‘Taylor, Come Get This Girl!’: Serena Williams Almost Stormed Into Taylor Swift’s Suite at Super Bowl, But One Awkward Moment Stopped Her Cold
Serena Williams and pop superstar Taylor Swift are close friends who both attended the Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025.
However, the A-list celebrities did not cross paths at the big football game, where the retired tennis legend performed at the halftime show.
While NFL fans tuned in to the Super Bowl to see quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs take on quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles, Williams and Taylor became trending topics following the sporting event.
Williams, 43, made a surprise cameo appearance in New Orleans during Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show as she danced on stage as Lamar performed his Drake diss track, “Not Like Us.”
Swift, 35, was repeatedly seen in the skybox in the Caesars Superdome supporting her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Unfortunately, the Hurts led the Eagles to a defeat over the Chiefs to claim this year’s Super Bowl championship.
Throughout the game, fans relentlessly booed Swift when the “Shake It Off” singer’s face was seen on the jumbo screens, which caused concern for Williams addressed the crowd’s reaction to Kelce’s girlfriend in a new interview with Time.
“Why would you boo her? That’s so mean. That’s just awful,” the 23-time Grand Slam winner said in a new interview with Time, responding to the crowd’s reaction as she appeared on the cover of its coveted Time 100 issue.
Williams claims she waited outside Swift’s stadium suite with her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and their 7-year-old daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., to get a Swift autograph.
That potential Super Bowl LIX meeting did not take place due to Williams choosing not to bother Taylor in light of the Chiefs suffering an embarrassing 40-22 loss to the Eagles.
“I’m such a mom. I was ready to go in here myself and be like, ‘Taylor, come get this girl,’” Williams recalled, referring to Olympia. “It’s hard when your team is losing. I totally get it.”
People in the Page Six comment section reacted to Williams explaining why she, her spouse, and her daughter missed out on the chance to connect with Swift.
“More likely because there wasn’t room in that suite for both of their egos. Not to mention, Serena had no business there in the first place (except maybe as a paying spectator). She looked a fool up on that stage. Keep trying, but you’re just not important anymore,” one critical person wrote.
Another commenter added, “I, for one, actually appreciate knowing that Serena had the presence of mind and empathy to consider Taylor’s feelings. Too many people don’t consider the feelings of celebrities. It probably helps that Serena is also a superstar in her own profession.”
On X, someone posted, “Love this! I’m glad Serena is defending Tay Tay. People who love to trash the Chiefs because they’re jealous of Mahomes and their success need to take a hard look at themselves in the mirror.”
“Queen supporting another queen,” stated a second user on the social media platform. In contrast, a third poster suggested Swift should make amends to Olympia, tweeting, “Taylor should apologize to her daughter.”
Despite Olympia not being able to get a moment with Swift at Super Bowl LIX, Williams managed to create her own memorable moment by crip-walking in the middle of Lamar’s midgame musical set.
Williams’ decision to back up Lamar as he took shots at her ex-boyfriend, Drake, was met with some backlash. In particular, “First Take” commentator Stephen A. Smith blasted the mother of two for seemingly joining forces with K-Dot to embarrass Drizzy.
“If I’m married and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to his ass. Because clearly, you don’t belong with me. What you worried about him for, and you with me?” Smith said on an episode of ESPN’s “First Take.”
After facing online scrutiny, Smith later claimed he was joking and did not intend to disrespect Williams or her marriage. Serena responded to his remarks in her Time article.
“I thought it was hilarious,” Williams said about Smith’s comments. “He’s allowed to have his personal opinion. But did you see my husband’s remark? It was so eloquent.”
In February, a Smith detractor pointed out on X that Serena’s husband has a history of trolling his wife’s opponents, like longtime rival Maria Sharapova. In response, Ohanian, 41, tweeted, “Armenian men: we’re a little extreme when it comes to family.”
Williams also pushed back on the speculation she was shading Drake by performing with Lamar. She denied having “negative feelings” towards the “God’s Plan” hitmaker and emphasized the couple have known the Canadian rapper for years.
“I would never do that. And that was sad, that anyone would ever think that. I respect how they could. Obviously, I can see how someone would think that. But absolutely not,” Williams told Time.
Williams and Ohanian, 41, married in November 2017 after dating for one year. They have two children. In addition to Olympia, her younger sister, Adira River Ohanian, was born in August 2023.