Venus Williams sparkles with all crystals at the 2026 Met Gala

Venus Williams is serving in a Swarovski at the 2026 Met Gala.

The 45-year-old tennis legend, who attended the event with husband Andrea Preti, didn't have to look far to create a look that honored the event's theme, “Costume Art,” and its dress code, “Fashion is Art.”

Williams wore a stunning Swarovski crystal mesh gown inspired by Robert Pruitt’s portrait of her, "Venus Williams, Double Portrait," commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery.

Williams' necklace was a re-creation of the Wimbledon-plate-inspired necklace she wears in the portrait, which also honors Black tennis stars who came before her.

Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for The Met Museum/

“It reflects not just my journey, but the legacy of those who came before me — especially pioneers like Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe, who paved the way," Williams said of the portrait when she spoke to Vogue ahead of the Met Gala.

"It felt like a personal way to connect with ‘Costume Art,’ using fashion to tell a story about legacy, progress, and honoring those who made it possible," she added.

Petri stood by Williams side looking dapper in a dark tuxedo.

The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion made headlines for bringing “tenniscore” couture to the 2025 Met Gala, which had the theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” and a dress code of “Tailored For You.”

Williams walked the red carpet wearing a forest-green Lacoste mini-dress with a bedazzled polo-style collar. She completed her look with a floor-length green coat with fringe lapel and sleeves.

Venus Williams at the 2025 Met Gala celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style." (Cindy Ord/MG25 / Getty Images for The Met Museum/)

Williams has attended multiple Met Galas, dating back to her 2004 debut.

“I think I was the first athlete to come,” she noted in 2024 at the Met Gala to E! News. “And then I took a long break and then I came back again like five years ago.”

At the 2024 gala, Williams wore a shimmering Marc Jacobs mirrored gown — and accidentally broke one of the mirrors before hitting the red carpet, she told E! News.

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

“So he wanted to bring in the fragility of mirrors,” she added before quipping, “I only broke one.”

The same year, Williams, who is married to former model and actor Andrea Preti, told Harper’s Bazaar she believed 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.”