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Glamour's 25th Anniversary Women Of The Year Awards

Source: Gilbert Carrasquillo / Getty

Fresh off her historic Australian Open win, Serena Williams is winning big again with a sexy spread in the 2017 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She’s joined by the likes of Katie Upton, Hannah Jeter, Chrissy Teigen and Christie Brinkley in the coveted annual issue.

 

Williams hopes that her looks, which range from rocking a blue high waisted one-piece to going topless, will inspire other women to love their bodies.

“I want people to come away with the fact that it’s okay to be comfortable in your body,” said the 35-year-old tennis legend. 

She added: I’m not a size two. It’s okay to look strong and to be sexy and to be a woman and to be unbreakable — all of 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’m hoping for.”

The 23 Grand Slam titles winner also admitted that prior to being in SI, she had never worn a thong 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 explained in a behind-the-scenes clip of her SI shoot. 

“The thong is perfect, it really made me feel comfortable. I’m officially a thong girl now!”

Williams also really enjoyed the shower scene shoot.

“The shower scene was amazing, because I also wanted to do something like that,” she shared.

“I’ve always wanted to let go—let my hair wet, let my face wet and take a supernatural picture that was strong and beautiful at the same time, and I really feel like we were able to achieve that with that shot.”

You better werk Serena!

Peep the behind-the-scenes footage of her shoot in Turks and Caicos:

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