Serena Williams Stuns Fans With Dramatic Body Transformation In Tight Midi Dress

Serena Williams knows how to serve style and strength, on and off the court. The 43-year-old tennis legend turned heads on Thursday as she arrived at a reception at the La Reconquista Hotel in Oviedo, Spain, ahead of receiving the prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Sports on Friday. All eyes were on Serena as she made her grand entrance in a tan, figure-hugging midi dress featuring a chic layered neckline that accentuated her sculpted frame. Serena Williams completed the look with minimal jewelry and a radiant glow, embodying both elegance and confidence.

The Princess of Asturias Awards, held annually in Oviedo, celebrate exceptional contributions in fields such as the arts, literature, science, and sports. The event has long recognized international trailblazers who redefine excellence, and Serena joins a remarkable roster of past honorees.

Past winners include Olympic marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge (2023), badminton champion Carolina Marín (2024), and the Olympic Refuge Foundation and IOC Refugee Olympic Team (2022), each honored for their impact both inside and outside competition.

Previous recipients also include rally driver Carlos Sainz (2020), skiing icon Lindsey Vonn (2019), and mountaineering legends Reinhold Messner and Krzysztof Wielicki (2018). With this year’s recognition, Serena cements her place among a lineage of global sports pioneers who inspire through resilience, legacy, and leadership.

While fans have been celebrating Serena’s return to the spotlight, many have also noticed her dramatic transformation. The 23-time Grand Slam champion recently revealed she’s shed 31 pounds over the past year, a journey she opened up about in interviews with PEOPLE and the "TODAY" show.

Serena credited her results in part to Zepbound, a GLP-1 medication designed to regulate blood sugar and appetite, the same class of drugs as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. “It’s left me feeling light physically and light mentally,” she told PEOPLE, explaining that her goal was never just about aesthetics but overall well-being.

Her honesty follows months of speculation after she shared a series of post-workout selfies that went viral, prompting rumors she may have turned to weight-loss injections. Serena shut down the chatter with honesty and transparency, saying she’s proud of taking charge of her health.

Even with her recent weight loss making headlines, Serena insists that her confidence has never wavered. “Weight loss should never really change your self-image,” she told PEOPLE. “Women often experience judgment about their bodies at any size, and I'm no stranger to that. So I feel like you should love yourself at any size and any look.”

The tennis legend explained that her transformation was never about chasing perfection or pressure, but it was about comfort and health. “I've never felt that pressure to maintain a certain appearance,” Serena admitted. “I always felt comfortable at any size, whether I was a lot heavier or not. I do feel like my body didn't like me at that weight. I had pain in my joints and pain in different areas just because of the extra weight that I'm not used to carrying since I had children.”

Still, she made it clear that her former figure wasn’t something she resented, it was just something she chose to change for herself.

The tennis icon also said she’s made it a priority to talk openly about body image and self-worth at home, especially after spending her life in the spotlight. “With me going through what I’ve went through growing up in public and just having millions of people commenting on my body, it’s really important to teach them to be confident at any size, just like I try to be,” Serena told the magazine.

She added that confidence is something she’s learned to hold onto no matter her shape or size, and it’s a lesson she hopes her daughters will carry forward. “I was looking back at pictures, whether I was smaller or thicker, and at that moment I felt so confident,” she continued. “I just think it’s so important to love who you are. You’ll never get that moment back.”

As Serena prepares to take the stage in Oviedo for her latest accolade, she does so as more than a champion athlete, she’s a symbol of transformation, empowerment, and global influence. From dominating Grand Slams to redefining what strength looks like in womanhood, Serena Williams continues to remind the world that her greatest victories often come far beyond the baseline.