Longtime tennis star Serena Williams revealed Thursday that she’s lost more than 30 pounds during an appearance on NBC’s “Today.”
Williams, who played her final match in 2022, has focused far more on parenting than tennis since. In August 2023, she and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, welcomed their second daughter.
During her most recent media appearance, Williams detailed how she used a GLP-1 medication to help her lose weight following her second pregnancy and is a partner with health care company Ro.
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Here’s what to know about Williams’ weight loss.
MORE: Where Venus Williams ranks on list of oldest WTA Tour winners
Serena Williams weight loss
Williams revealed on the “Today” that she has been taking a GLP-1 medication to help with weight loss over the past year, following the birth of her second daughter.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion said she had lost 31 pounds since starting the medication, although she didn’t specify exactly which medication she used.
“I was on and off (the medication) and now completely on,” she told NBC’s ‘Today’. “It was a really good decision I had to make for my life, you know, I tried everything.”
Williams said that her weight loss journey began after she had her first daughter, who was born in 2017, and that she has also tried vegan and vegetarian diets.
“This all started after I had my (first) kid,” Williams told Today. “As a woman, you go through different cycles in your life. … No matter what I did — running, walking, I would walk for hours because they say that’s good, I literally was playing a professional sport — and I could never go back to where I needed to be for my health. Then, after my second kid, it just even got harder. So then I was like, OK, I have to try something different.”
The tennis star added that she’s felt her health improve since starting the medication, including better blood sugar levels and lighter weight on her joints.
“I had a lot of knee issues … especially after I had my kid (and) was never able to get to my normal levels of weight,” Williams told Today. “And that, quite frankly, definitely had an effect on maybe some wins that I could have had in my career.”
Williams’ decision to detail her weight-loss journey came through a partnership with Ro, a health care company that offers GLP-1 medications. Ro revealed a page on its website dedicated to Williams’ journey alone, including ad campaigns with the retired athlete speaking about her decision to use the medication.
1/ @serenawilliams is our newest ambassador at @Ro. She’s sharing her weight loss story to inspire others. She has more willpower than most people on the planet and is the perfect example that weight is not just a matter of “diet and exercise”. pic.twitter.com/xZLyV9y94U
— Z Reitano (@ZReitano) August 21, 2025
Williams told “Today” that she thinks the idea that GLP-1 medications are a “shortcut” is a “misconception.”
“As an athlete and as someone that has done everything, I just couldn’t get my weight to where I needed to be at a healthy place — and believe me, I don’t take shortcuts,” Williams said.
What is GLP-1?
GLP-1 agonists are medications that promote weight loss, including being prescribed for obesity or diabetes. They work by mimicking a hormone, GLP-1, that the body produces after eating, which leads to reduced appetite, feeling full more quickly and slowed stomach emptying.
Because the medications trigger the release of insulin by the pancreas, they are also approved to treat diabetes.
According to Cleveland Clinic, GLP-1 agonists are “most often injectable medications,” and the first GLP-1 agonist was approved by the FDA in 2005. There are several types of GLP-1 agonists, which can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, and control blood sugar. Side effects often include appetite loss, nausea, and vomiting.
Video of Serena Williams Today Show appearance
Serena Williams’ “Today Show” appearance, where she spoke about her weight loss journey as a partner with Ro, was on Thursday. The appearance can be found on Today’s website.
Serena Williams children
Williams has two daughters with Ohanian, who is the co-founder of Reddit.
Olympia, 7, was born in 2017. Serena has shared photos of Olympia starting to enjoy tennis herself:
Serena and her 2-year-old daughter Olympia in matching outfits on the tennis court 🎾
(via @serenawilliams) pic.twitter.com/HFlsWkJXfB
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 2, 2020
Adira, 2, was born in 2023. Serena posted a video showing her entire family together following Adira’s birth:
Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian welcome their second child, a girl named Adira River. ❤️
(🎥 @serenawilliams) pic.twitter.com/CVc2Igg4V9
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 22, 2023
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