Tennis Stars Bring Their A-Game Fashion To The Met Gala

Fashion and tennis have always had a symbiotic relationship. Just look at the latest US Open where tennis officials and ballboys and ballgirls wear all manner of Ralph Lauren merchandise. And tennis-inspired ensembles have also made their way onto the runway collections of not only Ralph Lauren but also a slew of brands and fashion designers like Michael Kors, Brooks Brothers, Thom Browne. to infinity. And of course you have tennis champions like Serena and Venus Williams who keep pushing the boundaries of what you can wear on the tennis court.

So it’s no surprise to see a constellation of tennis stars at the Met Ball Costume Institute last Monday, led by Anna Wintour. Anyone who follows the event and reads Mode know that Wintour is a huge tennis fan. She regularly features tennis players on the covers and pages of her magazines and on many occasions invites some of them (read: Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova) to sit with her front row at fashion shows and to past Met Balls.

And with four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka co-chair of this year’s Met Gala, it’s a winning formula for fashion and tennis. (Between her, Serena and Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Sloane Stephens and recent US Open winner Emma Raducanu, the women captured a total of 40 Grand Slam titles at this year’s gala.)

For her first Met Ball Naomi Osaka collaborated with Louis Vuittons designer Nicolas Ghesquiere and her sister Mari for a dress that sought to represent her multicultural background. It was a colorful silk dress printed with a red obi belt-style sash and topped with black tassels like a cape.

Dressed in a fabulous robe made of tier after tier of ombre-shaded feathers is Serena Williams. Underneath the robe was a lace catsuit decorated with pink stars. Both by Guccis Alessandro Michele whom Williams thanked on Instagram for making my superhero fashion dreams come true.

Venus Williams channeled classic Hollywood glamor in a red dress with a dramatic bow and long train by Prabal Gurung. Her architectural hairstyle adds drama to the overall look. Also in red was Sloane Stephens, who wore a fiery gown with a keyhole cut in the bodice and slit from Alitte.

Emma Raducanu, who just started her magical journey as the 2021 US Open champion made her Met Gala debut in a black and white Chanel number featuring a fashion house icon: pearls and camellia. US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez also wore a black and white skirt. It was a mini dress with black and white horizontal stripes from Carolina Herrera that was inspired by the Carolina Herrera ball gown that the Williams sisters wore for a Mode photo shoot in 1998.

Fernandez’s compatriot Felix Auger Aliassime looked dashing in a white tuxedo suit. Matteo Berrettini appeared in a classic tuxedo by Dolce & Gabbana and on his sleeve was his girlfriend and 2021 Wimbledon quarter-finalist Alja Tomljanovic in a sparkly flapper-style gown also by Dolce & Gabbana. Tomljanovics dress featured the words New York and her skyscraper glittered with sequins.

And Maria Sharapova was the real winner, wearing a gold dress with thick plisse sleeves made from recycled materials from Gabriela Hearst.

Game, set, match mode.