Tennis superstar Serena Williams sparked an online debate after a troll mocked her for landing a spot on the inaugural ForbesBLK 50 list.

The list celebrates the most powerful and wealthy Black Americans; however, one critic questioned if the Olympic gold medalist truly belonged.

The list, which included a diverse range of influential names such as Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Berry Gordy, Ken Chenault, Robert Johnson, and Fawn Weaver, added Williams to its ranks, recognizing both her financial success and societal impact.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JULY 11: Serena Williams attends the 2024 ESPY Awards at Dolby Theatre on July 11, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Despite her impressive net worth of $340 million, critics took issue with her being categorized as one of America’s wealthiest self-made women, specifically questioning the “self-made” label.

Serena’s financial acumen began early, managing a lucrative Puma endorsement deal as a teenager while still living with her parents. Guided by her father’s wisdom, she learned how to manage millions of dollars long before she was legally an adult.

Off the court, she has since cemented her legacy through Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm she launched in 2014. The firm has been successful in backing 16 unicorn startups—privately owned companies valued at over $1 billion.

A few commenters on The Jasmine Brand’s Instagram page took issue with her representation on the list with statements aimed at undermining her success.

One person questioned, “Self-made or God-made?”

Someone else quipped, “She ain’t a billionaire yet?”

One comment snapped, “And watch her will still get up here and complain about money.”

Another sarcastically wrote, “Is this considered Black privilege?”

Williams’ fans were quick to come to her defense.

“If Serena Williams has privilege, she earned every penny of it,” one fan wrote, emphasizing the hard work that propelled her to the top.

Many fans pointed to Serena’s rise from Compton to global tennis stardom, highlighting the barriers she broke and the persistence she demonstrated to get there.

“N she’s from Compton, don’t forget,” one person reminded critics.

Others added comments of support, such as, “Happy to see a Black woman succeed. Go Serena,” while many also recognized that Williams is no stranger to criticism, with one fan noting, “And yall clown her for her makeup… She gives no fs.”

Haters didn’t just focus on her but also on her husband, Alexis Ohanian.

One commenter suggested, “It will all end up in the hands of white people eventually. Sellout” implying that she might be letting her husband live off of her.

However, this was quickly countered by fans who praised Ohanian’s own achievements. As the co-founder of Reddit, Ohanian has built his own fortune. After selling Reddit, the company went public in March, with a market cap of $7.7 billion when ending its first day of trading.

Fans pointed out that Ohanian is a successful entrepreneur in his own right, with one person noting, “The hubby is a startup investor too… Marry right, grow wealth. Marry wrong and…”

Ohanian himself has never shied away from publicly praising his wife’s accomplishments. Though he once jokingly admitted that Serena taught him things like using a washcloth, he has consistently spoken about how much he respects her.

As one commenter on the post pointed out, “You won’t hear her husband complain about her being too ‘independent’ and not ‘needing’ him.”

Together, Serena and Alexis are ensuring that their children have opportunities to build generational wealth.

Their daughter, for example, is already a part-owner of Angel City Football Club, and they’ve also made investments in Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s tech-driven golf league, TGL. Because of their commitment, their children are multi-millionaires before they even graduated elementary school.

This alone should cement her on the list, many believe.

“Ain’t she the Black woman who worked with her husband to make sure their kids were millionaires? She should be #1 on the list…. TF,” one remarked.

Serena, who built her fortune through 23 Grand Slam titles, high-profile endorsements, and savvy investments, has long been an icon of excellence. Despite the criticism, her success reflects years of hard work and resilience.

As her fans made clear, Serena’s wealth is not a result of privilege but of her unparalleled talent and determination.