Serena Williams has said that she wasn't comfortable with her muscular physique growing up, but it may have given her more of an advantage in her chosen field than she'll ever know.
In an article contrasting the No. 1 women's tennis player to her rivals, the New York Times reported that Williams has a built-in advantage based on her 5-foot-9, 155-pound frame - her height and weight listed on the WTA website.
"Williams has large biceps and a mold-breaking muscular frame, which packs the power and athleticism that have dominated women's tennis for years," the Times reported. "Her rivals could try to emulate her physique, but most of them choose not to.
"Despite Williams's success - a victory Saturday would give her 21 Grand Slam singles titles and her fourth in a row - body-image issues among female tennis players persist, compelling many players to avoid bulking up."
Serena Williams admits feeling uncomfortable with her body growing up
The Times then lists Agnieszka Radwanska, ranked No. 7 in the world, and Andrea Petkovic, No. 14, as players who are unwilling to add considerable muscle mass because of body-image concerns.
"It's our decision to keep her as the smallest player in the top 10," said Tomasz Wiktorowski, the coach of Radwanska, who is listed at 5-8 and 123 pounds. "Because, first of all she's a woman, and she wants to be a woman."
It's a surprising statement from a current athlete who is unwilling to take what appears to be a necessary step to become one of the game's elite players.
Petkovic admitted that she shutters at photos of herself hitting two-handed backhands that shows her muscle definition.
"I just feel unfeminine," Petkovic told the Times. "I don't know - it's probably that I'm self-conscious about what people might say. It's stupid, but it's insecurities that every woman has, I think. I definitely have them and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I would love to be a confident player that is proud of her body. Women, when we grow up we've been judged more, our physicality is judged more, and it makes us self-conscious."
Even Williams said she had to learn to accept her body type but now takes pride in her physique that has helped her win 21 Grand Slam events.
"I don't touch a weight, because I'm already super fit and super cut, and if I even look at weights, I get bigger," she said. "For years I've only done Thera-Bands and things like that, because that's kind of how I felt. But then I realized that you really have to learn to accept who you are and love who you are. I'm really happy with my body type, and I'm really proud of it. Obviously it works out for me. I talk about it all the time, how it was uncomfortable for someone like me to be in my body."
As long as her competitors hold on to societal body-image stereotypes, Williams will continue to hold a considerable advantage.
Are you surprised that other players don't want to try to bulk up to be as successful as Serena Williams? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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