Serena Williams 2017: Tennis Pro Wears 'Thong Bikini' In Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue [VIDEO]
Serena Williams is embracing body confidence in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated.
Williams is featured in the new Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, having done a very revealing photoshoot with the magazine. One of the major highlights for Williams was getting to wear a thong bikini, which she has never done before.
"I've never worn a thong bikini, so for that to be my first shot was like a shot of espresso for me because I had to wake up immediately," she says in a video clip behind-the-scenes. "The thong is perfect, it really made me feel comfortable. I'm officially a thong girl now!"
She is clearly enjoying wearing the blue swimsuit, saying in the video, "The lying-down [photos in that suit] came out really well because they almost stretched my body out and made it go with the beautiful background."
Williams is hoping to be an example for people to be comfortable in their body, considering she is not the average size of a woman you typically see in photoshoots.
"I want people to come away with the fact that it's okay to be comfortable in your body," she says. "I'm not a size two. It's okay to look good and feel good and I'm strong. It's okay to look strong and to be sexy and to be a woman and to be unbreakable - all those things. I really want to have that influence for people out there that have my body type. I want them to be like, 'I look good too.' That's what I hope for."
Williams has consistently appeared in Sports Illustrated not only for the Swimsuit edition but for the Body Issue, on top of her many accomplishments in the world of tennis. She has become the highest paid female athlete, earning almost $29 million in 2016 alone.
