Serena Williams learned her sister’s killer was free minutes before loss

Tennis superstar Serena Williams says she found out her sister’s killer had been released from prison minutes before her loss to Johanna Konta last month.

The 6-1 6-0 defeat to Konta in the opening round of the Silicon Valley Classic was the worst of Williams’ 23-year career.

In an interview with Time Magazine, the 23-time grand slam champion said she was scrolling through Instagram 10 minutes before her match and learned the killer had been released on parole.

“I couldn’t shake it out of my mind,” the 36 year-old said.

Robert Maxfield was jailed for 15 years in April 2006 for the shooting of Yetunde Price — Williams’ older half-sister — in 2003 in Compton, Los Angeles.

Price was 31 at the time of her death and had three children aged 11, 9 and 5. “It was hard because all I think about is her kids — and what they meant to me. And how much I love them,” she added.

“No matter what, my sister is not coming back for good behavior — it’s unfair that she’ll never have an opportunity to hug me.”

Williams explains that although the Bible teaches forgiveness, she is not at the point of forgiving Maxfield.

“I would like to practice what I preach, and teach Olympia that as well,”she added, referring to her own daughter. “I want to forgive. I have to get there. I’ll be there,” she said.

Williams made her tennis comeback earlier this year after giving birth to her daughter Olympia in September last year.

Read the full report from CNN here