"Serena Williams was criticized for EVERYTHING" - Fans lash out at Bill Maher's sentiments about American icon not being subject to racial bias

American TV host Bill Maher expressing a sentiment recently that Serena Williams didn't face any racial bias during her career has not gone over well with tennis fans, who have rejected the opinion as a rewriting of history. Maher made the comments in his show Real Time, opining that people didn't stop watching the 23-time Grand Slam champion despite her race.

The comments came about in a debate with radio host Charlamagne Tha God, who drew attention to the way WNBA star Caitlin Clark has risen in popularity over the likes of Angel Reese.

Fellow competitor A'ja Wilson had also commented on the matter with a similar sentiment, stating that Black athletes don't get marketed the same way as their white counterparts. Refuting that idea, Maher said:

"Why was Serena Williams such a big star? Because people like that. They didn't not watch her because she was Black, right?"

One fan agreed with the comments, remarking that Maher's remarks are "perfect" and that nobody in the tennis world cared about what color Serena Williams was.

"Maher made the perfect point. Serena actually made a generally more "white" sport even more popular than it was. Nobody cared what color she was," the comment said.

This comment, combined with Maher's original response with the former World No.1, angered tennis fans to no end.

Taking to social media, they recalled how Serena and her sister Venus Williams had to deal with so much racism in their careers, to the point that they had to skip Indian Wells for more than a decade because of the threats levied against them.

"This is a mf lie. Serena Williams dealt with so much racist bulls**t in her career but you braindead bastards love rewriting history," one fan said.

"Seeing history be rewritten before my eyes is wild. Nobody cared what color she was?! You definitely don't know what you're talking about," another wrote.

"Yall are not about to sit on this app and rewrite history. The white tennis establishment and fans gave Serena and Venus HELL in throughout their careers. So much so that the sisters literally boycotted the biggest tournament on tour for 15 years after being racially abused," one user commented.

Fans also recalled the time the 23-time Grand Slam champion became the subject of a controversial caricature after she had an angry outburst against Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open.

The caricature was deemed racist by many reputed political observers, as Williams' physical features were exaggerrated in a way that was considered offensive.

"WHAT?? Serena and Venus were called nearly every racial slur in the book. I’m guessing that [original commenter] never saw this," one user said.

"These people will just straight up lie in your face like we weren’t there," another wrote.

"Buddy don’t fix your lips and lie about people not caring about her color she was criticized for EVERYTHING they killed her for the clothes she wore it was all kinds of racism she faced from the media and fans we can look these things up," one user tweeted.

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"I've been the subject of racist remarks on and off the tennis court" - Serena Williams

Serena Williams

In a essay she wrote for Fortune magazine in 2017, Serena Williams herself revealed that she has been the subject of racist remarks on and off the tennis court.

The American further noted that she has has been treated unfairly and disrespected several times by her counterparts and that she has had to stand up for herself at every stage of her career.

"In every stage of my life, I've had to learn to stand up for myself and speak out.

"I have been treated unfairly, I've been disrespected by my male colleagues and - in the most painful times - I've been the subject of racist remarks on and off the tennis court," Williams said.