Serena Williams hits back at Super Bowl comments: “I simply don’t have time for petty”

18 February, 2025

Serena Williams performs during the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation)

Serena Williams has hit back at those targeting her cameo during the Super Bowl Halftime performance, saying it had nothing to do with being petty.

Last week (February 9), Kendrick Lamar made history by becoming the first solo rapper to headline the coveted Halftime Show. Shortly after, it was reported that Lamar’s slot went on to pull 133.5million live viewers, as well as over 38million views on YouTube –making it the most-watched Super Bowl performance in history.

Lamar brought out a number of special guests for the performance alongside Williams including SZA and Samuel L. Jackson. While he broke out tracks like ‘Squabble Up’, ‘HUMBLE.’, ‘DNA.’ and ‘Euphoria’, one of the biggest moments from the set was his rendition of his Drake diss track ‘Not Like Us’.

Williams appeared during the latter, where she crip walked to the track. It came as a reference to her 2012 gold win at the London Olympics, where she did the same dance in celebration of coming in first place.

 

Following her appearance at the Super Bowl, Williams was targeted on social media with many claiming that she was dissing Drake, whom she briefly dated.

Now, the legendary athlete took to her official X/Twitter account to clear up the air. Her husband Alexis Ohanian tweeted about her crip walk moment during the sporting event, writing: “Some of y’all have no idea how criticised Serena was for this same dance at Wimbledon 13 years ago and it shows…. This is bigger than the music.”

Williams then responded to his tweet and wrote: “That there my baby daddy and husband. Always got my back. I Love you. Gosh I’m so late to the game (I’ve been sick) & busy investing in billion dollar companies and running @WYNbeauty… def not dancing to be petty lol.”

She continued: “I think I proved 23 times over (not counting four gold medals) that I simply don’t have time for petty. All love and respect always nothing negative here.”

In other news, Chance The Rapper recently praised the backing dancer who held up a Palestinian flag during the Super Bowl.

Elsewhere, Kid Rock shared his opinions on Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime performance, saying that he “respects” it but thinks it’s “the epitome of DEI blowing up”.

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