Serena Williams is not just a star on the field, she is also bringing her A-game to the 2024 ESPYS. The tennis star delivered a night full of laughs as she took the stage on Thursday night as the host of the annual awards ceremony. The 23-time Grand Slam champion didn’t hold back while cracking jokes about several sports stars, including Caitlin Clark, LeBron James, Shohei Ohtani, Travis Kelce, and Patrick Mahomes.
However, what came as a delight was a shout out to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who was also present during the ceremony. Williams, who stepped away from tennis almost two years ago, is known to share a friendly relationship with Markle. Here’s what the tennis star said about the royal couple.
Related: “Not How You Hold A Racquet”: Serena Williams To Give Tennis Lessons To Kim Kardashian
Serena Williams Catches Up With Meghan Markle And Prince Harry
Serena Williams touched upon several aspects with a tinge of some sharp humor as she hosted the annual awards ceremony on Thursday. “Male athletes get paid so much more than female athletes,” Williams said, before adding that Ohtani didn’t realize he had lost “$16 million.”
Williams also gave a nod to her longtime friends, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who were in attendance at the event. The three of them also posed together for the paps, while having a friendly chat on the red carpet.
Prince Harry received the Pat Tillman Award for Service, for his contributions to the veteran community through the Invictus Games.
In case you missed it: Prince Harry Reveals The Patriotic Surprise He Planned For Meghan Markle On Their Second Date
Serena Williams Owns The Stage At ESPY 2024
ESPN announced on May 14 that Serena Williams would host the 32nd edition of the ESPY Awards. Her hosting debut comes just a day after the premiere of the ESPN+ Original Series ‘In the Arena: Serena Williams‘. The eight-part docuseries promises to be “the most complete, intimate and compelling account” of Williams’ “legendary career.”
Williams was excited about taking on the role of emcee, saying in May, “I couldn’t be more excited to host The ESPYS. This is a dream come true for me, and something I’ve wanted to do for as long as I can remember. It has been a sensational year for sports and an unprecedented one for female athletes. I can’t wait to celebrate everyone on-stage in July.”
In another interview with PEOPLE, Williams also spoke about her illustrious career with her daughter Olympia. “I told her the other day that she actually was in my belly when I won a big tournament [the 2017 Australian Open], and she was surprised,”
The ESPY Awards aired live on ABC on July 11, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
You might also like read:
