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By Lana Maciel

Serena Williams Bikini (June 18, 2013) -- Serena Williams must be back in one of her attention-hungry, “let’s see what kind of controversy I can stir up now” phases. According to an article posted on Deadspin, Serena made a few uninhibited comments during a visit with a Rolling Stone writer – comments that don’t exactly do much for her positive public image.
 
Just when we thought the younger Williams sister was gaining a sense of maturity, she opens her mouth and speaks without thinking. While sitting down with writer Stephen Rodrick three months ago, a news story on the Steubenville rape case involving two high school football players appeared on the TV, and Williams implied – out loud! – that maybe the 16-year-old female victim deserved what happened to her the night of the crime:
 
"Do you think it was fair, what they got? They did something stupid, but I don't know. I'm not blaming the girl, but if you're a 16-year-old and you're drunk like that, your parents should teach you—don't take drinks from other people. She's 16, why was she that drunk where she doesn't remember? It could have been much worse. She's lucky. Obviously I don't know, maybe she wasn't a virgin, but she shouldn't have put herself in that position, unless they slipped her something, then that's different."
 
To make matters worse, she continued by talking trash about two of her fellow WTA players. Following up on the drama that publicly played out between she and Sloane Stephens online. Serena comments, “I don't know where all that mentor stuff came from. I am definitely not that girl's mentor.” You can almost hear the disdain and “ain’t-no-friend-of-mine” tone dripping from those words as you read them.
 
As for the second victim of Serena’s ire, this instance came while overheard on a phone conversation with sister Venus, referring to a fellow top-5 player:
“’She begins every interview with 'I'm so happy. I'm so lucky'—it's so boring,’ says Serena in a loud voice. ‘She's still not going to be invited to the cool parties. And hey, if she wants to be with the guy with a black heart, go for it.’”
 
Who could she have been referring to? Sharapova, perhaps? Rodrick, the Rolling Stone writer, seems to assume so, especially considering the fact that Serena reportedly dated Sharapova’s new beau, Grigor Dimitrov.
 
Whoever she was gossiping about, the comments made will certainly leave Serena’s PR rep in crisis mode. Who knows, the formal public apology and retraction of statements may already be in the works right now. Either that, or expect to see a few more emotionally charged tweets from Williams to add to the drama she so loves. Stay tuned - the full interview in Rolling Stone hits newsstands Friday.

UPDATE

In a response to the news about her comments during a Rolling Stone interview, Serena made an official statement on her website Wednesday:

“What happened in Steubenville was a real shock for me. I was deeply saddened. For someone to be raped, and at only sixteen, is such a horrible tragedy! For both families involved – that of the rape victim and of the accused. I am currently reaching out to the girl’s family to let her know that I am deeply sorry for what was written in the Rolling Stone article. What was written – what I supposedly said – is insensitive and hurtful, and I by no means would say or insinuate that she was at all to blame.

"I have fought all of my career for women’s equality, women’s equal rights, respect in their fields – anything I could do to support women I have done. My prayers and support always goes out to the rape victim. In this case, most especially, to an innocent sixteen year old child.”

(Photo Credit: Brett Kaffee/Thibault Monnier)

 

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