Serena Williams Serves on the 2024 Met Gala Red Carpet: 'Going for the Gold'

The tennis superstar has a history with the event, co-chairing in 2019 and revealing her baby bump there in 2023

Serena Williams attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The
Serena Williams at the 2024 Met Gala. Photo:

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Another Serena Williams Met Gala serve!

On the first Monday in May, the tennis star, 42, stylishly arrived at the stylishly arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City for the fête themed  "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" with coordinating dress code "The Garden of Time" in a metallic golden gown by Balenciaga. The tennis legend completed the one-shouldered look with golden flowers in her hair, Messika jewels, black opera-length gloves, black sheer tights and matching heels.

"Going for the gold," she captioned her Instagram carousel. 

According to Vogue, Williams worked with Balenciaga on a dress specifically inspired by a look from its 51st couture collection shown in 2022 and calling back to the brand's archives. A true couture creation, "the atelier dedicated 150 hours to pattern-making and crafted the couture piece from 25 meters of gold foil-laminated taffeta sourced from Italy," the outlet said. 

Serena Williams attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024
Serena Williams at the 2024 Met Gala celebrating Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on May 6, 2024.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

"It’s truly been an honor to collaborate with the talented Balenciaga team on such a memorable and glamorous piece," Williams told Vogue. "This gown represents a collective effort to create something truly extraordinary, and I am immensely proud to be the one to showcase it," she added.

Last year at the 2023 Met Gala, the red carpet also functioned as a baby bump reveal for the 23-time Grand Slam winner. 

Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian
Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian at the 2023 Met Gala.

Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Williams, who dripped in pearls for the 2023 Karl Lagerfeld-themed event, revealed that she was pregnant with her second daughter, Adira River Ohanian, with husband and Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian. 

In 2017, after announcing her first pregnancy on Instagram a few weeks before, the mom-to-be glowed on the Met Gala red carpet in a green Atelier Versace halter-neck gown, debuting her bump for the first time. 

Serena Williams attends the "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between" Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Serena Williams at the 2017 Met Gala. Karwai Tang/WireImage

Williams knows how to put her own spin on the Met Gala. In 2019, the tennis player co-chaired the event alongside Anna Wintour, Lady Gaga, Alessandro Michele and Harry Styles. She wore a custom Versace gown with a flowing train in neon yellow accented with whispy pink, leafy appliqué strewn across the gown. 

Right Now: Serena Williams Met Gala Red Carpet 2019
Serena Williams at the 2019 Met Gala.

In true athlete style, she accessorized with sporty, matching yellow sneakers from Virgil Abloh, lifting up her dress to reveal her comfortable footwear. 

See all of PEOPLE’s Star-Studded Met Gala Coverage in One Place!

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