7 best looks from the Met Gala over the years ft. Venus, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Emma Raducanu & others

Tennis players have had a rich history at the Met Gala, a fundraising gala often regarded as the most prestigious event in the world of fashion, with the likes of Maria Sharapova, Venus and Serena Williams being among the regular attendees.

Held annually at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the event has seen some of the sport's biggest names serve up one memorable outfit after another. Here, we have listed seven of the best looks -- for tennis players -- at the Met Gala over the years.

#7 Sloane Stephens

Sloane Stephens at the 2021 Met Gala

The 2021 edition of the Met Gala, themed around "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion," saw multiple tennis players make an appearance. Sloane Stephens managed to hold her own in a custom Aliétte dress.

Designed by Jason Rembert, the red balloon sleeve gown turned a lot of heads at the gala event and made for the perfect debut appearance for Stephens.

#6 Emma Raducanu

Emma Raducanu at the 2021 Met Gala

Emma Raducanu's appearance at the 2021 Met Gala drew a lot of attention as it followed soon after the teenager's sensational run to the US Open title.

Raducanu went monochrome for her debut look and wore a printed dress by Chanel, pairing it with Tiffany & Co jewlery. The Brit would soon get on board as the face of the latter brand in a much-discussed sponsorship deal.

#5 Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka at the 2021 Met Gala

Naomi Osaka's Louis Vuitton corsetted dress, designed by Nicholas Ghesquière and based on sister Mari’s graphic designs, at the 2021 Met Gala drew a lot of eyeballs.

The Japanese player paired the dress with a silk cape, bold make-up and a strong message of embracing one's cultural heritage -- the dress bore koi fish iconography -- making it an instant hit.

#4 Leylah Fernandez

Leylah Fernandez at the 2021 Met Gala

Leylah Fernandez joined Raducanu, who beat her in the US Open final, at the 2021 Met Gala after a whirlwind fortnight of her own. Having already made headlines by taking out the likes of Naomi Osaka, Elina Svitolina and Angelique Kerber at Flushing Meadows, she made a memorable debut at the fundraiser.

The youngster wore a black-and-white Carolina Herrera dress, which she later said was inspited by Venus Williams' 1998 look in a nice tribute to the American legend.

#3 Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova at the 2021 Met Gala

Of all the Maria Sharapova Met Gala looks, her 2021 gold gown designed by Gabriela Hearst has to be her most memorable. The stunning gown, which came with plisse sleeves, was made using upcycled materials and saw the former World No. 1 champion for sustainable fashion.

Sharapova was later spotted posing for photographs with former on-court rivals Venus and Serena Williams in the same dress, adding the perfect finishing touches to make it one of her most memorable Met Gala appearances.

#2 Venus Williams

Venus Williams at the 2022 Met Gala

The newest of the entries on the list, Venus Williams' all-black ensemble for the recently-held 2022 Met Gala already has people talking.The American paired her three-piece Law Roach pantsuit with locks and accessories -- including black wayfarers -- designed by Gabriela Hearst. A departure from gowns and minidresses, the look further cemented Williams' love for experimenting with her look.

#1 Serena Williams

Serena Williams at the 2021 Met Gala

Serena Williams looked like an absolute dream in her 2021 Met Gala ensemble. The American wore a lace catsuit designed by Gucci's Alessandro Michele, but what made her look truly stand out was the accompanying cape -- also designed by Michele.

Made of ombre-shaded feathers, the voluminous cape trailed Serena Williams as she walked up the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art staircase. She was accompanied by husband Alexis Ohanian and posed for some of the most memorable pictures from the 2021 edition of the Met Gala.