- - Serena Williams Is 'Healthiest' on GLP-1s, Jokes She ‘Would’ve Been Amazing’ If She Had Them During Pro Tennis (Exclusive)

Vanessa EtienneJanuary 28, 2026 at 8:00 AM

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Serena Williams

Ro

Serena Williams opens up to PEOPLE about feeling great after losing 34 lbs. with a GLP-1

The 44-year-old said she lowered her cholesterol and she feels healthier than ever

The tennis champion is now set to appear in a Super Bowl ad for the launch of the “Healthier on Ro” campaign

Serena Williams admits she’s healthier today than when she was a professional athlete.

The tennis champion recently spoke to PEOPLE and shared an update on the positive changes in her life since using a GLP-1 medication for weight loss with Ro. GLP-1 is short for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, which work in the brain to impact satiety. Popular brands include Ozempic and Mounjaro.

“I feel healthier. I feel lighter. I feel great. It's a really good feeling,” the 44-year-old tells PEOPLE. “Something I've seen improvement on recently were just my numbers … huge improvements.”

Williams says she has lost 34 lbs. since starting the weight-loss medication, and it has helped her lower her cholesterol by 30%. Her lifetime risk of heart disease subsequently fell by a relative 70%.

The athlete says the experience has also led to being more active — and she’s loving it.

“It's just really nice to be able to be totally natural and be able to play and do sports,” she says. “I was playing tennis the last couple of days, just having fun, going for walks and runs and doing Pilates.”

Serena Williams

Ro

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Williams jokes that although she's a little tired from so much activity, it’s been fun to be involved in sports again, specifically getting back on the tennis court.

“It feels free. I always say I wish they had this when I was on tour. I would've been really amazing,” she says with a laugh. “I just feel like I'm at my healthiest. And that's not something I could say even when I was a professional athlete.”

Despite feeling better than ever, Williams has no intention of coming out of retirement — even with the pressure from her big sister Venus.

“I think about it all the time. I think that's natural though as an athlete, especially a top-level athlete,” the 23-time Grand Slam champion explains. “For me, I only stopped because I wanted to have more kids, not because of anything else, you know? But just because it's something I think about, doesn't mean that it's something I would do.”

“But the summer of Serena does sound fun,” she quips.

Serena Williams

Ro

For Williams, turning to weight-loss medications wasn’t about “pushing harder,” it was about being able to “live her best life” and be around for her daughters Alexis Olympia and Adira River, who she shares with husband Alexis Ohanian.

Additionally, Williams feels proud of how her transparency has helped others not feel ashamed of doing what’s best for their health, especially considering there's been a lot of controversy surrounding the use of GLP-1 medications.

“I've had a great impact, bigger than I would've ever dreamed of having,” she explains. “I just wanted to naturally share my story and tell everyone that it's not a shortcut. It had such a stigma and I wanted to be a part of breaking that down.”

“I was at the fair the other day and this random guy came up to me and was like, ‘I started GLP-1s because of you.’ And so I love the impact it's making, not only with women but with men as well,” she shares.

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Now, Williams will appear in a new Super Bowl commercial, marking the launch of the “Healthier on Ro” campaign, which will feature her and fellow Ro GLP-1 patient ambassador Charles Barkley alongside other patients who have lost weight and improved their health.

She hopes to build on her transparency and encourage others to make improvements to their health as well.

“I love amplifying the story and with me being in sport, there's no greater stage to be on, to me, than a Super Bowl ad,” Williams tells PEOPLE. “Just being able to tell my story authentically and continuing to break down the barriers or the stigma of GLP-1s.”

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Sports”