Serena Williams is a lot of things. A Grand Slam queen. A mother. A business mogul. A cultural force who’s impossible to ignore. Whether she’s smashing records on the court or showing up courtside as a boss, Williams has never stopped moving the game forward. Over the past 15 years, she’s invested in more than 120 companies—14 of them now valued at over a billion dollars.And if that wasn’t enough, she’s also producing a Netflix movie, “Carrie Soto Is Back.” Oh, and she’s joined the ownership group of the Toronto Tempo—a new WNBA expansion team. If that’s not influencial, what is?
Every year, TIME puts together the 100 Most Influential People list to celebrate individuals across the world who are shaping the future—whether it’s through politics, entertainment, sports, business, or activism. These are the people driving conversations, sparking change, and inspiring millions. The American tennis icon has been featured in various lists by Times. She was named one of TIME’s “100 Women of the Year” for 2003, a special project that recognized one influential woman for each year since 1920. In 2010, she was featured again in the “Heroes” section of the TIME 100, with an entry written by none other than tennis icon Billie Jean King.
Fast forward to 2025, and the American tennis legend is back on the TIME 100. This time, she’s listed under the “Titans” category—a section that also features gymnastics powerhouse Simone Biles. Both are GOATs in their sports. While Biles is the most decorated gymnast in World Championships history with 30 medals, Serena Williams leads the Open Era with 23 Grand Slam titles. The mutual respect between them is clear. In 2024, Biles said in an interview with Red Table Talk, “The impact Venus and Serena Williams have made, not only in sports but in life, has made a huge impact on my entire career. They’ve paved the way for Black athletes as well as Black women. I can’t thank them enough.”
Adding to the moment, the 43-year-old’s entry in the 2025 list was written by another sporting legend—Allyson Felix, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist in track and field. Felix shared, “Serena Williams won the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant, then returned to tennis after a difficult childbirth experience that threatened her life. Her perseverance inspired my own comeback story. After an unexpectedly difficult pregnancy that required an emergency C-section, and a lengthy recovery, I returned to the track to win two medals—a gold and a bronze—at the Tokyo Olympics.”
The retired track and field athlete further stated, “Even as she’s moved away from professional tennis, Serena continues to be impactful. Whether it’s through her venture-capital fund that invests in companies founded by women and people of color, or joining the ownership group of the Toronto Tempo, a WNBA expansion team, or dancing during halftime at the Super Bowl, she continues to show that we, as athletes, are so far from one-dimensional.”
Felix summed it up best and wrote, “She doesn’t have to do any of this. She could take a break from being in the public eye and raise her family. Instead, she continues to pave the way. So many female athletes see ourselves in Serena. A win for her is a win for all of us.”
And recently, Williams gave a glimpse into what reaching that kind of level takes.
Serena Williams opens up on what it “costs” to be great
At the first anniversary celebration of her makeup brand WYN, held as a Shopify pop-up in Los Angeles, Serena Williams spoke to People Magazine about the sacrifices behind all her success.
“You’re a boss. What does it cost you, and has it been worth it?” the interviewer asked. `“Yeah, it definitely costs a lot,” Serena explained. “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.”
“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 said. “It’s going to cost me time with my family, it’s going to cost me friends, it’s going to cost me relationships. And they’re very expensive. You have to decide if it’s worth it for you. So I definitely agree with that statement.”
From cracked public courts in Compton to the bright lights of Grand Slam finals and now billion-dollar boardrooms, Serena Williams’ story is one of grit, greatness, and growth. The question is, what will she conquer next?
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