Serena Williams, the legendary tennis player who has achieved unprecedented success on the court, has recently opened up about the personal sacrifices that come with fame in Hollywood. While she has an illustrious career with 23 Grand Slam titles, a reign as the world’s top tennis player, and her own makeup brand, WYN Beauty, Serena reveals that the cost of fame has impacted her family life and relationships in ways many may not realize.
At 43, Serena, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, is a household name and one of the most successful athletes of all time. Yet, despite her impressive resume, she has spent years grappling with the toll her career takes on her personal life.

Speaking at her WYN Beauty x Shopify pop-up event, the tennis icon shared her reflections on the challenges of balancing family and career. “Yeah, it definitely costs a lot,” she admitted when asked about the sacrifices she has made.
Serena expressed that the most difficult part of her success is the time spent away from her children, saying, “I’m here [in California] without my kids, and that’s a big cost for me because I spend a lot of time with my children, and they’re very attached to me, which a part of me loves. So, it’s always some cost.”
Throughout her career, Serena has had to constantly weigh the trade-offs between professional success and the personal relationships she values most. “My whole life I’ve had to kind of weigh, like, ‘If I wanna win a championship, well what is that going to cost me?’” she reflected. “It’s going to cost me time with my family, it’s going to cost me friends, it’s going to cost me relationships.”
She went on to explain that these sacrifices are not easy to make, as they come with significant emotional and personal consequences. “And they’re very expensive. You have to decide if it’s worth it for you.”
Serena’s career has had its fair share of public moments, and one of the most memorable was her brief romance with music icon Drake. Their relationship garnered massive media attention, and while the two are no longer together, their connection remains a part of Serena’s journey in the public eye.
As she continues to navigate life after tennis, Serena is focused on her family and her entrepreneurial ventures, always balancing the personal cost of her incredible professional accomplishments. Through it all, she has learned to carefully consider the true value of success in her life.