Venus Williams has faced finals pressure at Wimbledon, Olympic stages, and the grind of the Grand Slam calendar. According to her, the Met Gala may still have the edge.
Williams, who served as a co-chair for the 2026 Met Gala alongside Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Anna Wintour, told TMZ Sports after the event that the preparation was no small warm-up act.
“I think preparing for the event was much tougher,” Williams said with a laugh while speaking from Raising Cane’s in New York City after the gala.
“This dress alone took about five hours of fittings. Yeah, and everything that goes into getting ready. It’s like a marathon, literally.”
A fashion marathon, with fittings
Williams added that she would rather take her chances at a Grand Slam than go through Met prep first, though she also described the two as “equally tough.” That is a careful ranking from someone with the résumé to make it.
For the gala, Williams wore a gown covered in Swarovski crystals, paired with a striking necklace that swept over her shoulders. The jewelry evoked the Venus Rosewater Dish, the Wimbledon women’s singles trophy she has won five times.
The look also nodded to her wider career and family legacy. Williams has won:
- Seven Grand Slam singles titles
- 14 Grand Slam doubles titles
- Four Olympic gold medals
Subtle? Not especially. Earned? Absolutely.
Williams called the co-chair role “a real honor”
Despite the work involved, Williams described the night as a major career moment beyond the court.
“The best part about being co-chair is definitely getting to spend time with Anna Wintour and the other co-chairs and also time with the designers,” she said. “To be that close to fashion, all those things. But most of all, the honor of it all, it’s just a real honor.”
The 2026 Met Gala theme was “Costume Art,” with the dress code “Fashion is Art.” Athletes in attendance included Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson, Lindsey Vonn, and Naomi Osaka, among others.
Williams has made a long career out of handling pressure in public. On Monday night, the court was replaced by a carpet, the fittings took five hours, and the scoreboard was mostly run by fashion people. She still seemed very much in control.
