Serena Williams Reveals Her "Way Different" Approach to U.S. Open 2026

Serena Williams Shares She Suffered a Knee Injury During Wimbledon ReturnWhen it comes to the U.S. Open, Serena Williams knows how to serve, on and off the court. With the final Grand Slam of the season just weeks away, the tennis icon—whose U.S. Open victories include six singles titles, two doubles titles with sister Venus Williams, and one mixed doubles title with Max Mirnyi—is sharing her winning approach to the tournament, this time, as a fan. "Going to the Open as a spectator is way different," she told E! News in an exclusive interview. "I can't say it's more fun, but I can say it's just different." "I get to hang out in the suites, I get to drink," Serena continued. "I never knew what was happening in those suites. So now, it's an opportunity to enjoy matches." Indeed, Serena has been making her mark on Flushing Meadows since her main draw debut in 1998, when, at the age of 16, she reached the third round. Her last appearance at the tournament was in 2022, before she stepped back from the sport. And this year, she's leaning into the nostalgia, partnering with Heineken 0.0 to reactivate ticket stubs from her past matches, turning them into VIP passes for the 2026 tournament. It's an extra special and "humbling" moment for the 44-year-old.It's also a reminder that "sports are so much more than winning," Serena, who returned to professional tennis at Wimbledon in June, added. "It's also about memories. And people carry those memories for a lifetime." As for her favorite on-court moments? Those, she told E!, revolve "around the outfits."HeinekenBecause when Serena and Venus hit the tennis scene in the '90s, it was game, set, match on them becoming fashion pioneers. From stepping out in bold designs—remember Serena's denim skirt at the U.S. Open in 2004?—to showstopping accessories, the Williams sisters offered fans a slice of their personality through their game day looks.Eduardo MunozAlvarez/VIEWpressAnd in recent years, stars like Naomi Osaka have continued acing the fashion game. "As an athlete," Serena shared, "you have a uniform, you don't really get to see your personality." But incorporating fashion "gives people a better opportunity" to see what athletes are like off the court. "It tells a story," she noted, "of how you are as a person."To look back on Serena's award-worthy story, keep reading.Clive Brunskill/Allsport/Getty Images1998Art SEITZ/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images1998Mark Sandten/Bongarts/Getty Images1999Chris Weeks/Liaison2000Evan Agostini/ImageDirect/Getty Images2000Evan Agostini/ImageDirect/Getty Images2001SGranitz/WireImage2002Keith Bedford/Getty Images2002SGranitz/WireImage for ESPN2003Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images2003Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage for ESPN2004SGranitz/WireImage2005SGranitz/WireImage2005Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images2006Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images2006Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage2007Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images2007Jemal Countess/WireImage for Luca Luca2008Steve Granitz/WireImage2008Kevin Mazur/WireImage2009Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic2010Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images2011George Pimentel/Getty Images2011Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic2011Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic2012John Phillips/WireImage2013Joe Scarnici/Getty Images2013Jeffrey Ufberg/WireImage2013Venturelli/Getty Images2014Shareif Ziyadat/FilmMagic2015For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App