WATCH: Serena Williams hilariously dedicates song to Maria Sharapova at ESPY Awards; addresses their feud, and flaunts her dominance in their rivalry

Serena Williams hosted the 2024 ESPY Awards on Thursday, July 11. During the stint, she dedicated a hilarious song to her rival Maria Sharapova, reflecting on their “feud” and rivalry.

Williams and Sharapova captivated the world with their remarkable achievements on the tennis court. The duo’s rivalry, although one-sided for the most part, generated a lot of buzz, too. They clashed 22 times in their careers, with Maria Sharapova winning two of their first three meetings, including the 2004 Wimbledon final. She, however, did not win a single match against Serena Williams after that.

At the ESPYs, Williams acknowledged their rivalry with a hilarious song called “She could be my tennis ball.” The 23-time Grand Slam champion’s song was a tribute to Jamie Foxx’s infamous song, “Can I be your tennis ball?” at the 2003 ESPY Awards, where he serenaded Williams.

"She could be by tennis ball, tennis ball. She’s Russian, blonde, and very tall," Serena Williams sang. "People say we had a feud, which was presumptuous and kind of rude."

"Besides that, I beat her 20 times; just want it clear, don’t have to rhyme,” she belted out. “She always gave me her best shot. We were like the guys in Challengers [the movie], but way more hot."

"So let me put this on the record, y’all – that she could be my tennis ball."

Watch the video here:

Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova’s supposed “feud” also received immense media attention throughout their careers, with both former players taking subtle digs at each other during their interviews and press conferences.

The feud was reignited when Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, too, joined in at the 2019 US Open. He seemingly threw shade at Sharapova by wearing a D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) shirt in light of her return to competition following a doping ban.

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Serena Williams recently denied any personal "beef" with Maria Sharapova

Despite a fierce rivalry during their tennis days, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova have maintained a healthy relationship following their respective retirements.

The pair, known for their iconic looks on and off the court, often link up when attending various fashion events around the world. Williams recently told Harper’s Bazaar:

"We always love seeing each other. At the Met Gala, I literally was looking for her. I was like, “Where’s Maria? Where is she at?” I think she’s a super cool girl," Williams said.

While unveiling 'The Serena Collection' of trading cards earlier this year, the former World No. 1 also clarified that her feud with Maria Sharapova stemmed from their on-court hunger more than anything else.

"Not anymore. I mean, was there ever beef? I guess. It was just competitive. She was winning. I was winning, you know, we both wanted to win, and I don't think it was personal," she said.