Serena Williams and Venus Williams honored at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery
Serena Williams and her sister Venus Williams were among the honorees present at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.
The museum's seven recipients of the Portrait of the Nation award included the Williams sisters, American record producer Clive Davis, and Chief Medical Advisor to US President Anthony Fauci, among others.
The prestigious exhibition featured newly commissioned portraits of tennis champions and entrepreneurs Serena and Venus Williams by New York-based artists Toyin Ojih Odutola and Robert Pruitt, respectively.
Janai Nelson, an American lawyer and the current President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, took to Twitter to post glimpses of the Williams sisters receiving their award.
"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
"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," Serena Williams said, as conveyed by Nelson.
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
Former world No. 1 in doubles as well as singles, Venus Williams also received her honorary award at the event. She even thanked Pruitt for his exceptional work of art.
"The original #GOAT @Venuseswilliams accepts the #portraitofanation award looking like a super model and lauding the exquisite work of @robertpruittcom," said Nelson.
The original #GOAT @Venuseswilliams accepts the #portraitofanation award looking like a supermodel and lauding the exquisite work of @robertpruittcom https://t.co/6xJAahWKHD
Venus Williams' portrait can be seen in the tweet below:
https://t.co/lPyg6gWPCf
Serena Williams, who retired from tennis this year following the 2022 US Open, expressed her excitement at gracing the event. Williams was glammed up while sporting a watch from Audemars Piguet and accessories from her own line of jewelry.
"What she's done for tennis and women in sports, it's just unreal"- Lisa Raymond on Serena Williams' legacy
Serena Williams retired from the sport following her 2022 US Open stint. During her glorious career, Serena has won numerous accolades, including 23 Grand Slam singles titles.
Lisa Raymond, a former American tennis player, reflected on how Serena Williams has had an impact on her career.
"She was on tour the entire time I was playing. I played against Serena in singles, doubles, mixed. I was on Fed Cup teams with her, she was on a Fed Cup team I was coaching. Having Serena retire, it was almost like a part of me was being gone. She was such a part of my tennis career in so many ways," Lisa Raymond said.
"What she's done for tennis and women in sports, it's just unreal. I certainly shed plenty of tears watching that last match and watching her play in that (US) Open," Raymond added.
"She did (play well). She got a little fitter those last few weeks when she played. Such a difference from the girl that played in Cincinnati to the one that played in the Open. It was just so thrilling to watch those few matches and for a million different reasons. Again, it was a very happy event but a very sad event. It was someone who was there my entire career and in so many different facets. So yeah, it was sad, really sad," Raymond expressed.