Mattel Just Announced a New Venus Williams Barbie Doll

To honor the legendary tennis player, Mattel is releasing a new Venus Williams Barbie doll as part of its Inspiring Women Series. Stated in a press release, the series “pays tribute to incredible heroines of their time,” honoring the women who took risks, championed change and paved the way for future generations. Others previously featured in the series include Maya Angelou, Frida Kahlo, and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Making history both on and off the court, Williams hit headlines way back in 2007 for demanding equal prize money for women in professional tennis. The athlete also changed the status quo to facilitate change for future female athletes and inspired the fight for gender equality beyond sports. Speaking about the new doll, Williams shared, “I hope this doll encourages young people to dream big, know their worth and pursue their goals with confidence and heart.”

She collaborated closely throughout the design process to ensure an accurate reflection of herself, with the doll wearing her uniform from the 2007 Grand Slam win. This tournament made her the first woman in tennis to earn equal pay to her male counterparts at a top-level tournament, so a pretty major way to commemorate it. The doll also wears a green gem necklace and comes equipped with a tennis racket, ball and wristband.

The Venus doll was first unveiled in May alongside nine other female athletes and will be available to buy from August 15th on the Mattel website.