Simone Biles sends loving tribute to Serena Williams after Olympics honor for tennis great

Serena Williams, a trailblazer in tennis and a symbol of excellence in global sport, added another significant milestone to her storied career in 2025 with her induction into the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Hall of Fame and Simone Biles was keen to celebrate.

Her induction recognizes not only an athletic legacy of 23 Grand Slam singles titles and four Olympic gold medals, the latter largely alongside her older sister Venus, as she became regarded as the greatest female tennis player of all-time.

But it also marked her cultural impact and unwavering advocacy for women and marginalized communities, and one of the most notable tributes following the announcement came from another iconic athlete in the form of the gymnastics legend.

"Congrats on your USOPC hall of fame. Well earned babes!!!!," Biles posted to Instagram, on July 12 as fans quickly sent the moment between two Olympics greats viral, full of admiration, respect and celebration.

Williams' Hall of Fame honor, announced in June, places her alongside American sports giants such as Jesse Owens and Wilma Rudolph and the USOPC highlighted Serena's "unparalleled impact," particularly through her Olympic achievements-singles gold in 2012 and three doubles golds in 2000, 2008, and 2012.

Beyond the medals, the committee emphasized her role in shaping the perception of women in sports and inspiring a global audience as she became synonymous with women's tennis between 2003-2022.

Biles and Williams' friendship: Simone and Serena show their love

The tribute from Biles-widely regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, with 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals-was more than a congratulatory post.

It represented the passing of a symbolic torch between two of the most influential athletes of the 21st century as both women have redefined dominance of a sport, all while navigating public scrutiny and expectations that few others could bear.

Their digital exchange wasn't limited to Hall of Fame celebrations as just weeks earlier, the public witnessed a playful yet revealing moment between the two stars when on June 25, 2025, Serena posted a short video on Instagram from a yacht off the coast of Corsica.

Showcasing stunning ocean views and the Bonifacio White Chapel, she tagged Simone Biles with a lighthearted jab: "Jealous? @simonebiles" who promptly responded by insisting she will get revenge for the playful moment.

A few days later, on July 2, she added to the friendly rivalry by posting her own sun-soaked scene, captioned: "putting my phone on DND again! are you jealoussss?"-tagging Serena once more.

The pair continue to lift other women up in the sporting quests and journeys whilst combining to create one of the most interesting sports partnerships of all-time, certainly within the United States.

So in celebrating Serena's induction into the USOPC Hall of Fame, Simone did more than acknowledge a milestone as they reinforce a continuum of excellence and resilience that stretches across sports and generations.