Serena Williams didn’t expect her Super Bowl cameo to stir up headlines about her ex. But when she danced onstage with Kendrick Lamar as he performed his Drake diss track “Not Like Us,” the internet didn’t hold back.

Serena Williams and Drake (Photo Via Imagn Images)

“I would never do that,” Williams told TIME, pushing back on speculation that her surprise appearance was meant to shade Drake. “That was sad, that anyone would ever think that.”

The tennis legend joined Lamar on stage at Caesars Superdome during the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show in February and said the backlash caught her off guard. Online chatter lit up instantly after the performance, with fans pointing to her past with Drake and the not-so-subtle lyrics aimed at the rapper.

Longtime Connection, Not A Subtle Jab

Serena Williams during the halftime show of Super Bowl LIX (Photo By Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

Williams shut down the rumors quickly and clearly. “Absolutely not,” she repeated in her TIME interview. “I have never had negative feelings towards him. We’ve known him for so many years.”

She admitted she understood why people might jump to conclusions, but made it clear that wasn’t her intention.

The track in question, “Not Like Us,” has become one of Lamar’s most high-profile responses in an ongoing lyrical battle with Drake. The song even references Williams by name and includes controversial allegations against Drake. He has since denied the claims and filed a defamation suit against Universal Music Group, the label behind Lamar’s release. UMG responded by filing a motion to dismiss.

Williams, who retired from professional tennis in 2022 after a decorated career with 23 Grand Slam singles titles, said her appearance with Lamar was months in the making. More than anything, it was about honoring their shared roots in Compton, California.

“Who would have thought that a tennis player from Compton would be regarded as one of the best tennis players of all time?” she said. “It was just putting an exclamation on it.”

As for whether she regrets the moment, she didn’t give a definite answer. “I don’t know if I regret it or not,” she admitted. “I don’t know the answer to that.”

Still, Serena Williams stood by her decision to take the stage. For her, the performance wasn’t about past relationships or current feuds. She celebrated where she came from and how far she has come.