Serena Williams offers controversial views on Steubenville rape trial and opponents

Serena Williams' upcoming Rolling Stone feature includes controversial comments. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Serena Williams has expressed controversial opinions regarding the Steubenville rape trial and a pair of tennis opponents in an upcoming magazine feature.

Deadspin has excerpts of a Rolling Stone story authored by Stephen Rodrick. Rodrick's story includes Williams commenting on the trial involving members of the Steubenville (Ohio) High School football team found guilty of raping a drunken 16-year-old girl amid accusations of a cover-up to protect the community's athletes.

From the Rolling Stone feature via Deadspin:

We watch the news for a while, and the infamous Steubenville rape case flashes on the TV—two high school football players raped a 16-year-old, while other students watched and texted details of the crime. Serena just shakes her head. "Do you think it was fair, what they got? 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."

Williams' comments on the rape trial could serve to otherwise overshadow additional interview excerpts that include her suggesting a competitor in love (Maria Sharapova?)  should "give it a rest."

"There are people who live, breathe and dress tennis. I mean seriously, give it a rest." Serena exits the car and the conversation moves on to a Top Five player who is now in love. "She begins every interview with 'I'm so happy. I'm so lucky'—it's so boring," says Serena in a loud voice. "She's still not going to be invited to the cool parties. And hey, if she wants to be with the guy with a black heart, go for it."

NGUYEN: Sloane Stephens says Serena Williams uses mind games to intimidate foes

Williams also emphatically denies that she has been -- or ever wants to be -- a mentor to Sloane Stephens.

I don't know where all that mentor stuff came from. I am definitely not that girl's mentor.