From rivals to party pals.
Tennis icons Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova — known for their famous on-court rivalry through the years — posed together for photos at the Met Gala in New York City on Monday night.
The pair was joined by Williams’ sister, fellow tennis star Venus Williams, who called the meeting a “reunion” in a post on her Instagram Story. That’s 35 grand slams in one photo, an excited fan noted on Twitter.
Sharapova also shared the snap to her Instagram Story, along with a separate photo with Lakers star Russell Westbrook.
Williams and Sharapova’s thrilling back-and-forth began in 2004 at Wimbledon, when Sharapova defeated Williams to become the third-youngest female to win the title. But that would be the last time she would win against Williams — who dominated the remainder of their career meetings before Sharapova retired in early 2020.
The on-court rivalry spilled into the duo’s personal lives, when they appeared to go tit-for-tat in separate interviews in 2013, over one of Williams’ rumored exes, pro tennis player Grigor Dimitrov.
Then Sharapova discussed Williams at length in her In 2017 autobiography, “Unstoppable: My Life So Far,” and wrote that the pair were “not friends.”
Elsewhere in the book, Sharapova explained, “I think Serena hated me for being the skinny kid who beat her, against all odds” at Wimbledon in 2004.
Sharapova said she witnessed Williams “bawling” and having “guttural sobs” in the locker room after the loss.
“I think she hated me for seeing her at her lowest moment. But mostly I think she hated me for hearing her cry. She’s never forgiven me for it.” Sharapova wrote.
Sharapova and Williams must’ve buried the hatchet in the latter years of the Russian’s career, and it showed as they were rubbing elbows at one of fashion’s biggest nights.
Serena turned heads at the Met Gala in a pink and silver feathered look by Gucci. Sharapova rocked a gold gown with pleated sleeves by Gabriela Hearst. Meanwhile, Venus stunned in a strapless red dress by Prabal Gurung.
Serena, a 23-time grand slam winner, attended the Met Gala with her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Sharapova showed up with fiance Alexander Gilkes.
The tennis stars stepped out after both Serena and Venus pulled out of the US Open, citing injury. Other tennis pros in attendance included newly crowned US Open champion Emma Raducanu, Sloane Stephens and Naomi Osaka, who served as co-chair of this year’s Met in a look by Louis Vuitton.