Serena Williams, a global tennis icon, has added another accolade to her impressive collection—the prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Sports for 2025. The jury highlighted not only her unparalleled achievements on the court, where she demonstrated world-class skill and unwavering determination to win for decades, but also her influence beyond sporting arenas. Williams has long been a consistent advocate for equal rights and opportunities for men and women, using her fame to promote the cause of gender equality both in sports and in society as a whole.
The award ceremony is scheduled for October 24 and will take place in the historic Campoamor Theater in Oviedo. This event carries special significance for the royal family, as it offers Princess Leonor another chance to showcase her growing role in the country’s public life. However, this year, all eyes are likely to be focused not only on the young princess. The appearance of a figure of Serena Williams’s stature on stage will undoubtedly make her the star of the evening, creating a unique sense of anticipation.
Serena’s departure from professional sports in 2022 was not an endpoint, but rather an ellipsis. She immersed herself in entrepreneurship, where she continues to show the drive of a champion. Fifteen years ago, she founded the venture capital fund Serena Ventures, which purposefully invests in companies founded by women and people from racial minorities, giving opportunities to those often overlooked. Under her name, she has also launched successful lines of jewelry, cosmetics, and fashion. Yet undoubtedly, she considers her family her main project after her athletic career.
The athlete’s personal life is as vibrant as her career. In 2017, she married Alexis Ohanian, one of the co-founders of the popular platform Reddit. Their wedding, which took place just a month after the birth of their first child, Alexis Olympia, followed a Beauty and the Beast theme. In 2023, their family grew with the arrival of their second daughter, Adira River. Although the racket is no longer at the center of her life, sport remains important—through joint business ventures and investments with her husband. Who knows, we may yet see the Williams name among tennis champions again; it’s said that their youngest daughter is already showing interest in her mother’s favorite game, though it is much too soon to tell.
