Holger Rune strongly defends Serena Williams for promoting weight loss drug
NewsMonday, 09 February 2026 at 14:46
Serena Williams's public support for a weight loss drug has generated a polarized reaction, but Holger Rune does not agree with the criticism of her.
Despite her status as one of the greatest players in WTA history, Williams wanted to become even fitter and healthier after her retirement in 2022 by finding the best way to lose weight, something she has successfully achieved.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion applied a GLP-1 receptor agonist medication. The telehealth company Ro provided it to her.
The results are undeniable. Williams had previously spoken about losing a lot of weight after being pregnant for the second time while using the medication, and she revealed in an advertisement that she has lost 34 pounds.
That advertisement for Ro was played during the Super Bowl, ensuring maximum exposure. Many supported the American for wanting to publicize a product that helped her be healthier and feel great in day-to-day life.
However, others were less enthusiastic. Frequent X user Pavvy G condemned Williams and argued that an iconic athlete like her should not be supporting weight loss drugs that he believes are harmful.
"One of the greatest athletes in the world is shamelessly now promoting weight loss drugs? I fear truly saddened by this, nobody should be encouraging people to take weight loss drugs, but especially a role model and icon of sport. I fear for the future."
Rune, currently recovering from a severe Achilles injury he sustained at the 2025 Stockholm Open, disagreed in a reply on X. The ATP player thinks that Williams being open about what has worked best for her is positive.
"Being overweight comes with a health risk, like alcohol, and seeking help to overcome personal challenges is always the right thing to do. I think it’s great that Serena Williams doesn’t pretend it just happened overnight , but openly inform about what she did to achieve her personal goals in terms of her body. There is not one right or wrong way here, there is only the way that is good for you, and we should not shame on this."
The user responded that weight loss drugs often come with side effects, and believes some young girls and boys will take it to mean that such products are a substitute for a healthy lifestyle.
"Disagree mate, many of these weight loss injections come with many side effects too. Youngsters watching this ad will think they can simply use this instead of eating healthy, keeping fit and active. For an athlete to promote this is shocking and sends out so many bad messages."
Rune then mentioned that the medication Williams promoted requires a doctor's prescription and that health professionals should be trusted to make such decisions with patients.
"It’s not something you buy on a pharmacy. It needs a doctor’s prescription. So it’s the doctors that evaluate if you are suited for this or not . We must have trust in the doctors, no ?"
The fan, who has previously used his account to criticize athletes being mandated to take COVID-19 vaccines and to doubt their effectiveness, argued that this showed doctors should not always be trusted.
"Like we needed to trust the doctors when they told us all that you get the Covid vaccine? A few years laters some vaccines like Astra Zeneca were pulled from the market in the UK as it was tragically proved some people died/ very poorly from getting an adverse reaction from it."
Rather than debate whether that was a reasonable point or not, Rune decided to end the back-and-forth there and wished the user a nice day.
"You can always find something matching your arguments. That’s the beauty of open discussions and different opinions. I must go back to my rehab work. Have a nice Monday."
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