Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty
Serena Williams has a new gig – but it’s only for one night. In July, she’ll become just the fourth woman to host the annual sports awards show The ESPYs. The 42-year-old retired tennis champion has won 12 ESPY’s herself, so she knows a little bit about how it feels to be honored.
In a statement, Williams said she’s excited to host.
“This is a dream come true for me, and something I’ve wanted to do for as long as I can remember,” she said earlier this week. “It has been a sensational year for sports and an unprecedented one for female athletes. I can’t wait to celebrate everyone onstage in July.”
Now a mother of two daughters with husband Alexis Ohanian, Williams’ post-tennis life has seen her growing as an entrepreneur. She most recently announced her investment in a relaunch of Michael Jordan’s tequila brand, Cincoro Tequila.
Williams’ hosting gig was likely part of a package deal with ESPN as an eight-part docuseries In the Arena: Serena Williams is set to air on ESPN+ on July 10.
It will likely cover her almost three-decade reign over women’s tennis and how she’s navigating retirement. Williams is the second-most winning women’s tennis player of all time. She won 23 major titles but was unsuccessful in her quest for the 24th, which she just couldn’t make happen before hanging up the rackets for good. It would have tied her for the most major titles with Australian tennis icon Margaret Court who notched the record in the ’60s and ’70s.
What will likely not be in the documentary is the eyebrow-raising revelation from the Trump trial that in 2017, Williams was on his “significant contacts” list as the two were apparently talking on the phone back then quite a bit. Neither has revealed exactly why, though Williams once said that as both were residents of Palm Beach, they knew each other casually. Trump also once approached her to play a “Battle of the Sexes” match vs. John McEnroe that Williams’ dad and coach, Richard Williams, nixed.
Tom Brady, it should be noted, is also on that list.
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