How did Serena Williams shed 14 kilos: 'I finally feel like myself again'

Dubai: Serena Williams has dominated tennis courts her entire life, but her latest victory comes from a very different arena — her body.

The 43-year-old champion revealed she has lost more than 31 pounds with the help of GLP-1 weight-loss medication, after years of struggling to shed the extra weight that came with motherhood.

“I feel great. Honestly, I feel light physically and mentally,” Serena told People, reflecting on the transformation that’s left her feeling stronger and more energetic than ever.

The postpartum battle

Her challenges with weight began after the birth of her first daughter, Olympia, in 2017. Despite being one of the most disciplined athletes in the world, Serena says the usual playbook of relentless workouts and strict eating just didn’t work anymore.

“I trained, I ate clean, I pushed myself like I always had — and yet the number on the scale never moved,” she admitted. “For someone who’s built a career on hard work paying off, that was maddening.”

The frustration returned after her second daughter, Adira, was born in 2023. Serena dropped some weight quickly in the first two weeks postpartum, but then hit a stubborn plateau. “I never lost another pound,” she recalled, half-joking but clearly exasperated.

Enter GLP-1s

That’s when she decided to try something new. Serena turned to Ro, a direct-to-patient healthcare platform, to begin GLP-1 treatment. These medications — which include household names like Ozempic and Mounjaro — affect appetite and satiety in the brain, making it easier to lose weight alongside diet and exercise.

Even with the drug’s popularity, Serena didn’t jump in blindly. “I did my homework.

I asked: is this a shortcut? What are the risks? What are the benefits? I had to know what I was getting into,” she explained.

Only after finishing breastfeeding Adira in early 2024 did she feel ready. With guidance from Ro doctors, she began weekly injections — and soon, the results spoke for themselves.

Not a shortcut, a strategy

For Serena, the biggest misconception around GLP-1s is that they’re an “easy way out.” And that’s exactly what she wanted to clear up.

“I’ve never taken shortcuts in my career,” she said firmly. “This was about finding a tool that worked with the lifestyle I was already living — the training, the eating, the discipline. It enhanced what I was doing, not replaced it.”

The payoff has been more than just numbers on a scale. Serena says her body feels younger, lighter, and pain-free. “My joints don’t ache, I move faster, I have more energy — even simple things like bending down feel easier now,” she said. “It’s changed how I feel about myself.”

From champion to advocate

Today, Serena is not just celebrating her results but also speaking openly as a celebrity ambassador for Ro.

She knows there’s still stigma around GLP-1s, but believes transparency is important — especially for women who feel stuck in their postpartum bodies.

“I just want people to know it’s okay to try something new if what you’ve been doing isn’t working,” she said. “For me, this wasn’t giving up. It was fighting smarter.”

With more than 31 pounds gone and a renewed sense of vitality, Serena is proof that sometimes the biggest wins come when you step off the court and into uncharted territory.