Serena Williams showed off her impressive body as she collected her Sportsperson of the Year award from Sports Illustrated, brushing off controversy about the cover image.
On the cover of the magazine she is pictured lounging on a golden throne in a black leotard and high heels. But some have accused the magazine of photoshopping her thighs to make them appear less muscular.
(Andy Kropa/Invision)
Sports Illustrated denied significantly altering the image, saying: “The fact is that we didn’t do anything to change the integrity of the photo, change Serena’s likeness, or shape her body in any way.
“Every magazine’s photos are worked on, but the idea that we made her thighs or any other part of her smaller is silly.”
Selena herself was pleased with the image, telling Reuters: “The cover I thought was really amazing… You can never be too hot.”
The tennis star arrived at the awards in New York in a black lacy dress, with a skirt flaring out from a split at the front to reveal the legs that have powered her to success on the court.
Serena, 34, became only the third individual woman to win the award since it was launched in 1956.
(Andy Kropa/Invision)
She won the first three grand slam singles titles of 2015 after grabbing last year’s US Open, taking her total of grand slams to 21.
She said: “I’ve been doing what I do for over 20 years professionally and that’s a long time to be playing, and this is the first time I was ever recognised as Sportsperson of the Year.
“So it really, really meant a lot to me. And being a woman and being only the third to be recognised is pretty awesome.”
(Andy Kropa/Invision)
The only other two women to have been awarded the title are gymnast Mary Lou Retton and speed skater Bonnie Blair.
She won ahead of NBA star Stephen Curry, golfer Jordan Spieth and racehorse American Pharoah.
The horse, which was the first to win the US Triple Crown in 37 years, won the readers’ poll for the award – despite not technically being a sports person.
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