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Claim: A Facebook page claims that Tennis star Serena Williams died in a car accident.
Verdict: False. DUBAWA’s search on her social media handles reveals that she’s alive.
Full Text
On Jan. 22, 2025, a Facebook page named Travis Kelce posted that tennis legend Serena Williams had passed away. The post, titled “Breaking News: Tennis World Shattered – Beloved Tennis Legend Dies Tragically, Leaving Fans in Heartbreaking Mourning.”
The post included a link for further details. Similar claims were widely circulated across Facebook here, and here.
Similarly, the news of her death was widely circulated in a viral WhatsApp video. The one-minute-six-second video stated that Williams had “died suddenly in a car accident this morning,” further alleging that “her death has caused an outpouring of tributes from fans, fellow athletes, and global leaders.”
Due to the virality of the claim and the personality involved, DUBAWA investigated it.
Verification
DUBAWA examined the Facebook post and clicked on the attached link. However, the website displayed a security warning stating, “This website isn’t secure. Your information (for example, passwords or credit cards) might not be safe on this site.”
Additionally, while the WhatsApp video claimed that condolences had poured in from fans, fellow athletes, and global leaders, DUBAWA found no such tributes from credible sources.
False reports about Serena Williams’ death have circulated in the past. In 2024, similar claims spread online but were debunked.
A search of her official social media accounts revealed that, as of Feb 10, 2025, Williams had posted updates about her rehearsals here and here, confirming that she was alive.
Conclusion
There is no credible report from Serena Williams’ family, her representatives, or verified news sources confirming her death. DUBAWA’s findings reveal that Serena posted on her social media pages on Feb. 10, 2025, days after the rumoured death. The claim is, therefore, false.
