Serena Williams announces she’s pregnant with second child during Met Gala

The athlete and her husband also share a five-year-old daughter

Serena Williams has confirmed that she is pregnant with her second child during the Met Gala.

The former tennis star arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 1 May alongside her husband, Alexis Ohanian. While on the red carpet, Williams showcased her baby bump in a black long-sleeved dress, with a deep v-neckline and silver sequins on the bottom of it.

The dress also had a white, fluffy skirt attached to it. She paired the outfit with pearl necklaces, white headbands, and gold earrings. Meanwhile, her spouse wore a black suit and bowtie with a white button down.

Williams confirmed her pregnancy during a red carpet interview and also on Instagram. On her account, she shared a photoshoot that she and Ohanian did in their Met Gala looks, with pictures of Williams cradling her bump.

“Was so excited when Anna Wintour invited the 3 of us to the Met Gala,” she wrote in the caption.

In the comments of her post, many fans congratulated her on her second pregnancy. She and her husband also share five-year-old daughter Alexis Olympia.

“Love you, sis!!! Congratulations!!!” one wrote, while another added: “Congratulations and best wishes!!”

Actor Storm Reid also wrote, “OMG,” along with a crying face and heart-eye emoji.

When Williams announced her retirement from professional tennis in August 2022, she revealed that she was leaving tennis to focus on growing her family. In an essay published in Vogue, she wrote that her daughter often said that she wants to be a big sister, and as the youngest of five sisters, she felt that was “a moment [she] needed to listen very carefully to”.

However, the 23-time Grand Slam champion added that it wasn’t an easy decision for her to retire.

“Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family,” she wrote. “I don’t think it’s fair. If I were a guy, I wouldn’t be writing this because I’d be out there playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical labour of expanding our family.”

You can follow along with the Met Gala as it happens here.