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---
title: Drake Blamed for Serena Williams U.S. Open Loss: #BlameDrake
description: The match wasn't the best she ever had. Maybe she wasn't charged up?
canonical: https://time.com/4032042/blame-drake-serena-williams/
author: Nolan Feeney
article:opinion: false
article:content_tier: free
article:published_time: 2015-09-11T20:08:55.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:48:07.444Z
og:title: Why People on Twitter Are Blaming Drake for Serena Williams' U.S. Open Loss
og:description: The match wasn't the best she ever had. Maybe she wasn't charged up?
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og:image:alt: Celebrities At Wimbledon 2015
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twitter:title: Why People on Twitter Are Blaming Drake for Serena Williams' U.S. Open Loss
twitter:description: The match wasn't the best she ever had. Maybe she wasn't charged up?
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd7034a2a06e7ec5c/69885db92dce0117c19e4e74/480064128.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# Why People on Twitter Are Blaming Drake for Serena Williams' U.S. Open Loss

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/zdwprGtE.m3u8" -->
## Video: Serena Williams on Her Biggest Influence

[Watch (HLS stream): Serena Williams on Her Biggest Influence](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/zdwprGtE.m3u8) (0:58)

![Serena Williams on Her Biggest Influence](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/zdwprGtE/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2014-04-24. Serena Williams talks about the importance of family._


![Nolan Feeney](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4c014da77c72bd2e/69876bb52dce017ad89dc18d/nolan-feeney.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Nolan Feeney](https://time.com/author/nolan-feeney/)


![Nolan Feeney](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4c014da77c72bd2e/69876bb52dce017ad89dc18d/nolan-feeney.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Nolan Feeney


Sep 11, 2015 8:08 PM UTC

![Celebrities At Wimbledon 2015](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd7034a2a06e7ec5c/69885db92dce0117c19e4e74/480064128.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

Drake attends day ten of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at Wimbledon on July 9, 2015 in London, England

Drake attends day ten of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at Wimbledon on July 9, 2015 in London, England Karwai Tang—WireImage

![Nolan Feeney](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4c014da77c72bd2e/69876bb52dce017ad89dc18d/nolan-feeney.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Nolan Feeney](https://time.com/author/nolan-feeney/)


![Nolan Feeney](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4c014da77c72bd2e/69876bb52dce017ad89dc18d/nolan-feeney.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Nolan Feeney


Sep 11, 2015 8:08 PM UTC

Canadian rapper Drake and tennis star Serena Williams have been the [subject of](http://nymag.com/thecut/2015/07/serena-williams-and-drake-win-duo-of-the-summer.html) [dating rumors](http://nymag.com/thecut/2015/08/serena-williams-made-out-with-a-fan.html) for a few months now, but all that speculation took a negative turn after Williams lost to Roberta Vinci in a shocking upset at the U.S. Open.

Twitter users started blaming Drake, who was at the game, for Williams’ loss using the hashtag #BlameDrake. How quickly the tables turn: earlier this summer, Williams rolled her eyes when asked if Drake was her [“lucky mascot”](http://bigstory.ap.org/article/d00221ea1a19409ea3d31aa71a5494c7/latest-its-womens-semifinals-day-wimbledon) and said he was “just like family.”

> [](https://twitter.com/DCampoamor/status/642421633093730304)

> [](https://twitter.com/georgewrighster/status/642421573232627712)

> [](https://twitter.com/freedomreeves/status/642419411614367744)


> [](https://twitter.com/TaySweezy%5F/status/642419336028663808)

> [](https://twitter.com/Saad%5Fsalaam/status/642420341835472896)

> [](https://twitter.com/sauvblancpapi/status/642422477268774912)


> [](https://twitter.com/MichelleDBeadle/status/642422245185462272)

> [](https://twitter.com/TheViperEvolved/status/642422207768043522)

> [](https://twitter.com/JBen%5FRadio/status/642422996007825408)


> [](https://twitter.com/tgcowles/status/642438565209735168)


## Transcript

The most influential person for me has always been hard just to name one single person, but I would say mostly my family. My mom, my dad, and my sisters. They just, we grew up in such an environment where it was all about family and all about, you know, supporting each other and just always making sure that we protected each other. So even to this day I still live with my sister. We still play tennis together. We do so, so, so many things and so, it's like a family unit for me that's just so important. Being on the Time 100 list is really exciting to be considered as one of the most, 100 most influential people, for me, it's great.

I just try to do the best I can everyday. And I always try to stay positive through the ups and the downs and often try to keep a smile on my face, so hopefully I can influence people out there to just be the best that they can.

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