"I Don't Celebrate My Birthday": Serena Williams Reveals the Little-Known Tradition That Shapes Her Life
A rare decision, strongly owned: on the eve of her 44th birthday, Serena Williams makes a choice that few understand, but speaks volumes about the champion and the woman she has become.
On September 26, Serena Williams will quietly blow out her 44 candles. Because for the global tennis legend, there will be no cake, no party, no wishes. The reason? A deeply rooted religious belief that has guided her entire life: Serena, like her sister Venus, is a Jehovah's Witness. And in this faith, birthdays are not celebrated.
A revelation that the former world No. 1 has fully embraced for years, and which she now passes on to her own daughter, Olympia. A radical choice, often misunderstood, but one that illustrates the consistency between her private life, her convictions, and her incredible journey.
Serena and Venus grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, in a family that converted to the Jehovah's Witness faith in the 1980s. Their mother, Oracene Price, was the founding figure, raising them in a faith where personal celebrations give way to spirituality and discretion.
"Being a Jehovah's Witness is important to me, but I never really practiced. I wanted to get into it," Serena confessed in 2017.
A commitment that intensified with motherhood. On her daughter's first birthday in 2018, Serena surprised the press by stating:
"We are Jehovah's Witnesses, so we don't do it." But why exactly do Jehovah's Witnesses reject birthdays?
The doctrine is based on a specific reading of the Bible. Birthdays are mentioned only twice (Genesis and Matthew) and each time, they are associated with death or violence. For Witnesses, these events are therefore not a source of joy.
They prefer to celebrate spiritual milestones, such as baptism, preaching, or ministry anniversaries, related to their religious commitment, rather than personal dates deemed too focused on the ego.
