Serena Williams' Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year Cover Was Photoshopped? Fans Disappointed [Photo]

She has been known as the number one tennis player, and now Serena Williams has been dubbed as "Sportsperson of the Year" by Sports Illustrated 2015. The 34-year-old star graced the magazine's cover and looked like an alluring queen, but some said it was photoshopped. 

"Williams's status as a global icon was never more clear than it was in 2015. She appeared in movies and TV shows, guest-edited magazines and published essays and counts many of the world's most influential people as her friends. She has utilized her broad platform to advocate for racial justice, gender equality and equal access to education around the world," In Style wrote in a statement.

According to In Style, considering the tennis player's Olympic recognitions, it was an easy task for her to be acknowledged with the title. In fact, she has already dominated the sport's world with three major honors, and even completed her second 'Serena Slam' -- winning four straight Grand Slam recognitions in the 2014 U.S. Open.

Williams also won almost all of her matches, with a score of 53 out her 56 matches. She has stood at No. 1 for two consecutive years, every week. She impressively did all of this while nursing a series of injuries and still is considered as "one of the greatest late-career runs in the history of any sport."

However, Daily Mail noted that her celebration for her new recognition was currently plagued with controversies, as some claimed that her cover photo was photoshopped. Williams was wearing black leotards, which showed a full display of her legs.

This was paired with patent leather pumps while she was sitting in a golden throne as her right leg hung over the armrest of the chair. However, William's fans were quite upset to notice her thigh looked a little thinner than it used to be.

The sports media franchise released her cover photo on Monday and the critics promptly expressed their sentiments out on social media. "The photoshopped the sh** out of #SerenaWilliams' thighs for that #SportsIllustrated cover. Geez [sic]," one commentator wrote on Twitter, according to Daily Mail.

Some even said that they didn't like what the magazine did to Williams, as they made her thighs look "nonexistent." But, while other people were unsure if it was really edited, some claimed that it might be the result of her weight loss.

Watch the best points of Serena Williams by Moar Montages.