Serena Williams to be next athlete on General Mills' Wheaties box

General Mills is putting Serena Williams on its next Wheaties box, the company announced Tuesday.

The tennis star and cultural icon will appear in stores on the classic orange box in the coming weeks. Golden Valley-based General Mills said it selected Williams not only because she's widely considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time, but because of her cultural and social influence.

"Serena exemplifies all of the personal attributes that Wheaties looks for when choosing who its next champion will be," said Tiffani Daniels, marketing manager for Wheaties, in a prepared statement. "On the court she has been named the women's most valuable player seven times, while off the court she uses her voice to inspire and spark change to make the world a better place."

Williams has earned 23 grand slam singles titles and 14 grand slam doubles titles. She's also won four Olympic gold medals in both singles and doubles play, representing the U.S. in Sydney, Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro.

Off the court, Williams is a well-known advocate for gender and racial equality. She's a businesswoman, philanthropist and admired mother-athlete.

"I am so excited to be on the cover of the next Wheaties box," Williams said. "I have dreamt of this since I was a young woman and it's an honor to join the ranks of some of America's most decorated athletes. I hope my image on this iconic orange box will inspire the next generation of girls and athletes to dream big."