Serena Williams: Duchess Meghan and I are ‘relying on each other a lot’

There for each other. Serena Williams revealed in a new interview that she and Duchess Meghan have been texting in the wake of her U.S. Open controversy earlier this month.

“We were actually just texting each other this morning,” the athlete said while speaking with Australia’s The Sunday Project on September 23. “We … have known each other for a long time, but we really are kind of relying on each other a lot recently,” she added with a laugh.

Williams also agreed with interviewer Lisa Wilkinson, who said she thought the two women were probably the most scrutinized in the world.

As previously reported, the 23-time Grand slam champion, 36, got heated on the court during the Women’s Final on September 8, when umpire Carlos Ramos accused her of receiving illegal coaching from the player box. She subsequently smashed her racket and called Ramos a “thief” following an exchange of words, which ultimately ended in a game penalty, and Williams subsequently being beaten by Naomi Osaka.

“This is not fair. This has happened to me too many times,” she loudly told tournament officials on the court during the match. “Do you know how many other men do things that are a lot worse than that … It’s because I’m a woman.”

Williams was fined $17,000 over the incident.

The Duchess of Sussex, 37, who reportedly met the Olympic gold medalist at the Super Bowl in 2010, has shown her support for the superstar in public before, tearing up in the stands at Wimbledon over the emotional speech Williams gave following her defeat at the English tournament on July 14.

Williams, in turn, has been equally supportive as the former Suits star settles into her new life as a royal, making the trek to St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England, on May 19 with husband Alexis Ohanian for the actress’ wedding to Prince Harry. “Most of all I just wanted to see my friend be happy,” she told The Sunday Project.

As she shared with reporters at a JP Morgan Chase event celebrating working moms in New York City on August 21, she also gave her pal a very special gift from her Serena clothing line: “I sent Meghan all of our ‘royal’ tops and said, ‘It’s perfect for you. You’re a royal now.’"