Serena Williams advises Caitlin Clark to 'stay grounded' amid criticism and online vitriol

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Serena Williams has shared some valuable advice with WNBA rookie phenom Caitlin Clark, urging her to stay focused and resilient amid the pressures and criticisms she faces.

During the premiere of her ESPN+ docuseries, 'In The Arena: Serena Williams', the 23-time Grand Slam winner spoke about the challenges she faced early in her career and drew parallels to Clark's current situation.

Serena Williams advises Caitlin Clark to 'stay grounded' amid rising criticism

"I was bullied,” Williams said, according to ESPN. “Things that I had to go through, people would be canceled for saying now. My position in growing up, as a teenager, I kind of had to be guarded to kind of stay sane."

Williams, 42, emphasized the importance of avoiding social media to remain grounded and unaffected by negative comments. "I love that she tries to stay grounded,” Williams noted, as reported by the Associated Press. “She says she doesn't look at her social (media). I get it. I don't either. I think it's so important to just continue to do what she's doing. No matter what other people do. If people are negative, it's because they can't do what you do, basically. Hopefully she'll continue to do what she's doing."

Caitlin Clark, 22, has been under intense scrutiny during her rookie season in the WNBA, having entered the league as the No 1 overall draft pick after a stellar college basketball career. The Iowa standout became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer and has been a focal point of discussions regarding her performance and treatment by veteran players.

Clark addressed the negativity surrounding her, particularly on social media, where her name has been used to propagate racist and misogynistic messages. "Treating every single woman in this league with the same amount of respect, I think, is just a basic human thing that everybody should do," Clark said, responding to criticisms from Connecticut Sun guard Dijonai Carrington. "Just be a kind person and treat them how you would want to be treated. I think that's very simple."

Williams, who has faced her own share of racism and sexism throughout her illustrious career, expressed solidarity with Clark. She highlighted the need to support and uplift young female athletes, a message she has consistently championed.

In a 2017 TED Talk, Williams spoke about her role in encouraging young women: “For me it’s really important to hold women up. It’s something, these young women, they’ll come to the locker room, they’ll want to take pictures with me. For me, I want to be a good leader and a good example for them.”

Internet praises Serena Williams for offering support to Caitlin Clark

Serena Williams' heartfelt advice and support for Clark have resonated deeply across the Internet, earning praise from fans and admirers alike.

One user expressed admiration for Williams' wisdom, saying, "Selena Williams is a professional and knows how to play smart.. Beautiful and thoughtful advice."

Another highlighted the resilience that Williams champions, noting, "Head down, work hard, and super stardom is around the corner. Anybody coming at you looks like a fool." Reflecting on both players, a user commented, "Serena and Caitlin are class acts!!"

"Thank you Serena,” another echoed, appreciating Williams' supportive stance.

A user wrote, "Love strong women supporting each other!!"

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.