Serena Williams Denies Shading Drake with Super Bowl Crip Walk

When Serena Williams performed a Crip Walk for Kendrick Lamar's NFL Super Bowl Halftime Show during the Drake diss track, Not Like Us, it was naturally assumed she was being shady towards her ex [click here if you missed that]. 

Not so fast...

From People 

Serena Williams says her crip walk during Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime performance was not directed at her ex Drake.

In a new interview with Time, Williams, 43, was asked about her intention behind her surprise appearance with Lamar, 37, as the rapper performed "Not Like Us" — his hit song that also serves as a Drake diss track.

Many viewers assumed the cameo from Williams, who briefly dated Drake around 2011, was intended to shade the "Hotline Bling" rapper, but Williams told Time it wasn't.

"Absolutely not," she said, adding that she would "never do that."

The tennis star said it was "sad that anyone would ever think that" she was mocking her ex. "I respect how they could. Obviously I can see how someone would think that, but absolutely not."

Williams added, "I have never had negative feelings towards him. We’ve known him for so many years.”