Serena Williams has sparked widespread debate after appearing in a Super Bowl commercial promoting GLP-1 weight loss medication, with the tennis legend openly crediting telehealth company Ro for her recent body transformation.
The 44-year-old, who retired from professional tennis in 2022, featured in an advertisement that aired during the first half of Super Bowl LX, the NFL championship game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. In the commercial, Williams was shown administering the injectable weight loss drug and using Ro’s mobile app to place another order, while also teasing the launch of a pill-form version of the medication.
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion and one of the most decorated athletes in sports history, partnered with Ro last year. She has since acknowledged using GLP-1 drugs as part of her post-career health journey, revealing that she lost more than 30 pounds within a year after stepping away from competitive tennis.
In the ad, Williams said the medication helped her not only lose weight but also reduce knee joint stress, stabilize her blood sugar levels and lower her cholesterol. She has previously spoken candidly about struggling to return to her desired weight after giving birth to her second child, Adira River Ohanian, in August 2023.
“I never was able to get to the weight I needed to be, no matter what I did or how hard I trained,” Williams told People in August 2025. “I worked incredibly hard, ate very healthily, and still couldn’t change the number on the scale or how my body looked.”
She said she began using the medication in 2024 after finishing breastfeeding her youngest daughter. Williams and her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian — who is also an investor in Ro and sits on its board — are also parents to their eight-year-old daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.
Despite her transparency, the Super Bowl commercial drew sharp criticism online. Many fans had anticipated a major announcement, with speculation building that Williams might hint at a surprise return to tennis. Instead, social media platforms, particularly X, were flooded with negative reactions accusing the sports icon of promoting controversial weight loss drugs during one of the most-watched television events of the year.
Some users described the advertisement as “disgusting,” while others expressed disappointment that one of the greatest athletes of all time was endorsing GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic. Several critics questioned the message being sent to viewers, with others calling the commercial “absolutely shameful” and “hard to watch.”
Williams, who has long been celebrated for her discipline and work ethic, previously addressed the criticism by saying she had “never taken shortcuts” during her career. She added that her inability to lose weight despite rigorous training was deeply frustrating, making the results from GLP-1 treatment especially meaningful for her both physically and mentally.
The controversy highlights the growing public debate around celebrity endorsements of prescription weight loss drugs, particularly as their use becomes more mainstream and visible on high-profile platforms such as the Super Bowl.
