"If there's anyone that knows how to hold a trophy, it's you" - Reilly Opelka congratulates Serena Williams on winning Portrait of a Nation award
American tennis player Reilly Opelka congratulated compatriot Serena Williams on being honored at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. Tennis greats Serena Williams and Venus Williams were among the seven dignitaries honored at the event.
The prestigious exhibition featured portraits of tennis champions and entrepreneurs Serena and Venus Williams by artists Toyin Ojih Odutola and Robert Pruitt, both from New York.
On social media, Serena expressed her delight at being awarded the Portrait of a Nation award by posting a picture of herself holding the award. The former World No. 1 jokingly remarked that she always poses the same with her trophies.
"I literally only know one way to hold a trophy...UP! Here to being in the @smithsoniannpg," Williams captioned her Instagram post.
World No. 38 Reilly Opelka reacted to her Instagram post and assured her by saying that Serena must know how to hold a trophy.
"If there's anyone that knows how to hold a trophy, I think it's you," Opelka commented.
"It's important to see Black women smiling in the National Portrait Gallery, they are the backbones of this country" - Serena Williams on receiving the Portrait of the Nation award
23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams and her sister Venus Williams were among the seven awardees at the Smithsonian's National Portrait of the Gallery.
The Portrait of a Nation Awards, which were established in 2015, recognizes extraordinary people who have significantly improved the United States and its citizens.
Other fellow honorees included, José Andrés, chef and humanitarian; Clive Davis, Grammy Award-winning music executive and philanthropist; Ava DuVernay, Academy Award-nominated and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker; Marian Wright Edelman, attorney and children's rights activist; and Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, a leading public health expert.
The NAACP Legal Defense Fund's President and Director-Counsel, American attorney Janai Nelson, posted glimpses of the Williams sisters accepting their prize on Twitter.
"Congratulations to @serenawilliams for receiving the #portraitofanation award," Nelson wrote in her tweet.
Congratulations to @serenawilliams for receiving the #portraitofanation award! https://t.co/0cuc0WAXMh
In her acceptance speech, Serena expressed her happiness at seeing Black Women being honored at the exhibition. She also stated that "black women are the backbone of this country."
As @serenawilliams said: It’s important to see Black women smiling in the National Portrait Gallery. Black women are serious but we also have joy. We are the backbones of this country. https://t.co/H1SJ9gvjxQ
"It's important to see Black women smiling in the National Portrait Gallery. Black women are serious but we also have joy. We are the backbones of this country," Williams said, as conveyed by Nelson.