"This is ridiculous!" Serena Williams denies skin bleaching accusations

Tennis legend Serena Williams has firmly dismissed fan accusations that she has been bleaching her skin, TMZ reports.

• Read also: Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian undergoes surgery for thyroid cancer risk

A heated debate recently unfolded on social media after fans speculated that Serena might be lightening her skin. These comments emerged under a video posted by the retired athlete.

Williams decided to address these claims, calling them absurd. She explained that the apparent change in her skin tone in the video was due to specific circumstances. She had attended her daughter’s school play, where she had applied stage makeup, and the lighting further distorted the appearance of her skin tone.

"I am a dark Black woman and I love who I am and love how I look," Williams stated.

The former tennis star added that while she respects those who choose to alter their skin tone, it’s not something she would ever consider for herself.

This statement comes shortly after her husband, Alexis Ohanian, underwent surgery to remove nodules from his thyroid that posed a potential cancer risk.