Caitlin Clark received a lot of attention during her first WNBA season. Almost everything about her rookie season became a topic of discussion. During this time, tennis legend Serena Williams shared a strong message of support for the Indiana Fever rookie.

Williams spoke about Clark as she faced media attention, online debates, and questions about missing the US Olympic team for the Paris Games. At the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, Williams explained why she understood Clark’s decision to avoid online negativity. Williams said that she liked how Clark was dealing with the pressure. 

“I love that she tries to stay grounded,” Williams said. “I get it. I don't either.”

She believed Clark should not let outside criticism affect her career. Williams connected the situation to her own experience with public attention as a young tennis player, as reported by Michael Voepel on ESPN, published on June 16, 2024.

“I was bullied,” Williams said. 

Williams’ comments showed that she saw similarities between the attention Clark was receiving and the pressure she faced early in her tennis career. She explained that protecting her peace became important when people were constantly watching her.

She also encouraged Clark to focus on her own journey instead of responding to people who try to create negativity around her.

“Hopefully she'll continue to do what she's doing,” Williams said.

The advice came at an important time in Clark’s rookie season. Her popularity had made her one of the biggest names in women’s basketball, and almost every development around her attracted major attention.

Caitlin Clark also addressed the online backlash

The same ESPN report by Michael Voepel also discussed Caitlin Clark’s response to the growing online discussion around her. The Fever rookie often said that she tried to stay away from social media, especially as the attention around her continued to grow.

Clark also spoke against people using her name to support racist and misogynistic agendas. Before Indiana’s game that Thursday, she made it clear that she did not want her popularity to be used for such messages.

“People should not be using my name to push those agendas,” Clark said.

She also said that all women in the WNBA deserved the same basic respect, no matter which player received the most attention. Her comments showed that Clark was not completely ignoring the conversation. She was ready to speak when she felt things had gone too far.

This also explains why Williams’ support was important. Both athletes faced pressure after becoming major figures in women’s sports, even though they played different sports and competed in different eras.

For Clark, the attention came after she became the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft and quickly became a major part of conversations about the league’s growing popularity.

Williams’ advice for Clark was to stay true to herself, remain grounded, and not let outside negativity control her career. In June 2024, as Clark dealt with huge attention, one of tennis’ greatest champions publicly supported that approach.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Kapil Manghnani brings over 4.5 years of experience in sports journalism, covering a wide range of sports, including Soccer, NHL, Tennis, Gymnastics, NASCAR, Swimming, and more. He has written for leading sports platforms, producing everything from breaking news and features to in-depth analysis, opinion pieces, long-form stories, and short-form content. Beyond articles, he has also scripted long-form storytelling videos for YouTube channels. His work focuses on delivering well-researched, engaging, and reader-first sports content across multiple formats.

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