Serena Williams discusses Toronto Tempo, Jannik Sinner ban

Serena Williams is taking on key duties in her role as part-owner of the WNBA’s Toronto Tempo.

In a feature article in Time, the retired tennis star discussed her involvement with the franchise, which will begin play in 2026.

Williams, 43, said she was involved in the interview process for a general manager along with team president Teresa Resch and majority owner Larry Tanenbaum.

Williams said she also had a one-on-one talk with Monica Wright Rogers before the Tempo announced the hiring of the Phoenix Mercury assist GM as the Toronto team’s GM.

When Williams asked Wright Rogers for the most important parts of player experience, the latter focused on nutrition and recovery and analytics.

“Right answer, Williams responded.

Williams told Time that Toronto was an attractive spot for her to get involved in sports ownership after she won three National Bank Open titles in the city.

“You spend so much time at these places and get to know the insides of the city,” she said. “You get to know the restaurants, you get to know people, you get to know just festivals and all kinds of stuff. I got to know the karaoke rooms.” 

After Toronto was awarded an expansion team in May 2024, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert reached out to Tanenbaum to see if Williams could join the ownership group.

“It took me exactly five seconds, maybe not even that long, to say of course,” said Tanenbaum. 

Williams was announced as a part-owner in March.

In the interview with Time, Williams also discussed the three-month doping ban given to men’s tennis star Jannik Sinner after a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency.

WADA, which was seeking to ban the three-time Grand Slam champion from the sport for at least one year, had challenged a decision last year by the International Tennis Integrity Agency not to suspend Sinner for what the ITIA judged was accidental contamination by a banned anabolic steroid last March.

While she stressed she is a big fan of Sinner and loves his game, Williams did question the length of the suspension.

“… If I did that, I would have gotten 20 years. Let’s be honest. I would have gotten Grand Slams taken away from me,” she said.

— with files from AP.