Serena Williams received criticism in the media after celebrating her first singles gold medal win at the 2012 Summer Olympics by performing the "Crip Walk," a dance commonly performed by gangs.

The controversial dance was made popular by The Crips gang in the 1970s in her hometown of Compton, California.

"... the 30-year-old who will end her career as one of the greatest tennis players of all time did something that could be interpreted two ways: As a stupid and insensitive celebration that dampened the crowning moment, or as a joy-filled nod to her roots," wrote a reporter for Fox Sports News.

"What Serena did was akin to cracking a tasteless, X-rated joke inside a church," wrote another reporter for Fox Sports News. "Serena deserved to be criticized and she should've immediately apologized. Wimbledon isn't the place to break out a dance popularized by California Crip gang members. She knows it."

"It was just me. I love to dance," she told reporters according to Fox Sports News. "I didn't know what else to do. I was so happy, and next thing I know I started dancing and moving. I didn't plan it. It just happened."

Reporters asked Williams if the move had a name for it, "The Serena? The Wimbledon?"

"Actually, there is a name. But I don't know if I - it's inappropriate," she replied. "It's just a dance we do in California."

Williams declined to identify the name of the dance, which was considered a smart publicity move she made to protect her image, according to several reports.

Serena Williams is the second woman to win four Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold in singles. She has won a total of 14 individual Grand Slams and has been crowned the unofficial "Queen of Tennis" but despite her success she has upset the media for "crip walking in the most lily-white place in the world," added the reports.

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