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Serena Williams may have retired from tennis, but she is still playing big off the court. Even before announcing her exit from the game, Williams had already begun dabbling in a number of business endeavors, from her venture capital firm to helping increase diversity in tech. Now the tennis phenom has announced her first undertaking post retirement, 926 Productions, a new multimedia production company aimed at empowering women and diverse voices.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Williams has already inked a first-look TV deal at Amazon Studios, appointing former Grand Electric VP Caroline Currier as president of 926 Productions. The company will focus on producing content that appeals to a variety of demographics, amplifying the stories of those who are not often heard.

“With the launch of 926 Productions, we aim to elevate female and diverse voices through content that speaks to everyone. I’m so excited to begin this next chapter of my career alongside Caroline, a woman who understands the art of storytelling and is passionate about evoking the entertainment industry in new directions. I look forward to collaborating with her and developing unique projects that inspire audiences across all platforms,” said Williams.

Currier got her career start as an assistant before serving as a writer on FX’s hit drama Tyrant. She pivoted to production, working on television series like The Rookie and Designated Survivor before being named senior VP television at Grand Electric where she produced Kevin Hart’s True Story and Pete Berg’s upcoming Painkiller drama for Netflix. Currier says she is excited to continue this next chapter of her career with Williams by her side.

“I have long admired Serena not only as one of the greatest athletes of all time, but also a cultural icon. She is a once-in-a-generation talent who transcends sport and her commitment to excellence on and off the court is inspiring. As we bring our creative instincts together, I am thrilled to partner with Serena and build out a company that centers on championing impactful and entertaining stories yet to be told,” said Currier.

Williams most recently produced the 2021 film King Richard alongside sisters Venus Williams and Isha Price. The heartwarming tale, based on her father Richard Williams, and starring Will Smith, earned six Academy Award nominations including best picture, Smith earning the Oscar for best actor during the 2022 Academy Awards. Williams is set to release multiple projects under the new 926 Productions banner including a soccer documentary entitled Copa 71 about the 1971 Women’s World Cup.

Naomi Osaka announced this week that she wouldn’t be doing post-match interviews during the French Open in an effort to preserve her mental health.

Naomi was issued her first fine for not participating in post-match Interviews during the French Open — as well as a grave warning about more serious consequences she may face if she continues to skip out on press conferences.

On Sunday, days after the 23-year-old tennis star announced she wouldn’t be doing press during the championship in an effort to preserve her mental health, Osaka picked up her first win and a $15,000 fine.

The board of Grand Slam tennis tournaments also released a statement on Sunday, warning that she could face possible expulsion in the future.

“Naomi Osaka announced last Wednesday on social media that she would not participate in the mandatory media interviews at Roland-Garros 2021,” read the joint statement from the French Open as well as the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, and Australian Open.

“Following this announcement, the Roland-Garros teams asked her to reconsider her position and tried unsuccessfully to speak with her to check on her well-being, understand the specifics of her issue, and what might be done to address it on site,” the statement continued.”She was also reminded of her obligations, the consequences of not meeting them, and that rules should equally apply to all players.

Repeat violations could include “default from the tournament” as well as “more substantial fines and future Grand Slam suspensions.”

In the statement, the board of Grand Slam tennis tournaments also called speaking with the media a “core element of the Grand Slam regulations.”

“We want to underline that rules are in place to ensure all players are treated exactly the same, no matter their stature, beliefs, or achievement,” they wrote. “As a sport, there is nothing more important than ensuring no player has an unfair advantage over another, which unfortunately is the case in this situation if one player refuses to dedicate time to participate in media commitments while the others all honor their commitments.”

When Osaka announced her decision earlier this week, she wrote that she’s “often felt that people have no regard for athletes’ mental health, and this rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one.”

“We’re often sat there and asked questions that we’ve been asked multiple times before or asked questions that bring doubt into our minds and I’m just not going to subject myself to people that doubt me,” she wrote, noting that the decision was “nothing personal” toward the tournament or any of the journalists.

“If the organizations think that they can just keep saying, ‘do press or you’re gonna be fined,’ and continue to ignore the mental health of the athletes that are the centerpiece of their cooperation then I just gotta laugh,” she concluded. “Anyways, I hope the considerable amount that I get fined for this will go towards a mental health charity.”

Alongside her statement, Osaka also shared a clip from an interview with a then-14-year-old Venus Williams filmed after a reporter questioned her confidence in saying “I know I can beat” an upcoming opponent.

Before Williams could defend herself in the clip, her father Richard Williams stepped in, telling the reporter, “You’re dealing with a little Black kid. Let her be a kid! She answered that with a lot of confidence, [so] leave that alone.”

In 2016, Venus Willaims was fined $5,000 by the Australian Open for failing to show up for press conferences after she lost in the first roundShe and her sister Serena Williams  were also each fined $4,000 in 2010 after skipping press at Wimbledon after a doubles match.

If you or someone you know need mental health help, kindly reach out to mentally aware Nigeria, She Writes Woman , or any mental health organization In your country.

Serena Williams has opened up about how difficult she is finding social distancing.

The 23-time grand slam singles champion revealed on Instagram more than a week ago that she planned to spend six weeks at home because of the coronavirus crisis.

And, in a post on TikTok, Williams explained she is struggling to deal with the anxiety that she is feeling.

The 38-year-old said: “I wanted to take a minute and talk about my experience with corona. It started out with me feeling like, ‘Oh it can’t really affect me’.

“And then suddenly Indian Wells was cancelled and I was like, ‘Oh, OK, that’s weird but I have a little time off and I’m going to enjoy that time off.

“And then one cancellation led to another and then led to another and led to all this anxiety that I’m feeling.

“Now I’ve been social distancing for actually a really long time, for probably two weeks now, and every little thing makes me crazy.

“And by anxiety I mean I’m just on edge. Any time anyone sneezes around me or coughs I get crazy. I don’t hang out with anyone, and when I say anyone I mean my daughter.

“She coughed, I got angry and gave her a side-eye. I gave her that ‘angry Serena’ and then I got sad.

“I was like, ‘Is she ok? Is there something wrong with my daughter? Is there anything I can do?’ I just don’t know what to do, so instead of being relaxed I’m really under a ton of stress.”

The ATP and WTA announced earlier this week that there will be no tournaments until June, with the whole of the clay-court season called off.

Meanwhile, recently-retired Caroline Wozniacki revealed she had been unable to go home from a trip to Africa.

Accompanied by a photo showing the Dane and husband David Lee in masks, Wozniacki wrote on Instagram: “We got stuck in Africa but finally on our way home! Going to self quarantine as soon as we get back! Stay safe everyone!”

Source: WomanAfrica

The 2018 U.S. Open final did not go as Serena Williams and her fans had expected. Instead of securing her 24th Grand Slam singles title, the iconic tennis star was defeated by a then 20-year-old Naomi Osaka in a dramatic showdown. During the heated match, Williams clashed several times with umpire Carlos Ramos, who fined her for receiving illegal coaching, verbal abuse, and breaking her racket. Williams later accused Ramos of being sexist in a post-game press conference.

Now, more than a year later, a Manhattan memorabilia dealer has made a hefty profit from Williams’ frustration. According to CNN, the racket she smashed has been sold for $20,910 at a New Jersey auction.

The 38-year-old tennis superstar initially gave her smashed racket to ball boy named Justin Arrington-Holmes, who sold it to a dealer in Manhattan for $500 earlier this year with negotiating, reports the New York Times. “Looking back I wish I’d had someone help me with the process,” said Arrington-Holmes. “I was not familiar with how any of this works. I just wanted to get rid of it.”

The racket was one of a number of sporting memorabilia that sold at Goldin Auctions. Other items included a Jesse Owens gold medal from the 1936 Olympics that sold for $615,000; a signed LeBron James rookie card from the 2003-4 season that sold for $198,030; a canceled check signed by Michael Jordan, which sold for $12,300; and a used Jerry Rice 49ers jersey from 1995 fetched for $27,060.

“This was truly a remarkable event in both the wide assortment of items and the record prices realized for so many of them,” said Ken Goldin, founder of Goldin Auctions, reports CNN.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Williams joined Bumble Fund, an Austin-based startup that invests in female founders of color and aims to end bias in venture capital.

“I’ve learned how impactful one woman’s voice can be when given a platform to speak and be heard. I am passionate about building on this progress and opening doors for women of all backgrounds, especially women of color, to share their message and trust in their potential to accomplish great things,” she said in a statement. “By joining forces with the Bumble Fund, we will continue amplifying female entrepreneurs and creating a place for them to personally and professionally champion their growth.”

 

Serena Williams has become the National Ambassador of the Allstate Foundation Purple Purse program. They released a PSA which sheds light on financial abuse.

Serena enlightens women on how to recognise the signs of financial abuse inorder to end the cycle of abuse.

She said,

“I had no idea what financial abuse was. When I read that 99% of domestic violent cases do involve financial abuse, I feel like that was a really, really high number, and it’s shocking,” Williams told CBS News correspondent Jericka Duncan.

The National Network to End Domestic Violence says financial abuse occurs in nearly all domestic violence cases. Serena said she has seen the impact through a friend.

“A really close friend of mine was going through a situation that wasn’t really healthy for her, wasn’t healthy for her friends, or her family– and it was difficult to tell her. And then I realized, look, oh my goodness, she’s– all the signs that I was learning about with financial abuse, she was involved in. It was really intense,” Williams said.

Watch the video below:

https://youtu.be/00fN_IvrJ60

 

 

 

Credit: CBS News

We’ve run out of words to describe how amazing Serena Williams is. Thankfully, her latest accomplishment speaks for itself.

Today Williams revealed her own Wheaties box, following in the footsteps of Althea Gibson by becoming the second Black woman tennis player to cover the cereal known as “The Breakfast of Champions.”

As a four-time Olympic gold medalist and the winner of 72 career titles, Williams epitomizes what it means to be a champion on and off the court. In addition to being an entrepreneur, fashion designer and advocate for equality, she has championed others who are following in her footsteps in tennis as well as the next generation of women entrepreneurs.

In a statement released on General Mills’ blog, Williams shared what the Wheaties box means to her.

“I have dreamt of this since I was a young woman and it’s an honor to join the ranks of some of America’s most decorated athletes. I hope my image on this iconic orange box will inspire the next generation of girls and athletes to dream big,” she said.

Wheaties announced the new cover on their Instagram account with the hashtag #ShesAChampion and we agree. You can grab the limited-edition box in the U.S. over the next month.

Source: Because of them we can

In the United States, the risk of pregnancy-related deaths for Black women is three to four times higher than that of white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Working to help change this statistic is tennis star Serena Williams. After giving birth to her daughter in 2017, Williams shared the life-threatening complications she experienced during childbirth and discussed the racial disparities that exist within the healthcare system. Now, through her venture capital firm, Serena Ventures, she has invested in a startup that works to end the maternal mortality crisis affecting Black women called Mahmee. 

According to Fortune, Williams was joined in a $3 million funding round by angel investor Mark Cuban, the Bumble Fund and managing partner of Backstage Capital Arlan Hamilton. 

“I am incredibly excited to invest and partner with Mahmee, a company that personifies my firm’s investment philosophy,” Williams said. “Given the bleak data around maternal death and injury rates, I believe that it is absolutely critical right now to invest in solutions that help protect the lives of moms and babies.”

Founded in 2014 by Melissa Hanna, her mom Linda Hanna-Sperber, who is a longtime nurse and lactation consultant, and Sunny Walia, Mahmee is an online platform that allows women to track their health and the health of their child after birth. Through the platform, users are able to connect with health professionals to ask questions and get advice on the health issues they’re facing. 

Though Hanna says she’s aware that technology is not “going to save the world” or the maternal health care industry, she does believe that her platform “can be a component of a solution here.”

With her new round of funding, she says she plans to hire more engineers, clinicians and sales staff in order to support her company’s expansion. 

Photo credit: Serena IG

Serena Williams will be paying $10,000 in fines, after damaging a Wimbledon tennis court during a pre-tourney practice session. 

It was alleged that the American tennis star damaged the practice court at Wimbledon, after throwing her racket before the start of the tournament. The All England Club, the organization which hosts Wimbledon is said to take its grass courts seriously, however Serena won’t have to worry about the fine as she has already made $367,000 for making the quarterfinals. 

The mother of one has won her first four matches so far at Wimbledon, losing only one set on her way to the quarterfinals. She also won her first mixed doubles match with Andy Murray in straight sets.

Credit: LIB

Serena Williams has made history yet again.

The tennis star’s image will be featured on the iconic Wheaties cereal box, reports ABC News. As Williams noted on Instagram, she is the second Black woman to be featured on a Wheaties box. The only other Black woman to receive the honor was Althea Gibson back in 2001. Gibson is widely recognized as one of the greatest athletes to ever grace a tennis court. She was best known as the first Black woman to ever win a Grand Slam title when she won the French Open in 1956.




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In 2001, Wheaties paid homage to a true champion and an icon by putting her on the cover of a Wheaties Box. Althea Gibson was the FIRST Black Woman tennis player to be on the box. Today, I am honored to be the second.

A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) on Jun 25, 2019 at 6:00am PDT

“In 2001, Wheaties paid homage to a true champion and an icon by putting her on the cover of a Wheaties Box,” Williams wrote.

“Althea Gibson was the FIRST Black Woman tennis player to be on the box. Today, I am honored to be the second.”

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noironlineorg@noironlineorg

Wheaties cereal originally began featuring a variant of athletes in 1933; but has featured only two black females within their history.

International tennis players #AltheaGibson was featured in 2011. With #SerenaWilliams recently being featured in 2019.23:00 PM – Jun 25, 2019See noironlineorg’s other TweetsTwitter Ads info and privacy

Wheaties confirmed the development in a press release and praised Williams for her accomplishments.

“Serena exemplifies all of the personal attributes that Wheaties looks for when choosing who its next champion will be,” marketing manager Tiffani Daniels said. “On the court she has been named the women’s most valuable player seven times, while off the court she uses her voice to inspire and spark change to make the world a better place.”

The mom-of-one has won 23 grand slam singles titles and 14 grand slam doubles titles. On June 4, Williams became the first athlete to make Forbes’ World’s Richest Self-Made Women list. Her net worth is reportedly $225 million.




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Be the brand. Starting @Serena and @Serena.Ventures are just a few steps. Honored to be the first athlete on @Forbes #SelfMadeWomen list. Hair by @lorraine_dublin Makeup by @paulinebriscoe

A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) on Jun 4, 2019 at 6:01am PDT

“I am so excited to be on the cover of the next Wheaties box,” Williams said in a statement. “I have dreamt of this since I was a young woman and it’s an honor to join the ranks of some of America’s most decorated athletes. I hope my image on this iconic orange box will inspire the next generation of girls and athletes to dream big.”

Williams’ most recent honor caps off an incredible stretch for the tennis star. She was honored with Sportswoman of the Year award at the 2019 BET Awards on June 23.

Credit: blavity.com

Serena Williams has made history as the first athlete to make Forbes’ list of the World’s Richest Self-Made Women.  

According to the publication, the 23-time Grand Slam champion made the list as a result of her estimated fortune of $224m (£177m). The majority of William’s fortune has been made as a result of her “brain and brand rather than her backhand”, according to Forbes, with the star investing in 34 startup businesses in the past five years alone.

Opening up about her financial investments, Williams told the publication: “I want to be in the infrastructure. I want to be the brand, instead of just being the face.”

In April, Williams announced she was launching her own venture-capital firm.

Forbes reports that 60 per cent of Williams’ investments so far have gone to companies led by women or people of colour.