Serena Williams apologizes for comments about Steubenville rape victim

World No. 1 tennis player Serena Williams apologized Wednesday for the statement she made regarding the Steubenville rape victim.

In a statement posted on her website Williams admitted that what happened in Steubenville had been "a real shock" for her and added that she was "deeply sorry" for the quote that appeared in Rolling Stone magazine claiming it had been "insensitive and hurtful."

The tennis star added that she has fought for women's equality throughout her career and added that "anything I could do to support women I have done."

William's apology comes a day after Rolling Stone magazine published a profile about the 16-time Grand Slam champion in which she was quoted saying that the 16-year-old Steubenville rape victim “shouldn’t have put herself in that position.”

“Do you think it was fair, what they got?" Williams reportedly asked the Rolling Stone reporter as they watched the news pop up on TV while she was being interviewed. "They did something stupid, but I don’t know. I’m not blaming the girl, but if you’re a 16-year-old and you’re drunk like that, your parents should teach you: Don’t take drinks from other people. She’s 16, why was she that drunk where she doesn’t remember? It could have been much worse. She’s lucky. Obviously, I don’t know, maybe she wasn’t a virgin, but she shouldn’t have put herself in that position, unless they slipped her something, then that’s different.”

Here is William's statement in full:

“What happened in Steubenville was a real shock for me. I was deeply saddened. For someone to be raped, and at only sixteen, is such a horrible tragedy! For both families involved -- that of the rape victim and of the accused. I am currently reaching out to the girl’s family to let her know that I am deeply sorry for what was written in the Rolling Stone article. What was written -- what I supposedly said -- is insensitive and hurtful, and I by no means would say or insinuate that she was at all to blame.

I have fought all of my career for women’s equality, women’s equal rights, respect in their fields -- anything I could do to support women I have done. My prayers and support always goes out to the rape victim. In this case, most especially, to an innocent sixteen year old child.”