Serena Williams Has the Last Laugh with Her Surprise Super Bowl Moves as She Claps Back at Past Wimbledon Criticism

Mar. 15, 2025

Serena Williams, pictured, at the Super Bowl 2025.Photo:Emilee Chinn/Getty

Emilee Chinn/Getty

Serena Williamsis hitting the beat!

“Man I did not crip-walk like that at Wimbledon,” Williams said in abackstage video shared on X. “Oh, I would’ve been fined,” she said before adding “It was all love."

The tennis player — in a blue mini skirt and jacket and matching sneakers — is seen raising her hands above her head as she bounces briefly from side to side before laughing.

Back in 2012, Williams found herself at the center of a heated debate for performing moves similar to a crip walk after defeatingMaria Sharapovaat the London Olympics due to the dance’s reported association with gang culture.

In a press conference at the time, Williams was asked if she had any regrets performing a crip walk as it’s “not just a dance,” perU.K. newspaperThe Guardian.

“First of all. It was just a dance," she replied. “I didn’t know that’s what it was called. Second, why are you asking me that? If anything, you should be trying to ask me questions to lift me up not bring such things … I’m done with that question,” she added.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Serena Williams, pictured, at the Super Bowl 2025.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

Afterdancing to Lamar’s Grammy-winning single “Not Like Us”— a diss track aimed at rapperDrake, 38, — on Sunday, Feb. 9, Williams shared a video of herself onInstagrampracticing the controversial moves.

“Let’s go Super Bowl halftime??! I died a little! 💃🏿,” she captioned the post.

Williams’ decision to dance to Lamar’s song came as a surprise as she andDrake datedpreviously.

source: people.com