Serena Williams, the retired tennis legend with 23 Grand Slam singles titles, draws sharp criticism after starring in a Super Bowl commercial for Ro’s weight-loss medication. Now 44, Williams showcases her transformed physique, having shed over 30 pounds since announcing her progress in August 2025.

Details of the Controversial Ad

Williams appears in the ad injecting herself with Ro’s GLP-1 medication, which she credits for boosting her health and vitality. The commercial highlights a new pill version of the drug. As a brand ambassador for Ro, Williams partners with the company, while her husband, Alexis Ohanian, invests in it and sits on its board.

Public Reaction Ignites Online

The ad sparks widespread outrage on X, where viewers express dismay over Williams promoting the drug to a massive audience, including children. One user writes, “I fear for the future of innocent children. This is truly sad.” Another laments, “This was the last thing I thought she would do, such a role model for women and now this.”

Critics highlight the injection scene, with a third stating, “Showing someone injecting herself in front of millions of young viewers is wrong on so many levels. Shame on Serena Williams for doing this.” A fourth calls it “shocking,” adding, “Top female athlete pushing pharmaceuticals for weight loss? Wild.” A fifth blasts, “Disgusting – calls herself a role model?”

Williams Shares Her Weight-Loss Story

Williams explains her challenges losing weight naturally after giving birth to her daughters in 2017 and 2023. She shared with People magazine, “I never was able to get to the weight I needed to be no matter what I did, no matter how much I trained. It was crazy because I’d never been in a place like that in my life where I worked so hard, ate so healthy and could never get down to where I needed to be at.”

She continues, “I had never taken shortcuts in my career and always worked really hard. I know what it takes to be the best, so it was very frustrating to do all the same things and never be able to change that number on the scale or the way my body looked.”

After thorough research, Williams turned to Ro: “They were super supportive and it was easy to get the medication. I lost over 31 pounds using my GLP-1 and I was really excited about that weight loss.”

She reports enhanced activity, less joint pain, and more energy: “I just can do more. I’m more active. My joints don’t hurt as much… GLP-1 helped me enhance everything that I was already doing — eating healthy and working out.” Williams encourages others, noting, “I think that it’s important for everyone to hear my story. And I feel like there’s a lot of people that can relate.”