Drake has captured the attention of his fans for what many are calling a subtle yet significant nod to Serena Williams, the tennis icon he dated on and off from 2011 to 2015. The rapper's recent Instagram post, featuring a tennis-themed photoshoot with Sexyy Red, was accompanied by the caption, "I said tennis lesson she said where’s the bracelet or the necklace." Soon after, a user commented, "Serena Williams upgrade" with fire emojis, a remark that Drake seemingly approved by liking it. Another follower swiftly pointed out that he was being "messy for liking" the comment, making it clear that the subtle online move was not lost on anyone.
This move comes months after Williams shut down speculation about her cameo in Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl performance, which featured Lamar's hit Not Like Us, a widely discussed diss track directed at Drake. Williams told Time in April that her dance moment was "absolutely not" shade towards her ex, adding, "I would never... I have never had negative feelings towards him. We’ve known him for so many years." She explained that her appearance was actually a nod to the celebration she did after beating Maria Sharapova at the 2012 London Olympics. When asked whether she regretted participating, she told the outlet, "I don't know if I regret it or not. I don't know the answer to that."
Drake and Williams were publicly linked again in 2015, though the two had already known each other for years. He even mentioned her in his 2013 song Worst Behavior, rapping, "I swear I could beat Serena when she playin’ with her left." Whether his latest Instagram like was playful or pointed, it has not gone unnoticed by fans, especially those who remember the pair's long and complicated history.
