Even in retirement, Serena Williams continues to shape the narrative of greatness. This week, the 23-time Grand Slam champion was spotlighted in a viral social media post celebrating the greatest athletes of all time, placing her alongside iconic figures like LeBron James, Tiger Woods, Muhammad Ali, and Lionel Messi.
The recognition came courtesy of a now-viral graphic posted by On Mentel‘s social media accounts, which featured a collage of sports legends with the caption:
“This graphic of the greatest athletes ever inspired us… So we dug through Mentel to find signed memorabilia from the GOATs themselves.”
The list, which included the likes of Michael Phelps, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele, and others, was a striking reminder of Serena’s position not just in tennis history—but across all of sport.
Ohanian Co-Signs the Greatness
The image gained even more momentum when Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and Serena’s husband, reposted it in his Instagram Stories. Though he didn’t add commentary, the act spoke volumes.
Ohanian has been one of Williams’ most vocal supporters throughout her career, famously donning a shirt at the 2021 Australian Open that read, “Greatest Female Athlete,” with the word “Female” boldly crossed out.
It was another silent, yet powerful, endorsement: Serena isn’t just the greatest female athlete—she’s one of the greatest athletes, period.
Williams’ résumé speaks for itself. With 23 Grand Slam singles titles, she surpassed Steffi Graf’s Open Era record, and did so while dominating on every surface the sport has to offer—from the hard courts of New York to the grass of Wimbledon.
