Why Gayle King Admires Serena Williams' Response Following Catsuit Controversy (Exclusive)

The beloved TV personality is addressing her pro athlete friend's recent scandal.

When it comes to Serena Williams’ recent catsuit controversy, she has some serious support in her corner!

ET caught up with her longtime friend Gayle King at the opening night ceremony for the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Open where she weighed in on Williams' form-fitting bodysuit getting banned from the French Open and the pro athlete's response.

“Listen I love her attitude," she said. "‘I am not going to wear it again, anyways.’ So okay, she doesn’t want to wear the same thing twice, but Nike had the best [response]. They said... 'You may strip her from her superwoman suit but you cannot strip her of her superpowers,' and that is absolutely the truth.”

King is referencing Nike’s newest ad which shows the 36-year-old athlete wearing the bodysuit in question. Over the image is powerful line, “You can take the superhero out of her costume but you can never take away her superpowers.”

Iconic tennis star Billie Jean King was also in attendance and weighed in on the catsuit debate with some stern words for those who are attempting to decide how Williams looks on the tennis court.

“Because [men] gotta stop policing us and our bodies, you know women are taught to be perfect and boys are taught to be brave and it’s ridiculous,” she told ET at the event. “No one’s perfect, [they're] always talking about our bodies and what we can wear and what we can’t wear and I don’t hear too much about the guys, do you?”

Williams previously explained that she's working to improve her circulation and avoid blood clots, which the suits helps with. She also revealed, amid the controversy, that she felt it empowered her as she headed into a match.

"It feels like this suit represents all the women that have been through a lot mentally, physically, with their body to come back and have confidence and to believe in themselves," she said.

Besides Nike’s ad pushing back at her detractors, they’ve also released a new touching commercial interweaving footage of her training as a child and playing as an adult. The emotional ad ends with the poignant line, “It’s only crazy until you do it.”

Get more news on Williams in the clip below.

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