Serena Williams has denied claims she is bleaching her skin, after a recent viral video sparked speculation among fans.

The tennis superstar, 43, put the rumors to rest during an Instagram Live on Monday, while walking her fans through her makeup routine.

‘And no, for you haters out there, I do not bleach my skin,’ she stated.

‘There is a thing called sunlight and in that sunlight you get different colors,’ Serena added.

The athlete said that in the recent video of her, which sparked the skin bleaching rumors, she had ‘stage makeup’ on as she was volunteering to help kids at her daughter Olympia‘s, six, school play.

‘It is ridiculous that everyone is like “Oh she bleaches her skin.” I’m a dark black woman and I love who I am and I love how I look. And that’s just not my thing.’

Serena Williams, 43, has denied claims she is bleaching her skin, after a recent viral video sparked speculation among fans; pictured June 23 in Paris

The bleaching rumors started after she recently shared a video of her and husband Alexis Ohanian, 40, as they volunteered at their daughter Olympia’s, six, school play

‘And if people do it that’s their thing, and they have every opportunity, and they should, I don’t judge,’ she went on.

Serena then doubled down, adding, ‘But no, I actually don’t bleach my skin. So can we just kind of clear that up?’

Later in the video she referred to the golden wallpaper in her bathroom, saying it works better with the light and ‘gives me more of my true color. The color that I’ve never bleached.’

The star recently shared a video of her and husband Alexis Ohanian, 40, with whom she also shares daughter Adira, one, as they volunteered at Olympia’s school play.

It prompted a number of comments about the shade of her skin looking lighter than usual.

‘Serena is beautiful, but she has definitely gotten lighter over the years. Maybe it’s the chemical peels!!!’ one person wrote.

‘They say they don’t bleach which is true because they are doing chemical peels and other shxt that make the skin lighter! So technically it’s not bleaching,’ someone else added.

‘She looks lighter,’ another added.

‘And no, for you haters out there, I do not bleach my skin,’ she stated. ‘There is a thing called sunlight and in that sunlight you get different colors,’ Serena added

She said that in the recent video of her she had ‘stage makeup’ on as she was volunteering to help kids at a school play

‘It is ridiculous that everyone is like “Oh she bleaches her skin.” I’m a dark black woman and I love who I am and I love how I look. And that’s just not my thing’; seen July 25 in Paris

A recent selfie she shared to Instagram also prompted a number of comments about the light tone of her skin

‘Serena is beautiful, but she has definitely gotten lighter over the years. Maybe it’s the chemical peels!!!’ one person wrote

‘They say they don’t bleach which is true because they are doing chemical peels and other shxt that make the skin lighter! So technically it’s not bleaching,’ someone else added

‘She looks lighter,’ another added

Many found the athlete unrecognizable, with one person asking, ‘Who is that???’

‘I just don’t remember her being light skin,’ one fan wrote

However, others defended the star saying she used to play in the sun, hence why her skin was tanner

‘She ain’t bleaching she just don’t know how to do her makeup,’ someone else wrote

Many found the athlete unrecognizable, with one person asking, ‘Who is that???’

However, others defended the star saying she used to play in the sun, hence why her skin was tanner.

‘She’s Retired from playing tennis in the Sun, 12 hours a day. People are so Weird and Stupid.’

‘She ain’t bleaching she just don’t know how to do her makeup,’ someone else wrote.

A recent selfie she shared to Instagram also prompted a number of comments about the light tone of her skin.

In the glamorous shot she showed off her picture-perfect makeup, with flowing platinum locks framing her face.

‘I just don’t remember her being light skin,’ one person wrote.

‘Serena, love… u now look like a completely different human!’

‘SAD…….nothing else to say.’

‘Her skin keeps getting lighter and lighter in different pics.’

‘The photo is stunning, but it also makes me feel sad. The Hollywood facial transformation is evident.’

Williams turned 43 in September and she has been off the tennis court for two years since her swansong at the 2022 US Open; pictured in 2016

She holds the record for the most Grand Slam singles titles in the Open Era with 23; pictured after after winning the US Open final in 1999

Serena and husband Alexis have two daughters, Olympia and Adira, one; the pair seen in 2023

Williams turned 43 in September and she has been off the tennis court for two years since her swansong at the 2022 US Open.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion returned to the US Open as a fan in September. She sported a throwback denim skirt, similar to one she wore during her playing days.

Williams is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. She held the WTA’s No 1 women’s ranking for 319 weeks of her career and

Her run from the 2002 French Open to the 2023 Australian Open was legendary, with Williams winning all four singles Grand Slam titles and beating older sister Venus Williams in every final.

She won her last major tournament at the 2017 Australian Open. Williams finished her career one Grand Slam singles title shy of the all-time record, 24, which is held by Margaret Court