After tennis icons Serena Williams in 2019 and Roger Federer in 2023, Venus Williams is now a celebrity co-chair at the 2026 Met Gala alongside Beyoncé, Anna Wintour, and Nicole Kidman, and she showcased a striking ensemble.

On May 4 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Venus Williams attended the event with her husband, Andrea Preti, staying true to the theme “Costume Art” and dress code “Fashion is Art” with a look inspired by her story.

Just hours ago, 'The Tennis Letter' shared a clip on X of Venus Williams explaining her 2026 Met Gala look, with special focus on the ornament around her neck, "So this is actually the Venus Rosewater dish, folded. And this is the Wimbledon trophy, that's the name of it... and there's a lot of symbolism."

"It was really difficult. I think we both struggled. But we finally got to a great place... I'm wearing Swarovski. And it's based off of my portrait at the National Portrait Gallery," she added.

Her necklace recreates the Venus Rosewater Wimbledon-plate-inspired piece seen in her portrait, blending symbols of her family, career, and background.

She also pointed out details in her silver necklace, along with the heritage it carried.

"My mom is here, my dad is here.There's symbolism from my culture in West Africa. There's the Watts Towers right here that represents Southern California. So it just seemed right for this theme, right?"

For the event, Williams wore a Swarovski crystal mesh gown inspired by Robert Pruitt’s Venus Williams, Double Portrait (2022), created for the National Portrait Gallery.

She was styled by Ron Burton, with makeup by Karina Milan, hair by Jawara, and nails by Gina Edwards.

Meanwhile, her 37-year-old husband, Preti, stood by her side in a dark Dunhill tuxedo.

This is not the first time Williams has made a statement with her bold “tenniscore” style.

How Venus Williams’ ‘Tenniscore’ Outfit Stole Attention at the Met Gala

Last year, seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams made headlines at the 2025 Met Gala by bringing “tenniscore” couture to the red carpet, wearing a forest-green Lacoste mini-dress with a bedazzled polo collar and a matching floor-length coat with fringe details.

Reflecting on her past looks and the effort behind them, Venus Williams shared in 2024 that she accidentally broke a mirror on her Marc Jacobs gown, which featured an hourglass silhouette, before stepping onto the red carpet.

“It’s based off the theme of today, we’re showing all these dresses that are too fragile to wear,” Williams said, explaining how her look matched the 2024 dress code “Garden of Time.”

Regardless, her connection to fashion has been consistent, as she told Harper’s Bazaar in 2024 that tennis and fashion go hand in hand.

“Tennis never goes out of style. It’s always trending!” said the athlete. “I’ve always loved seeing people embracing tennis-core and incorporating it into everyday style in their own unique way.”

What do you think of the symbolism behind Williams' 2026 Met Gala look? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Surjo Ray