Serena Williams apologized for her comments about the victim in the highly-publicized Steubenville rape case.

The 31-year-old tennis star released the following statement on her Twitter: "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."

The comments she is referring to appear in an upcoming issue of Rolling Stone. During the interview for the piece, Williams discussed the Steubenville case in which a 16-year-old girl was assaulted by high school football players, The Huffington Post reports.

"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," Williams said in the interview. "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."

The interviewer, Stephen Rodrick, excerpted her comments and Twitter responded with scathing words.

@JamilSmith tweeted: "Pro tip for @serenawilliams or others discussing rape: if "I'm not blaming the girl, but..." exits your mouth, stop there. There is no "but.""

Twitter user @afbwoman said: "By your words, @serenawilliams, you aligned yourself with rapists today and crushed victims everywhere. I truly hope you right your wrong."

In the Steubenville rape case, the boys were convicted in March. One of them was sentenced with a minimum of two years in a juvenile correctional facility for photographing the incident and posting them on social media, NY Daily News reports. The other boy got a minimum of one year in the same facility.

But both could remain in jail until they turn 21. And both boys could be deemed registered sex offenders for the rest of their lives.