Daily Dose of Social Media: Venus and Serena Williams embrace Disney magic as Leylah Fernandez 'risks her life' in photoshoot

As the off-season unfolds, ATP and WTA stars are making the most of their time away from the tennis courts to fulfil commitments and enjoy some downtime. Serena and Venus Williams shared highlights from their recent family trip to Disney World, which you can find in this new Daily Dose of Social Media.

Meanwhile, Leylah Fernandez “risked her life” during a recent photoshoot for one of her sponsors, Carlos Alcaraz looked back on his vacation time as he returns to training, and Aryna Sabalenka shared exclusive photos from her visit to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix alongside her boyfriend.

Serena Williams shared a carousel of photos from her family getaway to Disney World, where she also spent time with her sister, Venus Williams. The two multi-time Grand Slam champions posed for several family photos, including ones in front of Cinderella's Castle at Magic Kingdom and on the Tron Lightcycle / Run roller coaster. “Earned my ears @disney!!! 😄 ➡️✅✅” Venus Williams posted.

“There’s nothing like a quick family trip to @disneyparks. There’s no place like Disney 😊,” Serena Williams wrote alongside a set of photos featuring her sisters, Lyndrea Price and Isha Price, and their mother, Oracene Price. Serena's husband, Alexis Ohanian, and their daughters, 7-year-old Olympia and 1-year-old Adira, also joined the trip.

Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, retired in September 2022 after the US Open and has since focused on her business ventures and investments. However, she continues to prioritise family time, frequently sharing photos and videos with her husband and daughters. On the other hand, Venus remains officially active on the professional tour, although her appearances have been sporadic. In 2024, she played just two matches during the Sunshine Double in March, losing in the first round at both Indian Wells and the Miami Open.

Aryna Sabalenka, World No. 1, shared a carousel of photos from her visit to Abu Dhabi for the F1 Grand Prix. Just a day earlier, she stole the spotlight dancing to "The Ketchup Song" alongside the Alpine team in a viral video before the race began. This time, the Belarusian posted snapshots of her day as a spectator at the event, where she was accompanied by her boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis.

The three-time Grand Slam champion was recently named Player of the Year at the WTA Awards for the first time in her career, following a stellar season. Sabalenka ended the year ranked No. 1, winning four titles with a remarkable 56-14 record and earning over $9.7 million in prize money.

Sabalenka is set to return to action on December 30th at the Brisbane International, marking the start of the 2025 season. The Belarusian has 2,300 points to defend early in the year, earned from her runner-up finish in Brisbane (losing to Elena Rybakina) and her Australian Open title (defeating Zheng Qinwen) last season.

Denis Shapovalov shared an honest reflection with his fans about his latest season and expressed his ambitions for 2025. The Canadian tennis player had to step away from the courts for about six months in the second half of 2023 due to injury and spent 2024 working to climb back up the rankings. 'Shapo' seemed to find his rhythm again towards the end of the season, clinching the title at the Belgrade Open, which helped him finish the year ranked World No. 56, a jump of more than 80 places in the last four months of the year.

“I’m super proud of how hard I worked this year. Coming back from an injury is never easy, and I had to be really patient with my body and the results… but ending on a high note meant a lot!! 😁🏆,” the former World No. 10 wrote. “Thank you to the fans around the world for your support every week and to all the Canadians for always cheering me on… I’m always proud to represent you on court!! I’m already working really hard in my 2025 preseason training with my team so I can’t wait to see you all on court again in the new year to pick up where we left off 📈💪🏼🐺”

Leylah Fernandez shared a playful video capturing what she described as “risking her life” during a new photoshoot. The Canadian tennis star is making the most of the off-season by fulfilling commitments with her sponsors, including regular photoshoots. The former US Open runner-up gave fans a sneak peek of an upcoming shoot with a lighthearted moment caught on camera.

“That one time I risked my life for a photo,” Fernandez wrote as she posed with her arms back for a shot. In the clip, a production team member warned her in French before dropping tennis balls from above: “Leylah, I’m sorry if I hit you, I don’t want to…” Fernandez nodded, signalling she was ready for the moment.

As dozens of tennis balls rained down near Fernandez, none of them hit her, much to the surprise of the production team and the player herself. Fernandez burst into laughter after emerging unscathed from the stunt. “Can’t wait to share the results of this shoot with you!! Some exciting projects in the works,” she added.

Carlos Alcaraz shared a carousel of moments on Instagram over the past few weeks after wrapping up the season. The 4-time Grand Slam champion took some time off to relax and fulfill various commitments, carving out moments to enjoy vacations with his friends, including beach outings, yacht rides, and even partying. The world No. 3 also showcased his golf skills and made time to visit the tennis court to kick off preparations for the 2025 season.

The Spaniard enjoyed a brief vacation in the Dominican Republic before heading to the USA for two exhibition matches—first against Ben Shelton in New York City and then against Frances Tiafoe in Charlotte. With those commitments behind him, Alcaraz is now back in Spain, training at the Juan Carlos Ferrero Academy, where he will be joined this week by fellow players Jack Draper and Flavio Cobolli.