Top 5 times Serena Williams transcended tennis to feature in pop culture

While Serena Williams will most certainly be remembered for her successful stint on the tennis court, she has frequently transcended the sport to make a name for herself in the realm of pop culture.

Alongside her sister Venus Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam winner has long captured the publicimagination, further justifying her enigmatic presencein the pop culture scene.

Williams recently revealed that the upcoming US Open will be her swansong in the sport of tennis. We take a look at some of the most iconic moments she has experienced outside the tennis court as she prepares to bow out of the game for good.

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1. Serena Williams features in an episode of the hit show The Simpsons

In addition to its satirical humour and eerily accurate predictions for the future, The Simpsons are well known for incorporating popular icons and elements of the time in their episodes.

In 2001, when the Williams sisters had an extremely strong hold on the world, the duo featured in an episode of The Simpsons.

Episode 12 of Season 12 titled 'Tennis the Menace' featured cameos from the likes of Venus and Serena Williams, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.

The episode saw the protagonists of the show Marge and Homer team up with Serena and Venus, respectively. Itreceived a significant amount of love from viewers of the show, especially tennis fans.

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2. Serena Williams makes an appearance in Beyonce's music video

The pop diva and global sensation Beyonce released a music video titled 'Sorry' way back in 2016, which saw Serena Williams show off her dancing skills. The black-and-white video which was also shared on YouTube has since garnered 34 crore views from fans all over the world.

Williams was seen dancing her heart out in the video.Williams, who has known Beyonce for quite some time, admitted in an interview that she offered the media in the aftermath of the shoot of the video,that her legs were quite sore from all the dancing.

3. Serena Williams appears in an episode of Law & Order

Williams, who has made a name for herself by shining brightly in the realm of tennis, took on a different role as she featured in an episode of the uber-popularAmericanlegal drama and police proceduraltelevision series Law & Order.

She appeared in the 12th Episode of Season 5 titled 'Brotherhood'. She played the role of Chloe Spiers in the show, a character whose father was considered to be a prime suspect in a murder case.

Although she did not receive a significant amount of screen time, the former World No. 1 impressed fans with her basketball skills as she was seen making free throws while in conversation with prying detectives.

4. Serena Williams gets name-dropped in Kanye West's song

Serena Williams has a legion of followers at her back, effectively making her one of the most popular female athletes in the world. Therefore, she has become a household name, often getting name-dropped in rap and pop music videos and singles.

For instance, she was name-dropped by popular rap mogul Kanye West in a single that featured Hollywood star Jamie Foxx titled'Gold Digger'. The song was released way back in 2005. Here's how the lyrics of the song went:

“But I’m looking for the one, have you seen her? / My psychic told me she have a a** like Serena.”

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5. Serena Williams makes an appearance at Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's royal wedding

Meghan Markle and Serena Williams have shared an extremely close relationship for the longest of times. Naturally, owing to the nature of their relationship, she attended Markle's royal wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018.

She was seen sporting a number ofelegant items including a pink Versace dress,jewels and fascinator. She was accompanied at Windsor Castle by her husband Alexis Ohanian.