🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 130 (from laksa015)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa130.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-serena-williams-tennis/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-serena-williams-tennis/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/trump-serena-williams-tennis\/","crawl_time":1775469656,"first_indexed_time":1735876618,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,snopes!www,\/fact-check\/trump-serena-williams-tennis\/ s443","src_root_hash":"5386966342005219730","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Trump Once Played Tennis Against Serena Williams. See the Video Here | Snopes.com","meta_descriptions":["Footage of the friendly volley circulated on TikTok and X in recent weeks."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Fact Check\nFootage of the friendly volley circulated on TikTok and X in recent weeks.\nPublished Jan. 2, 2025\nClaim:\nPresident-elect Donald Trump once played tennis with tennis star Serena Williams.\nContext\nTrump briefly played Williams in April 2015 to mark the opening of a Trump-backed tennis facility. Multiple reputable news outlets documented the moment, publishing videos of the volley from several angles. However, the specific origin of footage in several social media posts that circulated in late 2024 was unknown.\nVideos purporting to show U.S.\nPresident\n-elect Donald Trump and tennis champion Serena Williams playing tennis against each other circulated online in late 2024. \nFor example, on Nov. 14, an \nX user\nshared a video (\narchived\n) supposedly showing the exchange, writing, \"Donald Trump wore a full suit, took off his shoes and STILL challenged Serena Williams to a tennis match. The way he fearlessly tries new things without shame is honestly incredible.\"\nThe\nvideo\ns, which also circulated on\nTikTok\n, were indeed authentic. They were not the product of digital editing, nor artificial intelligence (AI) software.\nThe footage was captured\nby reputable news outlets on April 7, 2015, during an event to mark the opening of a Trump-backed tennis facility at\nTrump\nNational Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. (The facility remained open as of this writing.)\nA variety of news media sources, including the \nWashington Post\n, \nlocal news\n \noutlets\nand \nsports\njournalists\n, recorded the moment with Williams and Trump. For example,\na reporter with Washington D.C.'s NBC affiliate NBC4\ndocumented the volley from \nmany\n \ndifferent\n \nangles\n. Most social media posts that circulated in 2024 used the same clip — though the original source of that footage was unknown.\nAlso, further proving the moment's legitimacy, the\nofficial Facebook page for the Trump National Golf Club\nshared a video of the\nexchange on\nthe day that it happened.\nPhotographer Molly Riley, an independent photographer based in Virginia, published \na gallery of photographs from the event, including shots of\nTrump and Williams\nposing together on the court\n. Further,\nphotos of the tennis facility\non the Trump National Golf Club website show a location that matches the one seen in the\nvideos\n. \nWTOP\n, a D.C. area radio station and website, also published photos of the event.\nAccording to\nWashington\nD.C.'s CBS affiliate \nWUSA9\n, Trump introduced Williams at the event saying,\n\"\nIt is an honor to have the incredible Serena Williams join us today to officially open this magnificent building — she is a true champion and is the greatest of all time.\n\"\nPer\nNBC4\n,\nWilliams\ntold attendees,\n\"\nThis doesn't look like your average tennis facility, and I've been in a lot of tennis facilities. This one is the best one I've ever seen.\n\"\n \nTrump announced his 2016 presidential bid a few months after the tennis facility's opening. \nIn June 2016,\nThe Associated Press\nreported that Williams was not endorsing\nor\nvoting\nfor\nTrump, nor any other candidate, citing her religion. Williams is a \nJehovah's Witness\nand the religious organization's \nofficial website\nsays,\n\"\nWe do not lobby, vote for political parties or candidates, run for government office, or participate in any action to change governments.\n\"\nDuring Trump's\nhush money trial\nin 2024,\ncourt documents\nshowed Williams' name on a list of notable people with whom Trump had frequent contact during the early days of his presidency in 2017, according to\nThe Associated Press\nand\nPolitico\n. (Snopes has not independently verified that reporting.)\nWhen asked about her relationship to Trump by \nThe New York Times\nin June 2024, Williams said,\n\"\nI talk to a lot of presidents. I spoke to Barack, I spoke to the Clintons. I spoke to every president since I've been alive, including Ronald Reagan, I'll have you know.\n\"\nWhen the journalist asked for more details about what presidents want to talk about, Williams replied,\n\"\nI don't know, I'm not going to go there.\n\"\nSnopes has covered a variety of claims involving Williams throughout her career, including a \n2004 rumor that she allegedly said she was going to stop\n\"\ndating Black guys,\n\"\npurported \nsocial media post about COVID-19 in 2020\nand a\nrumor that stemmed from a satirical source about her supposedly forfeiting a match against a transgender athlete\n.\nSources\n- YouTube. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fNACT3q6_5w. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n---. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yBk8Rigopug. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n---. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2V_TulwtSjE. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n2.7K Views · 58 Reactions | Mr. Trump vs Serena Williams at the Trump Tennis Center- Grand Opening Event! #donaldtrump #serenawilliams #tennis | By Trump National Golf Club Washington D.C. | Facebook. www.facebook.com, https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TrumpGolfWashingtonDC\/videos\/mr-trump-vs-serena-williams-at-the-trump-tennis-center-grand-opening-event-donal\/950490128328578\/. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\nDavid Marchese. \"Serena Williams's Next Challenge? The Rest of Her Life.\" The New York Times, 15 June 2024, https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/06\/15\/magazine\/serena-williams-interview.html.\n\"Donald Trump Opens New Tennis Center in Va.\" Wusa9.Com, 7 Apr. 2015, https:\/\/www.wusa9.com\/article\/news\/local\/virginia\/donald-trump-opens-new-tennis-center-in-va\/65-203331554.\nRaja, Ammad. \"Donald Trump Opens State of the Art Tennis Facility in Sterling.\" Tennis World USA, 8 Apr. 2015, https:\/\/www.tennisworldusa.org\/tennis\/news\/American_Tennis\/23269\/donald-trump-opens-state-of-the-art-tennis-facility-in-sterling\/.\n\"Serena Williams Dragged into Trump Trial as Ex-Aide Reveals They 'Frequently Spoke.'\" The Independent, 9 May 2024, https:\/\/www.the-independent.com\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/trump-trial-serena-williams-testimony-b2542564.html.\n\"Serena Williams Lays Groundwork for the next Generation of Tennis.\" WTOP News, 8 Apr. 2015, https:\/\/wtop.com\/tennis\/2015\/04\/serena-williams-lays-groundwork-for-the-next-generation-of-tennis\/.\n\"Serena Williams Won't Vote, for Trump or Anyone Else.\" AP News, 1 June 2016, https:\/\/apnews.com\/general-news-9081a5ec0b424c6095471a921257ea12.\nTennis.com. \"One Year Ago: Serena & Trump.\" Tennis.Com, https:\/\/www.tennis.com\/news\/articles\/one-year-ago-serena-trump. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\nTrump National Washington DC | State-of-the-Art Indoor Tennis Facility. https:\/\/www.trumpnationaldc.com\/tennis\/facilities. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\nTrump Tennis Center Grand Opening 2015 - Images | Molly Riley. https:\/\/mollyriley.photoshelter.com\/gallery\/Trump-Tennis-Center-Grand-Opening-2015\/G0000Z5hMfItjUFA\/C0000z13bMdRrjGE. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\nWright • •, Kristin. \"Donald Trump Opens New Tennis Center in Sterling.\" NBC4 Washington, 7 Apr. 2015, https:\/\/www.nbcwashington.com\/news\/local\/donald-trump-serena-williams-opens-new-tennis-center-in-sterling\/1984667\/.\n \nBy Joey Esposito\nJoey Esposito has written for a variety of entertainment publications. He's into music, video games ... and birds.","attrs_markdown":"![Snopes Logo](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/design\/images\/snopes_default_square.png)\n\nSnopes Now available in the app store\\!\n\n[Open](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/trump-serena-williams-tennis\/)\n\nLog in to activate your ad-free access. It looks like you might have a Snopes membership! Log in to enjoy your ad-free experience. [Log In](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/login\/)\n\n![](https:\/\/sb.scorecardresearch.com\/p?c1=2&c2=38282683&cv=3.6.0&cj=1)\n\n[Snopes Membership](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/support\/)\n\n[![snopes logo](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/design\/images\/logo-main.png)](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/)\n\n[My Profile](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/profile\/)\n\n[Logout](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/trump-serena-williams-tennis\/)\n\n[Submit a Rumor](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/contact\/)\n\n[Latest](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/latest\/)\n\n[Trending](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/top\/)\n\n[News & Politics](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/category\/politics\/)\n\n[Entertainment](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/category\/Entertainment)\n\n[Fact Checks](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/)\n\n[Quiz](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/game\/)\n\nSections\n\n[Latest](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/latest\/)\n\n[Trending](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/top\/)\n\n[Fact Checks](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-checks\/)\n\n[News](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/news\/)\n\n[Collections](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/collections\/)\n\nMore\n\n[Contact Us](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/contact\/)\n\n[Submit a Rumor](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/contact\/)\n\n[Archives](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/sitemap\/)\n\n[Quiz](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/game\/)\n\n[FactBot](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/factbot\/)\n\n[Submit a Tip](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/tips\/)\n\n[Snopes App](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/app\/)\n\n[Newsletters](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/newsletters\/)\n\n[About Us](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/about\/)\n\nCategories\n\n[News & Politics](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/category\/politics\/)\n\n[Entertainment](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/category\/entertainment\/)\n\n[Science & Technology](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/category\/science\/)\n\n[Lifestyle](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/category\/lifestyle\/)\n\n[Snopes Membership](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/support\/)\n\n[Login]() [My Profile](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/profile\/) [Logout]()\n\nFact Check\n\n# Trump Once Played Tennis Against Serena Williams. See the Video Here\n## Footage of the friendly volley circulated on TikTok and X in recent weeks.\n### [Joey Esposito](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/author\/joey-esposito\/)\n### Published Jan. 2, 2025\n\n![A white man wearing a black suit is pictured next to a Black woman wearing an orange headband and pink and orange sports top.](https:\/\/mediaproxy.snopes.com\/width\/1200\/https:\/\/media.snopes.com\/2025\/01\/trump_williams.png)\n\n**Image courtesy of Getty Images\/Snopes illustration**\n\nClaim:\n\nPresident-elect Donald Trump once played tennis with tennis star Serena Williams.\n\nRating:\n\n[![True]() True About this rating](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/rating\/true)\n\nContext\n\nTrump briefly played Williams in April 2015 to mark the opening of a Trump-backed tennis facility. Multiple reputable news outlets documented the moment, publishing videos of the volley from several angles. However, the specific origin of footage in several social media posts that circulated in late 2024 was unknown.\n\nVideos purporting to show U.S. President\\-elect Donald Trump and tennis champion Serena Williams playing tennis against each other circulated online in late 2024.\n\nFor example, on Nov. 14, an [X user](https:\/\/x.com\/HustleBitch_\/status\/1857163273965130096) shared a video ([archived](https:\/\/archive.ph\/cqaAU)) supposedly showing the exchange, writing, \"Donald Trump wore a full suit, took off his shoes and STILL challenged Serena Williams to a tennis match. The way he fearlessly tries new things without shame is honestly incredible.\"\n\nThe video s, which also circulated on[TikTok](https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@civic.threads\/video\/7437614520136420654?q=trump%20serena%20williams&t=1735597720493), were indeed authentic. They were not the product of digital editing, nor artificial intelligence (AI) software. The footage was captured by reputable news outlets on April 7, 2015, during an event to mark the opening of a Trump-backed tennis facility atTrump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. (The facility remained open as of this writing.)\n\nA variety of news media sources, including the [Washington Post](https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/reliable-source\/wp\/2015\/04\/07\/serena-williams-lets-donald-trump-score-on-her-at-opening-of-trumps-tennis-facility\/), [local news](https:\/\/www.nbcwashington.com\/news\/local\/donald-trump-serena-williams-opens-new-tennis-center-in-sterling\/1984667\/) [outlets](https:\/\/www.wusa9.com\/article\/news\/local\/virginia\/donald-trump-opens-new-tennis-center-in-va\/65-203331554) and [sports](https:\/\/www.tennisworldusa.org\/tennis\/news\/American_Tennis\/23269\/donald-trump-opens-state-of-the-art-tennis-facility-in-sterling\/) [journalists](https:\/\/www.tennis.com\/news\/articles\/one-year-ago-serena-trump), recorded the moment with Williams and Trump. For example, [a reporter with Washington D.C.'s NBC affiliate NBC4](https:\/\/x.com\/kristinywright\/status\/585511376258478080) documented the volley from [many](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fNACT3q6_5w) [different](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yBk8Rigopug) [angles](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2V_TulwtSjE). Most social media posts that circulated in 2024 used the same clip — though the original source of that footage was unknown.\n\nAlso, further proving the moment's legitimacy, the [official Facebook page for the Trump National Golf Club](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TrumpGolfWashingtonDC\/videos\/mr-trump-vs-serena-williams-at-the-trump-tennis-center-grand-opening-event-donal\/950490128328578\/?locale=sw_KE) shared a video of the exchange on the day that it happened.\n\nPhotographer Molly Riley, an independent photographer based in Virginia, published [a gallery of photographs from the event, including shots of](https:\/\/mollyriley.photoshelter.com\/gallery\/Trump-Tennis-Center-Grand-Opening-2015\/G0000Z5hMfItjUFA\/C0000z13bMdRrjGE) Trump and Williams [posing together on the court](https:\/\/mollyriley.photoshelter.com\/gallery-image\/Trump-Tennis-Center-Grand-Opening-2015\/G0000Z5hMfItjUFA\/I0000USSsKW_2g8c\/C0000z13bMdRrjGE). Further, [photos of the tennis facility](https:\/\/www.trumpnationaldc.com\/tennis\/facilities)on the Trump National Golf Club website show a location that matches the one seen in the videos .[WTOP](https:\/\/wtop.com\/tennis\/2015\/04\/serena-williams-lays-groundwork-for-the-next-generation-of-tennis\/), a D.C. area radio station and website, also published photos of the event.\n\nAccording to Washington D.C.'s CBS affiliate [WUSA9](https:\/\/www.wusa9.com\/article\/news\/local\/virginia\/donald-trump-opens-new-tennis-center-in-va\/65-203331554), Trump introduced Williams at the event saying, \"It is an honor to have the incredible Serena Williams join us today to officially open this magnificent building — she is a true champion and is the greatest of all time.\"\n\nPer [NBC4](https:\/\/www.nbcwashington.com\/news\/local\/donald-trump-serena-williams-opens-new-tennis-center-in-sterling\/1984667\/), Williams told attendees,\"This doesn't look like your average tennis facility, and I've been in a lot of tennis facilities. This one is the best one I've ever seen.\"\n\nTrump announced his 2016 presidential bid a few months after the tennis facility's opening.\n\nIn June 2016, [The Associated Press](https:\/\/apnews.com\/general-news-9081a5ec0b424c6095471a921257ea12) reported that Williams was not endorsing or voting for Trump, nor any other candidate, citing her religion. Williams is a [Jehovah's Witness](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/jehovahs-witnesses\/faq\/political-neutrality\/) and the religious organization's [official website](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/jehovahs-witnesses\/faq\/political-neutrality\/) says, \"We do not lobby, vote for political parties or candidates, run for government office, or participate in any action to change governments.\"\n\nDuring Trump's [hush money trial](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0) in 2024, [court documents](https:\/\/apnews.com\/trump-trial-hush-money-live-updates-stormy-daniels-day-14#0000018f-5ed7-dd39-adcf-fff74ea80000) showed Williams' name on a list of notable people with whom Trump had frequent contact during the early days of his presidency in 2017, according to [The Associated Press](https:\/\/apnews.com\/trump-trial-hush-money-live-updates-stormy-daniels-day-14#0000018f-5ed7-dd39-adcf-fff74ea80000) and [Politico](https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2024\/05\/09\/donald-trump-trial-contact-list-00157169). (Snopes has not independently verified that reporting.)\n\nWhen asked about her relationship to Trump by [The New York Times](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/06\/15\/magazine\/serena-williams-interview.html) in June 2024, Williams said, \"I talk to a lot of presidents. I spoke to Barack, I spoke to the Clintons. I spoke to every president since I've been alive, including Ronald Reagan, I'll have you know.\" When the journalist asked for more details about what presidents want to talk about, Williams replied, \"I don't know, I'm not going to go there.\"\n\nSnopes has covered a variety of claims involving Williams throughout her career, including a [2004 rumor that she allegedly said she was going to stop](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/serena-williams\/) \"[dating Black guys,](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/serena-williams\/)\" purported [social media post about COVID-19 in 2020](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/serena-williams-sick-of-covid\/) and a [rumor that stemmed from a satirical source about her supposedly forfeiting a match against a transgender athlete](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/venus-williams-match-trans-player\/).\n\n#### Sources\n\\- YouTube. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fNACT3q6\\_5w. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n\n\\---. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yBk8Rigopug. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n\n\\---. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2V\\_TulwtSjE. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n\n2\\.7K Views · 58 Reactions \\| Mr. Trump vs Serena Williams at the Trump Tennis Center- Grand Opening Event! \\#donaldtrump \\#serenawilliams \\#tennis \\| By Trump National Golf Club Washington D.C. \\| Facebook. www.facebook.com, https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TrumpGolfWashingtonDC\/videos\/mr-trump-vs-serena-williams-at-the-trump-tennis-center-grand-opening-event-donal\/950490128328578\/. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n\nDavid Marchese. \"Serena Williams's Next Challenge? The Rest of Her Life.\" The New York Times, 15 June 2024, https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/06\/15\/magazine\/serena-williams-interview.html.\n\n\"Donald Trump Opens New Tennis Center in Va.\" Wusa9.Com, 7 Apr. 2015, https:\/\/www.wusa9.com\/article\/news\/local\/virginia\/donald-trump-opens-new-tennis-center-in-va\/65-203331554.\n\nRaja, Ammad. \"Donald Trump Opens State of the Art Tennis Facility in Sterling.\" Tennis World USA, 8 Apr. 2015, https:\/\/www.tennisworldusa.org\/tennis\/news\/American\\_Tennis\/23269\/donald-trump-opens-state-of-the-art-tennis-facility-in-sterling\/.\n\n\"Serena Williams Dragged into Trump Trial as Ex-Aide Reveals They 'Frequently Spoke.'\" The Independent, 9 May 2024, https:\/\/www.the-independent.com\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/trump-trial-serena-williams-testimony-b2542564.html.\n\n\"Serena Williams Lays Groundwork for the next Generation of Tennis.\" WTOP News, 8 Apr. 2015, https:\/\/wtop.com\/tennis\/2015\/04\/serena-williams-lays-groundwork-for-the-next-generation-of-tennis\/.\n\n\"Serena Williams Won't Vote, for Trump or Anyone Else.\" AP News, 1 June 2016, https:\/\/apnews.com\/general-news-9081a5ec0b424c6095471a921257ea12.\n\nTennis.com. \"One Year Ago: Serena & Trump.\" Tennis.Com, https:\/\/www.tennis.com\/news\/articles\/one-year-ago-serena-trump. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n\nTrump National Washington DC \\| State-of-the-Art Indoor Tennis Facility. https:\/\/www.trumpnationaldc.com\/tennis\/facilities. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n\nTrump Tennis Center Grand Opening 2015 - Images \\| Molly Riley. https:\/\/mollyriley.photoshelter.com\/gallery\/Trump-Tennis-Center-Grand-Opening-2015\/G0000Z5hMfItjUFA\/C0000z13bMdRrjGE. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n\nWright • •, Kristin. \"Donald Trump Opens New Tennis Center in Sterling.\" NBC4 Washington, 7 Apr. 2015, https:\/\/www.nbcwashington.com\/news\/local\/donald-trump-serena-williams-opens-new-tennis-center-in-sterling\/1984667\/.\n\n### [By Joey Esposito](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/author\/joey-esposito\/)\nJoey Esposito has written for a variety of entertainment publications. He's into music, video games ... and birds.\n\n## Article Tags\n[Tennis](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/tag\/tennis\/) [Donald Trump](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/) [Serena Williams](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/tag\/serena-williams\/)\n\nRecommendations\n\n[![Snopes.com](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/design\/images\/logo-main.png)](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/)\n\n**Company**\n\n[About Us](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/about\/)\n\n[FAQs](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/faqs\/)\n\n[Contact Us](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/contact\/)\n\n[Submit a Topic](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/contact\/)\n\n[Submit a Tip](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/tips\/)\n\n**Navigate**\n\n[Home](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/)\n\n[Search](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/search\/)\n\n[Archive](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/sitemap\/)\n\n[Newsletters](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/newsletters\/)\n\n[Random](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/random\/)\n\n**Sections**\n\n[Latest](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/latest\/)\n\n[Top](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/top\/)\n\n[Fact Checks](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/)\n\n[News](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/news\/)\n\n[Game](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/game\/)\n\n[FactBot](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/factbot\/)\n\n**Account**\n\n[Membership](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/support\/)\n\n[Donate](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/contributions\/)\n\n[Login]()\n\n[Snopes App](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/app\/)\n\n[Like Us on Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/snopes)\n\n[Follow Us on X](https:\/\/www.x.com\/snopes)\n\n[Follow Us on BlueSky](https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/snopes.com)\n\n[Follow Us on Threads](https:\/\/www.threads.net\/@snopesdotcom)\n\n[Follow Us on Mastodon](https:\/\/infosec.exchange\/@snopes)\n\n[Mastodon](https:\/\/infosec.exchange\/@snopes)\n\n© 1995 - 2026 by Snopes, Inc.\n\nThis material may not be reproduced without permission.\n\nSnopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com\n\n[Terms & Conditions](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/terms-and-conditions\/) [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/privacy-policy\/) [DMCA Policy](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/dmca-policy\/)","attrs_readable_markdown":"Fact Check\n\n## Footage of the friendly volley circulated on TikTok and X in recent weeks.\nPublished Jan. 2, 2025\n\nClaim:\n\nPresident-elect Donald Trump once played tennis with tennis star Serena Williams.\n\nContext\n\nTrump briefly played Williams in April 2015 to mark the opening of a Trump-backed tennis facility. Multiple reputable news outlets documented the moment, publishing videos of the volley from several angles. However, the specific origin of footage in several social media posts that circulated in late 2024 was unknown.\n\nVideos purporting to show U.S. President\\-elect Donald Trump and tennis champion Serena Williams playing tennis against each other circulated online in late 2024.\n\nFor example, on Nov. 14, an [X user](https:\/\/x.com\/HustleBitch_\/status\/1857163273965130096) shared a video ([archived](https:\/\/archive.ph\/cqaAU)) supposedly showing the exchange, writing, \"Donald Trump wore a full suit, took off his shoes and STILL challenged Serena Williams to a tennis match. The way he fearlessly tries new things without shame is honestly incredible.\"\n\nThe video s, which also circulated on[TikTok](https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@civic.threads\/video\/7437614520136420654?q=trump%20serena%20williams&t=1735597720493), were indeed authentic. They were not the product of digital editing, nor artificial intelligence (AI) software. The footage was captured by reputable news outlets on April 7, 2015, during an event to mark the opening of a Trump-backed tennis facility atTrump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. (The facility remained open as of this writing.)\n\nA variety of news media sources, including the [Washington Post](https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/reliable-source\/wp\/2015\/04\/07\/serena-williams-lets-donald-trump-score-on-her-at-opening-of-trumps-tennis-facility\/), [local news](https:\/\/www.nbcwashington.com\/news\/local\/donald-trump-serena-williams-opens-new-tennis-center-in-sterling\/1984667\/) [outlets](https:\/\/www.wusa9.com\/article\/news\/local\/virginia\/donald-trump-opens-new-tennis-center-in-va\/65-203331554) and [sports](https:\/\/www.tennisworldusa.org\/tennis\/news\/American_Tennis\/23269\/donald-trump-opens-state-of-the-art-tennis-facility-in-sterling\/) [journalists](https:\/\/www.tennis.com\/news\/articles\/one-year-ago-serena-trump), recorded the moment with Williams and Trump. For example, [a reporter with Washington D.C.'s NBC affiliate NBC4](https:\/\/x.com\/kristinywright\/status\/585511376258478080) documented the volley from [many](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fNACT3q6_5w) [different](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yBk8Rigopug) [angles](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2V_TulwtSjE). Most social media posts that circulated in 2024 used the same clip — though the original source of that footage was unknown.\n\nAlso, further proving the moment's legitimacy, the [official Facebook page for the Trump National Golf Club](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TrumpGolfWashingtonDC\/videos\/mr-trump-vs-serena-williams-at-the-trump-tennis-center-grand-opening-event-donal\/950490128328578\/?locale=sw_KE) shared a video of the exchange on the day that it happened.\n\nPhotographer Molly Riley, an independent photographer based in Virginia, published [a gallery of photographs from the event, including shots of](https:\/\/mollyriley.photoshelter.com\/gallery\/Trump-Tennis-Center-Grand-Opening-2015\/G0000Z5hMfItjUFA\/C0000z13bMdRrjGE) Trump and Williams [posing together on the court](https:\/\/mollyriley.photoshelter.com\/gallery-image\/Trump-Tennis-Center-Grand-Opening-2015\/G0000Z5hMfItjUFA\/I0000USSsKW_2g8c\/C0000z13bMdRrjGE). Further, [photos of the tennis facility](https:\/\/www.trumpnationaldc.com\/tennis\/facilities)on the Trump National Golf Club website show a location that matches the one seen in the videos .[WTOP](https:\/\/wtop.com\/tennis\/2015\/04\/serena-williams-lays-groundwork-for-the-next-generation-of-tennis\/), a D.C. area radio station and website, also published photos of the event.\n\nAccording to Washington D.C.'s CBS affiliate [WUSA9](https:\/\/www.wusa9.com\/article\/news\/local\/virginia\/donald-trump-opens-new-tennis-center-in-va\/65-203331554), Trump introduced Williams at the event saying, \"It is an honor to have the incredible Serena Williams join us today to officially open this magnificent building — she is a true champion and is the greatest of all time.\"\n\nPer [NBC4](https:\/\/www.nbcwashington.com\/news\/local\/donald-trump-serena-williams-opens-new-tennis-center-in-sterling\/1984667\/), Williams told attendees,\"This doesn't look like your average tennis facility, and I've been in a lot of tennis facilities. This one is the best one I've ever seen.\"\n\nTrump announced his 2016 presidential bid a few months after the tennis facility's opening.\n\nIn June 2016, [The Associated Press](https:\/\/apnews.com\/general-news-9081a5ec0b424c6095471a921257ea12) reported that Williams was not endorsing or voting for Trump, nor any other candidate, citing her religion. Williams is a [Jehovah's Witness](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/jehovahs-witnesses\/faq\/political-neutrality\/) and the religious organization's [official website](https:\/\/www.jw.org\/en\/jehovahs-witnesses\/faq\/political-neutrality\/) says, \"We do not lobby, vote for political parties or candidates, run for government office, or participate in any action to change governments.\"\n\nDuring Trump's [hush money trial](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0) in 2024, [court documents](https:\/\/apnews.com\/trump-trial-hush-money-live-updates-stormy-daniels-day-14#0000018f-5ed7-dd39-adcf-fff74ea80000) showed Williams' name on a list of notable people with whom Trump had frequent contact during the early days of his presidency in 2017, according to [The Associated Press](https:\/\/apnews.com\/trump-trial-hush-money-live-updates-stormy-daniels-day-14#0000018f-5ed7-dd39-adcf-fff74ea80000) and [Politico](https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2024\/05\/09\/donald-trump-trial-contact-list-00157169). (Snopes has not independently verified that reporting.)\n\nWhen asked about her relationship to Trump by [The New York Times](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/06\/15\/magazine\/serena-williams-interview.html) in June 2024, Williams said, \"I talk to a lot of presidents. I spoke to Barack, I spoke to the Clintons. I spoke to every president since I've been alive, including Ronald Reagan, I'll have you know.\" When the journalist asked for more details about what presidents want to talk about, Williams replied, \"I don't know, I'm not going to go there.\"\n\nSnopes has covered a variety of claims involving Williams throughout her career, including a [2004 rumor that she allegedly said she was going to stop](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/serena-williams\/) \"[dating Black guys,](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/serena-williams\/)\" purported [social media post about COVID-19 in 2020](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/serena-williams-sick-of-covid\/) and a [rumor that stemmed from a satirical source about her supposedly forfeiting a match against a transgender athlete](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/fact-check\/venus-williams-match-trans-player\/).\n\n#### Sources\n\\- YouTube. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fNACT3q6\\_5w. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n\n\\---. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yBk8Rigopug. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n\n\\---. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2V\\_TulwtSjE. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n\n2\\.7K Views · 58 Reactions \\| Mr. Trump vs Serena Williams at the Trump Tennis Center- Grand Opening Event! \\#donaldtrump \\#serenawilliams \\#tennis \\| By Trump National Golf Club Washington D.C. \\| Facebook. www.facebook.com, https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TrumpGolfWashingtonDC\/videos\/mr-trump-vs-serena-williams-at-the-trump-tennis-center-grand-opening-event-donal\/950490128328578\/. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n\nDavid Marchese. \"Serena Williams's Next Challenge? The Rest of Her Life.\" The New York Times, 15 June 2024, https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/06\/15\/magazine\/serena-williams-interview.html.\n\n\"Donald Trump Opens New Tennis Center in Va.\" Wusa9.Com, 7 Apr. 2015, https:\/\/www.wusa9.com\/article\/news\/local\/virginia\/donald-trump-opens-new-tennis-center-in-va\/65-203331554.\n\nRaja, Ammad. \"Donald Trump Opens State of the Art Tennis Facility in Sterling.\" Tennis World USA, 8 Apr. 2015, https:\/\/www.tennisworldusa.org\/tennis\/news\/American\\_Tennis\/23269\/donald-trump-opens-state-of-the-art-tennis-facility-in-sterling\/.\n\n\"Serena Williams Dragged into Trump Trial as Ex-Aide Reveals They 'Frequently Spoke.'\" The Independent, 9 May 2024, https:\/\/www.the-independent.com\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/trump-trial-serena-williams-testimony-b2542564.html.\n\n\"Serena Williams Lays Groundwork for the next Generation of Tennis.\" WTOP News, 8 Apr. 2015, https:\/\/wtop.com\/tennis\/2015\/04\/serena-williams-lays-groundwork-for-the-next-generation-of-tennis\/.\n\n\"Serena Williams Won't Vote, for Trump or Anyone Else.\" AP News, 1 June 2016, https:\/\/apnews.com\/general-news-9081a5ec0b424c6095471a921257ea12.\n\nTennis.com. \"One Year Ago: Serena & Trump.\" Tennis.Com, https:\/\/www.tennis.com\/news\/articles\/one-year-ago-serena-trump. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n\nTrump National Washington DC \\| State-of-the-Art Indoor Tennis Facility. https:\/\/www.trumpnationaldc.com\/tennis\/facilities. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n\nTrump Tennis Center Grand Opening 2015 - Images \\| Molly Riley. https:\/\/mollyriley.photoshelter.com\/gallery\/Trump-Tennis-Center-Grand-Opening-2015\/G0000Z5hMfItjUFA\/C0000z13bMdRrjGE. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.\n\nWright • •, Kristin. \"Donald Trump Opens New Tennis Center in Sterling.\" NBC4 Washington, 7 Apr. 2015, https:\/\/www.nbcwashington.com\/news\/local\/donald-trump-serena-williams-opens-new-tennis-center-in-sterling\/1984667\/.\n\n[By Joey Esposito](https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/author\/joey-esposito\/)\n\nJoey Esposito has written for a variety of entertainment publications. He's into music, video games ... and birds.","meta_canonical":null}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

9 days ago

🤖

ROBOTS ALLOWED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	0.3 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property	Value
URL	https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-serena-williams-tennis/
Last Crawled	2026-04-06 10:00:56 (9 days ago)
First Indexed	2025-01-03 03:56:58 (1 year ago)
HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	Trump Once Played Tennis Against Serena Williams. See the Video Here \| Snopes.com
Meta Description	Footage of the friendly volley circulated on TikTok and X in recent weeks.
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	Fact Check Footage of the friendly volley circulated on TikTok and X in recent weeks. Published Jan. 2, 2025 Claim: President-elect Donald Trump once played tennis with tennis star Serena Williams. Context Trump briefly played Williams in April 2015 to mark the opening of a Trump-backed tennis facility. Multiple reputable news outlets documented the moment, publishing videos of the volley from several angles. However, the specific origin of footage in several social media posts that circulated in late 2024 was unknown. Videos purporting to show U.S. President -elect Donald Trump and tennis champion Serena Williams playing tennis against each other circulated online in late 2024. For example, on Nov. 14, an X user shared a video ( archived ) supposedly showing the exchange, writing, "Donald Trump wore a full suit, took off his shoes and STILL challenged Serena Williams to a tennis match. The way he fearlessly tries new things without shame is honestly incredible." The video s, which also circulated on TikTok , were indeed authentic. They were not the product of digital editing, nor artificial intelligence (AI) software. The footage was captured by reputable news outlets on April 7, 2015, during an event to mark the opening of a Trump-backed tennis facility at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. (The facility remained open as of this writing.) A variety of news media sources, including the Washington Post , local news outlets and sports journalists , recorded the moment with Williams and Trump. For example, a reporter with Washington D.C.'s NBC affiliate NBC4 documented the volley from many different angles . Most social media posts that circulated in 2024 used the same clip — though the original source of that footage was unknown. Also, further proving the moment's legitimacy, the official Facebook page for the Trump National Golf Club shared a video of the exchange on the day that it happened. Photographer Molly Riley, an independent photographer based in Virginia, published a gallery of photographs from the event, including shots of Trump and Williams posing together on the court . Further, photos of the tennis facility on the Trump National Golf Club website show a location that matches the one seen in the videos . WTOP , a D.C. area radio station and website, also published photos of the event. According to Washington D.C.'s CBS affiliate WUSA9 , Trump introduced Williams at the event saying, " It is an honor to have the incredible Serena Williams join us today to officially open this magnificent building — she is a true champion and is the greatest of all time. " Per NBC4 , Williams told attendees, " This doesn't look like your average tennis facility, and I've been in a lot of tennis facilities. This one is the best one I've ever seen. " Trump announced his 2016 presidential bid a few months after the tennis facility's opening. In June 2016, The Associated Press reported that Williams was not endorsing or voting for Trump, nor any other candidate, citing her religion. Williams is a Jehovah's Witness and the religious organization's official website says, " We do not lobby, vote for political parties or candidates, run for government office, or participate in any action to change governments. " During Trump's hush money trial in 2024, court documents showed Williams' name on a list of notable people with whom Trump had frequent contact during the early days of his presidency in 2017, according to The Associated Press and Politico . (Snopes has not independently verified that reporting.) When asked about her relationship to Trump by The New York Times in June 2024, Williams said, " I talk to a lot of presidents. I spoke to Barack, I spoke to the Clintons. I spoke to every president since I've been alive, including Ronald Reagan, I'll have you know. " When the journalist asked for more details about what presidents want to talk about, Williams replied, " I don't know, I'm not going to go there. " Snopes has covered a variety of claims involving Williams throughout her career, including a 2004 rumor that she allegedly said she was going to stop " dating Black guys, " purported social media post about COVID-19 in 2020 and a rumor that stemmed from a satirical source about her supposedly forfeiting a match against a transgender athlete . Sources - YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNACT3q6_5w. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. ---. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBk8Rigopug. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. ---. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V_TulwtSjE. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. 2.7K Views · 58 Reactions \| Mr. Trump vs Serena Williams at the Trump Tennis Center- Grand Opening Event! #donaldtrump #serenawilliams #tennis \| By Trump National Golf Club Washington D.C. \| Facebook. www.facebook.com, https://www.facebook.com/TrumpGolfWashingtonDC/videos/mr-trump-vs-serena-williams-at-the-trump-tennis-center-grand-opening-event-donal/950490128328578/. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. David Marchese. "Serena Williams's Next Challenge? The Rest of Her Life." The New York Times, 15 June 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/15/magazine/serena-williams-interview.html. "Donald Trump Opens New Tennis Center in Va." Wusa9.Com, 7 Apr. 2015, https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/donald-trump-opens-new-tennis-center-in-va/65-203331554. Raja, Ammad. "Donald Trump Opens State of the Art Tennis Facility in Sterling." Tennis World USA, 8 Apr. 2015, https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/American_Tennis/23269/donald-trump-opens-state-of-the-art-tennis-facility-in-sterling/. "Serena Williams Dragged into Trump Trial as Ex-Aide Reveals They 'Frequently Spoke.'" The Independent, 9 May 2024, https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-trial-serena-williams-testimony-b2542564.html. "Serena Williams Lays Groundwork for the next Generation of Tennis." WTOP News, 8 Apr. 2015, https://wtop.com/tennis/2015/04/serena-williams-lays-groundwork-for-the-next-generation-of-tennis/. "Serena Williams Won't Vote, for Trump or Anyone Else." AP News, 1 June 2016, https://apnews.com/general-news-9081a5ec0b424c6095471a921257ea12. Tennis.com. "One Year Ago: Serena & Trump." Tennis.Com, https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/one-year-ago-serena-trump. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. Trump National Washington DC \| State-of-the-Art Indoor Tennis Facility. https://www.trumpnationaldc.com/tennis/facilities. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. Trump Tennis Center Grand Opening 2015 - Images \| Molly Riley. https://mollyriley.photoshelter.com/gallery/Trump-Tennis-Center-Grand-Opening-2015/G0000Z5hMfItjUFA/C0000z13bMdRrjGE. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. Wright • •, Kristin. "Donald Trump Opens New Tennis Center in Sterling." NBC4 Washington, 7 Apr. 2015, https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/donald-trump-serena-williams-opens-new-tennis-center-in-sterling/1984667/. By Joey Esposito Joey Esposito has written for a variety of entertainment publications. He's into music, video games ... and birds.
Markdown	![Snopes Logo](https://www.snopes.com/design/images/snopes_default_square.png) Snopes Now available in the app store\! [Open](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-serena-williams-tennis/) Log in to activate your ad-free access. It looks like you might have a Snopes membership! Log in to enjoy your ad-free experience. [Log In](https://www.snopes.com/login/) ![](https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/p?c1=2&c2=38282683&cv=3.6.0&cj=1) [Snopes Membership](https://www.snopes.com/support/) [![snopes logo](https://www.snopes.com/design/images/logo-main.png)](https://www.snopes.com/) [My Profile](https://www.snopes.com/profile/) [Logout](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-serena-williams-tennis/) [Submit a Rumor](https://www.snopes.com/contact/) [Latest](https://www.snopes.com/latest/) [Trending](https://www.snopes.com/top/) [News & Politics](https://www.snopes.com/category/politics/) [Entertainment](https://www.snopes.com/category/Entertainment) [Fact Checks](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/) [Quiz](https://www.snopes.com/game/) Sections [Latest](https://www.snopes.com/latest/) [Trending](https://www.snopes.com/top/) [Fact Checks](https://www.snopes.com/fact-checks/) [News](https://www.snopes.com/news/) [Collections](https://www.snopes.com/collections/) More [Contact Us](https://www.snopes.com/contact/) [Submit a Rumor](https://www.snopes.com/contact/) [Archives](https://www.snopes.com/sitemap/) [Quiz](https://www.snopes.com/game/) [FactBot](https://www.snopes.com/factbot/) [Submit a Tip](https://www.snopes.com/tips/) [Snopes App](https://www.snopes.com/app/) [Newsletters](https://www.snopes.com/newsletters/) [About Us](https://www.snopes.com/about/) Categories [News & Politics](https://www.snopes.com/category/politics/) [Entertainment](https://www.snopes.com/category/entertainment/) [Science & Technology](https://www.snopes.com/category/science/) [Lifestyle](https://www.snopes.com/category/lifestyle/) [Snopes Membership](https://www.snopes.com/support/) [Login]() [My Profile](https://www.snopes.com/profile/) [Logout]() Fact Check # Trump Once Played Tennis Against Serena Williams. See the Video Here ## Footage of the friendly volley circulated on TikTok and X in recent weeks. ### [Joey Esposito](https://www.snopes.com/author/joey-esposito/) ### Published Jan. 2, 2025 ![A white man wearing a black suit is pictured next to a Black woman wearing an orange headband and pink and orange sports top.](https://mediaproxy.snopes.com/width/1200/https://media.snopes.com/2025/01/trump_williams.png) Image courtesy of Getty Images/Snopes illustration Claim: President-elect Donald Trump once played tennis with tennis star Serena Williams. Rating: [![True]() True About this rating](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/rating/true) Context Trump briefly played Williams in April 2015 to mark the opening of a Trump-backed tennis facility. Multiple reputable news outlets documented the moment, publishing videos of the volley from several angles. However, the specific origin of footage in several social media posts that circulated in late 2024 was unknown. Videos purporting to show U.S. President\-elect Donald Trump and tennis champion Serena Williams playing tennis against each other circulated online in late 2024. For example, on Nov. 14, an [X user](https://x.com/HustleBitch_/status/1857163273965130096) shared a video ([archived](https://archive.ph/cqaAU)) supposedly showing the exchange, writing, "Donald Trump wore a full suit, took off his shoes and STILL challenged Serena Williams to a tennis match. The way he fearlessly tries new things without shame is honestly incredible." The video s, which also circulated on[TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@civic.threads/video/7437614520136420654?q=trump%20serena%20williams&t=1735597720493), were indeed authentic. They were not the product of digital editing, nor artificial intelligence (AI) software. The footage was captured by reputable news outlets on April 7, 2015, during an event to mark the opening of a Trump-backed tennis facility atTrump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. (The facility remained open as of this writing.) A variety of news media sources, including the [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-source/wp/2015/04/07/serena-williams-lets-donald-trump-score-on-her-at-opening-of-trumps-tennis-facility/), [local news](https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/donald-trump-serena-williams-opens-new-tennis-center-in-sterling/1984667/) [outlets](https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/donald-trump-opens-new-tennis-center-in-va/65-203331554) and [sports](https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/American_Tennis/23269/donald-trump-opens-state-of-the-art-tennis-facility-in-sterling/) [journalists](https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/one-year-ago-serena-trump), recorded the moment with Williams and Trump. For example, [a reporter with Washington D.C.'s NBC affiliate NBC4](https://x.com/kristinywright/status/585511376258478080) documented the volley from [many](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNACT3q6_5w) [different](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBk8Rigopug) [angles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V_TulwtSjE). Most social media posts that circulated in 2024 used the same clip — though the original source of that footage was unknown. Also, further proving the moment's legitimacy, the [official Facebook page for the Trump National Golf Club](https://www.facebook.com/TrumpGolfWashingtonDC/videos/mr-trump-vs-serena-williams-at-the-trump-tennis-center-grand-opening-event-donal/950490128328578/?locale=sw_KE) shared a video of the exchange on the day that it happened. Photographer Molly Riley, an independent photographer based in Virginia, published [a gallery of photographs from the event, including shots of](https://mollyriley.photoshelter.com/gallery/Trump-Tennis-Center-Grand-Opening-2015/G0000Z5hMfItjUFA/C0000z13bMdRrjGE) Trump and Williams [posing together on the court](https://mollyriley.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Trump-Tennis-Center-Grand-Opening-2015/G0000Z5hMfItjUFA/I0000USSsKW_2g8c/C0000z13bMdRrjGE). Further, [photos of the tennis facility](https://www.trumpnationaldc.com/tennis/facilities)on the Trump National Golf Club website show a location that matches the one seen in the videos .[WTOP](https://wtop.com/tennis/2015/04/serena-williams-lays-groundwork-for-the-next-generation-of-tennis/), a D.C. area radio station and website, also published photos of the event. According to Washington D.C.'s CBS affiliate [WUSA9](https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/donald-trump-opens-new-tennis-center-in-va/65-203331554), Trump introduced Williams at the event saying, "It is an honor to have the incredible Serena Williams join us today to officially open this magnificent building — she is a true champion and is the greatest of all time." Per [NBC4](https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/donald-trump-serena-williams-opens-new-tennis-center-in-sterling/1984667/), Williams told attendees,"This doesn't look like your average tennis facility, and I've been in a lot of tennis facilities. This one is the best one I've ever seen." Trump announced his 2016 presidential bid a few months after the tennis facility's opening. In June 2016, [The Associated Press](https://apnews.com/general-news-9081a5ec0b424c6095471a921257ea12) reported that Williams was not endorsing or voting for Trump, nor any other candidate, citing her religion. Williams is a [Jehovah's Witness](https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/political-neutrality/) and the religious organization's [official website](https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/political-neutrality/) says, "We do not lobby, vote for political parties or candidates, run for government office, or participate in any action to change governments." During Trump's [hush money trial](https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0) in 2024, [court documents](https://apnews.com/trump-trial-hush-money-live-updates-stormy-daniels-day-14#0000018f-5ed7-dd39-adcf-fff74ea80000) showed Williams' name on a list of notable people with whom Trump had frequent contact during the early days of his presidency in 2017, according to [The Associated Press](https://apnews.com/trump-trial-hush-money-live-updates-stormy-daniels-day-14#0000018f-5ed7-dd39-adcf-fff74ea80000) and [Politico](https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/09/donald-trump-trial-contact-list-00157169). (Snopes has not independently verified that reporting.) When asked about her relationship to Trump by [The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/15/magazine/serena-williams-interview.html) in June 2024, Williams said, "I talk to a lot of presidents. I spoke to Barack, I spoke to the Clintons. I spoke to every president since I've been alive, including Ronald Reagan, I'll have you know." When the journalist asked for more details about what presidents want to talk about, Williams replied, "I don't know, I'm not going to go there." Snopes has covered a variety of claims involving Williams throughout her career, including a [2004 rumor that she allegedly said she was going to stop](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/serena-williams/) "[dating Black guys,](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/serena-williams/)" purported [social media post about COVID-19 in 2020](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/serena-williams-sick-of-covid/) and a [rumor that stemmed from a satirical source about her supposedly forfeiting a match against a transgender athlete](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/venus-williams-match-trans-player/). #### Sources \- YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNACT3q6\_5w. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. \---. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBk8Rigopug. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. \---. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V\_TulwtSjE. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. 2\.7K Views · 58 Reactions \\| Mr. Trump vs Serena Williams at the Trump Tennis Center- Grand Opening Event! \#donaldtrump \#serenawilliams \#tennis \\| By Trump National Golf Club Washington D.C. \\| Facebook. www.facebook.com, https://www.facebook.com/TrumpGolfWashingtonDC/videos/mr-trump-vs-serena-williams-at-the-trump-tennis-center-grand-opening-event-donal/950490128328578/. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. David Marchese. "Serena Williams's Next Challenge? The Rest of Her Life." The New York Times, 15 June 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/15/magazine/serena-williams-interview.html. "Donald Trump Opens New Tennis Center in Va." Wusa9.Com, 7 Apr. 2015, https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/donald-trump-opens-new-tennis-center-in-va/65-203331554. Raja, Ammad. "Donald Trump Opens State of the Art Tennis Facility in Sterling." Tennis World USA, 8 Apr. 2015, https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/American\_Tennis/23269/donald-trump-opens-state-of-the-art-tennis-facility-in-sterling/. "Serena Williams Dragged into Trump Trial as Ex-Aide Reveals They 'Frequently Spoke.'" The Independent, 9 May 2024, https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-trial-serena-williams-testimony-b2542564.html. "Serena Williams Lays Groundwork for the next Generation of Tennis." WTOP News, 8 Apr. 2015, https://wtop.com/tennis/2015/04/serena-williams-lays-groundwork-for-the-next-generation-of-tennis/. "Serena Williams Won't Vote, for Trump or Anyone Else." AP News, 1 June 2016, https://apnews.com/general-news-9081a5ec0b424c6095471a921257ea12. Tennis.com. "One Year Ago: Serena & Trump." Tennis.Com, https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/one-year-ago-serena-trump. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. Trump National Washington DC \\| State-of-the-Art Indoor Tennis Facility. https://www.trumpnationaldc.com/tennis/facilities. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. Trump Tennis Center Grand Opening 2015 - Images \\| Molly Riley. https://mollyriley.photoshelter.com/gallery/Trump-Tennis-Center-Grand-Opening-2015/G0000Z5hMfItjUFA/C0000z13bMdRrjGE. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. Wright • •, Kristin. "Donald Trump Opens New Tennis Center in Sterling." NBC4 Washington, 7 Apr. 2015, https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/donald-trump-serena-williams-opens-new-tennis-center-in-sterling/1984667/. ### [By Joey Esposito](https://www.snopes.com/author/joey-esposito/) Joey Esposito has written for a variety of entertainment publications. He's into music, video games ... and birds. ## Article Tags [Tennis](https://www.snopes.com/tag/tennis/) [Donald Trump](https://www.snopes.com/tag/donald-trump/) [Serena Williams](https://www.snopes.com/tag/serena-williams/) Recommendations [![Snopes.com](https://www.snopes.com/design/images/logo-main.png)](https://www.snopes.com/) Company [About Us](https://www.snopes.com/about/) [FAQs](https://www.snopes.com/faqs/) [Contact Us](https://www.snopes.com/contact/) [Submit a Topic](https://www.snopes.com/contact/) [Submit a Tip](https://www.snopes.com/tips/) Navigate [Home](https://www.snopes.com/) [Search](https://www.snopes.com/search/) [Archive](https://www.snopes.com/sitemap/) [Newsletters](https://www.snopes.com/newsletters/) [Random](https://www.snopes.com/random/) Sections [Latest](https://www.snopes.com/latest/) [Top](https://www.snopes.com/top/) [Fact Checks](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/) [News](https://www.snopes.com/news/) [Game](https://www.snopes.com/game/) [FactBot](https://www.snopes.com/factbot/) Account [Membership](https://www.snopes.com/support/) [Donate](https://www.snopes.com/contributions/) [Login]() [Snopes App](https://www.snopes.com/app/) [Like Us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/snopes) [Follow Us on X](https://www.x.com/snopes) [Follow Us on BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/snopes.com) [Follow Us on Threads](https://www.threads.net/@snopesdotcom) [Follow Us on Mastodon](https://infosec.exchange/@snopes) [Mastodon](https://infosec.exchange/@snopes) © 1995 - 2026 by Snopes, Inc. This material may not be reproduced without permission. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com [Terms & Conditions](https://www.snopes.com/terms-and-conditions/) [Privacy Policy](https://www.snopes.com/privacy-policy/) [DMCA Policy](https://www.snopes.com/dmca-policy/)
Readable Markdown	Fact Check ## Footage of the friendly volley circulated on TikTok and X in recent weeks. Published Jan. 2, 2025 Claim: President-elect Donald Trump once played tennis with tennis star Serena Williams. Context Trump briefly played Williams in April 2015 to mark the opening of a Trump-backed tennis facility. Multiple reputable news outlets documented the moment, publishing videos of the volley from several angles. However, the specific origin of footage in several social media posts that circulated in late 2024 was unknown. Videos purporting to show U.S. President\-elect Donald Trump and tennis champion Serena Williams playing tennis against each other circulated online in late 2024. For example, on Nov. 14, an [X user](https://x.com/HustleBitch_/status/1857163273965130096) shared a video ([archived](https://archive.ph/cqaAU)) supposedly showing the exchange, writing, "Donald Trump wore a full suit, took off his shoes and STILL challenged Serena Williams to a tennis match. The way he fearlessly tries new things without shame is honestly incredible." The video s, which also circulated on[TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@civic.threads/video/7437614520136420654?q=trump%20serena%20williams&t=1735597720493), were indeed authentic. They were not the product of digital editing, nor artificial intelligence (AI) software. The footage was captured by reputable news outlets on April 7, 2015, during an event to mark the opening of a Trump-backed tennis facility atTrump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. (The facility remained open as of this writing.) A variety of news media sources, including the [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-source/wp/2015/04/07/serena-williams-lets-donald-trump-score-on-her-at-opening-of-trumps-tennis-facility/), [local news](https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/donald-trump-serena-williams-opens-new-tennis-center-in-sterling/1984667/) [outlets](https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/donald-trump-opens-new-tennis-center-in-va/65-203331554) and [sports](https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/American_Tennis/23269/donald-trump-opens-state-of-the-art-tennis-facility-in-sterling/) [journalists](https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/one-year-ago-serena-trump), recorded the moment with Williams and Trump. For example, [a reporter with Washington D.C.'s NBC affiliate NBC4](https://x.com/kristinywright/status/585511376258478080) documented the volley from [many](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNACT3q6_5w) [different](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBk8Rigopug) [angles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V_TulwtSjE). Most social media posts that circulated in 2024 used the same clip — though the original source of that footage was unknown. Also, further proving the moment's legitimacy, the [official Facebook page for the Trump National Golf Club](https://www.facebook.com/TrumpGolfWashingtonDC/videos/mr-trump-vs-serena-williams-at-the-trump-tennis-center-grand-opening-event-donal/950490128328578/?locale=sw_KE) shared a video of the exchange on the day that it happened. Photographer Molly Riley, an independent photographer based in Virginia, published [a gallery of photographs from the event, including shots of](https://mollyriley.photoshelter.com/gallery/Trump-Tennis-Center-Grand-Opening-2015/G0000Z5hMfItjUFA/C0000z13bMdRrjGE) Trump and Williams [posing together on the court](https://mollyriley.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Trump-Tennis-Center-Grand-Opening-2015/G0000Z5hMfItjUFA/I0000USSsKW_2g8c/C0000z13bMdRrjGE). Further, [photos of the tennis facility](https://www.trumpnationaldc.com/tennis/facilities)on the Trump National Golf Club website show a location that matches the one seen in the videos .[WTOP](https://wtop.com/tennis/2015/04/serena-williams-lays-groundwork-for-the-next-generation-of-tennis/), a D.C. area radio station and website, also published photos of the event. According to Washington D.C.'s CBS affiliate [WUSA9](https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/donald-trump-opens-new-tennis-center-in-va/65-203331554), Trump introduced Williams at the event saying, "It is an honor to have the incredible Serena Williams join us today to officially open this magnificent building — she is a true champion and is the greatest of all time." Per [NBC4](https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/donald-trump-serena-williams-opens-new-tennis-center-in-sterling/1984667/), Williams told attendees,"This doesn't look like your average tennis facility, and I've been in a lot of tennis facilities. This one is the best one I've ever seen." Trump announced his 2016 presidential bid a few months after the tennis facility's opening. In June 2016, [The Associated Press](https://apnews.com/general-news-9081a5ec0b424c6095471a921257ea12) reported that Williams was not endorsing or voting for Trump, nor any other candidate, citing her religion. Williams is a [Jehovah's Witness](https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/political-neutrality/) and the religious organization's [official website](https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/political-neutrality/) says, "We do not lobby, vote for political parties or candidates, run for government office, or participate in any action to change governments." During Trump's [hush money trial](https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0) in 2024, [court documents](https://apnews.com/trump-trial-hush-money-live-updates-stormy-daniels-day-14#0000018f-5ed7-dd39-adcf-fff74ea80000) showed Williams' name on a list of notable people with whom Trump had frequent contact during the early days of his presidency in 2017, according to [The Associated Press](https://apnews.com/trump-trial-hush-money-live-updates-stormy-daniels-day-14#0000018f-5ed7-dd39-adcf-fff74ea80000) and [Politico](https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/09/donald-trump-trial-contact-list-00157169). (Snopes has not independently verified that reporting.) When asked about her relationship to Trump by [The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/15/magazine/serena-williams-interview.html) in June 2024, Williams said, "I talk to a lot of presidents. I spoke to Barack, I spoke to the Clintons. I spoke to every president since I've been alive, including Ronald Reagan, I'll have you know." When the journalist asked for more details about what presidents want to talk about, Williams replied, "I don't know, I'm not going to go there." Snopes has covered a variety of claims involving Williams throughout her career, including a [2004 rumor that she allegedly said she was going to stop](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/serena-williams/) "[dating Black guys,](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/serena-williams/)" purported [social media post about COVID-19 in 2020](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/serena-williams-sick-of-covid/) and a [rumor that stemmed from a satirical source about her supposedly forfeiting a match against a transgender athlete](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/venus-williams-match-trans-player/). #### Sources \- YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNACT3q6\_5w. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. \---. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBk8Rigopug. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. \---. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V\_TulwtSjE. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. 2\.7K Views · 58 Reactions \\| Mr. Trump vs Serena Williams at the Trump Tennis Center- Grand Opening Event! \#donaldtrump \#serenawilliams \#tennis \\| By Trump National Golf Club Washington D.C. \\| Facebook. www.facebook.com, https://www.facebook.com/TrumpGolfWashingtonDC/videos/mr-trump-vs-serena-williams-at-the-trump-tennis-center-grand-opening-event-donal/950490128328578/. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. David Marchese. "Serena Williams's Next Challenge? The Rest of Her Life." The New York Times, 15 June 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/15/magazine/serena-williams-interview.html. "Donald Trump Opens New Tennis Center in Va." Wusa9.Com, 7 Apr. 2015, https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/donald-trump-opens-new-tennis-center-in-va/65-203331554. Raja, Ammad. "Donald Trump Opens State of the Art Tennis Facility in Sterling." Tennis World USA, 8 Apr. 2015, https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/American\_Tennis/23269/donald-trump-opens-state-of-the-art-tennis-facility-in-sterling/. "Serena Williams Dragged into Trump Trial as Ex-Aide Reveals They 'Frequently Spoke.'" The Independent, 9 May 2024, https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-trial-serena-williams-testimony-b2542564.html. "Serena Williams Lays Groundwork for the next Generation of Tennis." WTOP News, 8 Apr. 2015, https://wtop.com/tennis/2015/04/serena-williams-lays-groundwork-for-the-next-generation-of-tennis/. "Serena Williams Won't Vote, for Trump or Anyone Else." AP News, 1 June 2016, https://apnews.com/general-news-9081a5ec0b424c6095471a921257ea12. Tennis.com. "One Year Ago: Serena & Trump." Tennis.Com, https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/one-year-ago-serena-trump. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. Trump National Washington DC \\| State-of-the-Art Indoor Tennis Facility. https://www.trumpnationaldc.com/tennis/facilities. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. Trump Tennis Center Grand Opening 2015 - Images \\| Molly Riley. https://mollyriley.photoshelter.com/gallery/Trump-Tennis-Center-Grand-Opening-2015/G0000Z5hMfItjUFA/C0000z13bMdRrjGE. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024. Wright • •, Kristin. "Donald Trump Opens New Tennis Center in Sterling." NBC4 Washington, 7 Apr. 2015, https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/donald-trump-serena-williams-opens-new-tennis-center-in-sterling/1984667/. [By Joey Esposito](https://www.snopes.com/author/joey-esposito/) Joey Esposito has written for a variety of entertainment publications. He's into music, video games ... and birds.
Shard	130 (laksa)
Root Hash	5386966342005219730
Unparsed URL	com,snopes!www,/fact-check/trump-serena-williams-tennis/ s443