"It's a lot to carry, but so is being Serena Williams" - When American icon wowed French Open crowd with outfit carrying the words 'Goddess' & 'Queen'

Serena Williams once amazed the French Open crowd with a unique outfit. This incident took place in 2019 when the American legend was aiming to win her fourth title at the tournament.

At Roland Garros that year, Williams overcame a tough challenge from Russian Vitalia Diatchenko in the opening round, coming back from a set down to win the match. She then defeated Kurumi Nara and Sofia Kenin but was eliminated by eventual champion Ashleigh Barty in the fourth round.

During her match with Vitalia Diatchenko, what stood out apart from Williams' resilience was her outfit. She entered the stadium wearing a black and white cape with the words 'mother, champion, queen, and Goddess' written in French. Beneath the cape, she wore a zebra-striped print dress with a split at one thigh.

Have a look at her outfit here:

Serena Williams

Shortly after her win, Serena Williams spoke to the press about her unique choice of outfit and explained that the words served as a reminder of her identity.

"Well, we have, on the outfit it has words that has -- it's in French, and it says 'Queen,' it says 'Champion,' and it says 'Mom,' and those are things that mean a lot to me and reminders for me and for everyone that, you know, that wants to wear it," the American said.

"Just remind everyone that they, you know, can be champions and are queens. So I love that about it. And I don't know, my super power today was just hanging in there and staying positive for once (smiling)," she added.

When asked specifically about the word "Goddess" and if it was 'a lot to carry,' the 23-time Grand Slam champion had a witty response:

"Yeah. It is a lot to carry, but so is being Serena Williams."

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Serena Williams stunned the French Open crowd in 2018 with her catsuit

Serena Williams pictured at the 2018 French Open

Serena Williams is a fashion icon, and her bold outfit choices highlight this. A notable example is the catsuit she wore during the 2018 French Open, which sparked significant controversy.

During her match with Kristyna Pliskova in the opening round of the Claycourt Major, Williams' outfit: a midnight black bodysuit featuring a red waistband turned heads. She said it made her feel like a "warrior princess."

"I feel like a warrior in it, a warrior princess ... from Wakanda, maybe. I've always wanted to be a superhero, and it's kind of my way of being a superhero," the 42-year-old told the media.

However, tournament officials thought the outfit was "disrespectful" and "violated" the dress code. As a result, it was subsequently banned, causing huge chaos in the tennis world.