Serena Williams’ 2005 Australian Open look is returning to the spotlight in doll form, with Mattel unveiling a Barbie Signature model of the 23-time major singles champion for International Day of the Girl.
The former world No. 1 joins Team Barbie as the latest athlete and role model honoured by the brand. The release celebrates Williams’ sporting achievements, business career and advocacy for equality.
Quick facts
- Williams is honoured with a Barbie Signature doll.
- The design recreates her outfit from the 2005 Australian Open title campaign in Melbourne.
- The doll includes a racquet, tennis ball, shoes, socks and sweatband.
- Williams said the hairstyle’s large curls and colour details were important to her.
- It is not the first doll made in her likeness.
The figure wears a green-and-white cutout top with mesh accents, paired with a white skirt. Its accessories mirror a player’s match-day kit, including white footwear, socks, a wrist sweatband, racquet and ball.
The clothing recalls Williams’ run to the 2005 Australian Open crown, a campaign marked by her semifinal victory over Maria Sharapova after she fought off match points. That Melbourne fortnight became one of the defining comeback performances of her career.
Williams said the doll carries a message beyond the court. “When I was growing up, I did not see many girls who looked like me being told that there was no limit to what they could be,” she said.
She added that she hopes children playing with the doll recognise potential in themselves: “She can dream big, work hard, change direction, break barriers and become anything she chooses.”
Williams said Mattel had captured the outfit from two decades ago accurately. She was especially keen for the design to retain the era’s hair styling, saying she insisted on “big curly hair” and some colour in it.
The release follows another Barbie recognition earlier this year, when Williams was included in the Barbie Dream Team for International Women’s Day, reflecting her work as an entrepreneur since stepping away from full-time competition. A doll in her likeness had also been produced during the 2000s.
Mattel’s Barbie leadership described Williams as an athlete, entrepreneur and equality advocate whose career has broken barriers. The company said the Signature doll was intended to celebrate a figure whose legacy encourages fans to pursue their own ambitions.
