CEO, you don’t win everything. You have to make really hard decisions. Just like in tennis, you have to show up every day. You might lose, but you show up again the next day.”
The series also features business leaders including singer Thalía, fashion designer Dee Ocleppo Hilfiger, Market America and Shop.com CEO Loren Ridinger, model Winnie Harlow, wellness entrepreneur Hannah Bronfman and jewelry founder Isabela Rangel Grutman.
Beyond appearing on screen, Williams served as an executive producer through her company, Nine Two Six Productions, a move she described as a natural extension of her years in the public eye.
“Being in the public eye for so long, you really want to control the narrative and make sure the truth gets out there,” she said, noting the importance of accurately portraying the realities of female leadership.
Ridinger echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that success is rarely instant. “Everybody thinks you’re an overnight success. They don’t realize it took decades to get there,” she said, adding that leadership often involves difficult decisions that may not always make one popular.
Both women stressed the importance of discipline and trusted support systems. Ridinger said she prioritizes by tackling the hardest tasks first each day, while Williams pointed to mental resilience as a transferable skill from her tennis career.
“When you’re the best, most people want you to not do so well,” Williams said. “You just have to lean into making those decisions anyway.”
From Grand Slam titles to global investments, Williams’ next chapter appears driven by the same determination that once defined her dominance on court only now, the scoreboard looks very different.
Source: The Associated Press