Fans are Bushing Serena Williams

They made her thighs look non-existent!' Fans hit out over claims Serena Williams' Sports Illustrated cover was edited to make her powerful legs and body look slimmer.

Serena Williams may be celebrating her 'spectacular' year after being named Sports Illustrated's 2015 Sportsperson of the Year, but many of her fans have been left disappointed by her corresponding magazine cover in which they claim her thighs look noticeably 'slimmer'.

After Sports Illustrated debuted the cover of its highly-anticipated annual issue on Monday, critics flocked to social media to comment on the size of the 34-year-old tennis star's thighs, while accusing picture editors of using Photoshop to make her athletic legs look smaller.

Meanwhile, another Twitter user noted: 'I don't like that cover photo of Serena Williams on SI because they made her thighs look nonexistent.'

In the powerful - and now controversial - image, Serena is pictured wearing a black lace leotard and patent leather pumps as she sits on a gold throne with her leg slung over the arm of the chair. However, not everyone was taken by the stunning image.

'Photoshopped #SerenaWilliams until she looked slim. Beautiful picture but she better with her normal body [sic],' one person tweeted, while another added:  'Sports Illustrated didn't do justice to Serena's thighs but damn look @serenewilliams ankles.'

However, other people questioned whether the athlete's smaller thighs were just the result of her losing weight.

See pictures below.

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