Serena Williams bats for gender equality in new campaign, says athletes must keep going on despite adversities

Serena Williams recently joined a campaign that encourages fans to support and watch young girls who dream of becoming sporting heroes in the future.

The campaign, called 'Just #WatchMe', highlights how by the age of 14, girls are two times more likely to drop out of sports than boys. The campaign video features Williams and conveys a stirring message from a young girl asking viewers to watch her play so that she knows there's a place for her tomorrow.

"Will you watch me? Fill up the bleachers, show up and watch me? Don't let me drop out. Show me your support. Turn out the crowds. Watch me today, so I know there's a place for me tomorrow," says the girl in the video.

In an interview with Popsugar, Serena Williams opened up about endorsing the 'Just #WatchMe' campaign. She began by emphasizing how sport builds an individual's confidence and helps develop crucial qualities which can be useful for the rest of their life.

"Being an athlete, I really understand how much sport has helped me in my life, how it helps your confidence and it helps you develop so many crucial things that you can use literally the rest of your life," Williams said.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion went on to heap praise on the new campaign and its goal of empowering young girls. She further stated that she would encourage her own daughter, Olympia, to keep going and to do the best she can.

"That's what I love so much about this Secret campaign and what Secret does and how they support and empower young girls," Williams said. "I would just encourage [Olympia] to keep going and to do the best that she can do and to work hard. And if she were going to play a group sport and it wasn't working out, I would really be sad if they didn't have enough to go around."

"It's important for people to know that there's always going to be some rough days" - Serena Williams

Serena Williams

Through a highly distinguished career spanning over 20 years, Serena Williams has established herself as one of the GOATs in tennis. But her journey was never easy, and the tennis legend shed some insight on how athletes need to keep going by working hard despite the adversities.

"You have to keep going through the adversity and through the hard work and through the down, the bad days," Williams said. "It's important for people to know that there's always going to be some rough days. And for me, it's like you never really, really make it until you feel like you want to stop."

After sustaining an ankle injury at Wimbledon and further withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics, Serena Williams is currently slated to play at the Western & Southern Open that starts on 9 August.