During this year Super Bowl between the New England Patriots And Seattle Seahawksfans noticed that Serena Williams was promoting weight loss drug GLP-1.
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, has partnered with telehealth company Ro to promote its FDA-approved products. The legendary tennis The player revealed that she lost 34 pounds in a year because of her treatment with Ro.
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“I’m on Ro. 34 pounds lighter than Ro. Healthier on Ro. Backed by Ro. FDA-approved GLP-1 options, now even in pill form,” she said, via Newsweek. “Weight loss expertise I trust. I move better on Ro. I feel better on Ro. My name is Serena Williams. That’s me on Ro.”
Judging by some comments made on social media this week, Williams struck a nerve with his Super Bowl ad.
Los Angeles Golf Club owners Alexis Ohanian and Serena Williams watch their team lose to New York Golf Club in the TGL semifinal match at SoFi Center on March 17, 2025, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. © GREG LOVETT/PALM BEACH POST / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.
(© GREG LOVETT/PALM BEACH POST / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.)
“Introducing the most disappointing female athlete of all time – Serena Williams. Marrying a billionaire wasn’t enough? You need more, so you’re forcing this poison on us? Take your vaccines and advice elsewhere,” one person responded.
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“Serena Williams can do a lot to advocate for women’s sports or the importance of body positivity, but instead she’s offering a weight loss pill in retirement,” one fan wrote on X.
“Serena has a lot of money and her husband has a lot of money, but every time I turn on my TV I have to see one of our greats twerking to get you to sign up to be ozempic?” » a second fan added. “I don’t know man. That’s mean in my opinion.”
“Serena Williams appeared in a commercial during the Super Bowl promoting the weight loss drug GLP-1. Let that sink in,” another person said. “An athlete whose greatness was built on discipline, sacrifice, pain tolerance, repetition and relentless personal effort – endorsing a shortcut that removes those same principles. I approach the situation with compassion and empathy. But the answer to mass obesity cannot be for millions of people to take powerful medications for the rest of their lives that force their bodies to stop eating.”
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Will Serena return to the WTA circuit?
According to multiple reports, Williams re-entered the International Tennis Integrity Agency testing panel in 2025. This led many people to believe that she was coming out of retirement.
“As per protocol, Williams officially declared herself retired from ITIA in 2022, which meant she would no longer be subject to routine drug testing,” » wrote ESPN’s D’Arcy Maine. “Her name remains listed on the site as retired, but she would be eligible to return to competition and be listed as a reinstated player after six months of active participation in the pool. These players – most of whom are in the top 100 – must provide their whereabouts at all times, every day, and participate in random testing. It is unclear why Williams would subject herself to such strict monitoring if she did not plan to play again.”
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It was then announced this week that Williams was eligible to return to competition on February 22.
Williams, 44, hasn’t appeared in a match since the third round of the 2022 US Open. We’ll see if she makes a return later this season.
This story was originally published by The yarn on February 11, 2026, where he first appeared in the Tennis section. Add The Spun as Favorite source by clicking here.
