Serena Williams and Coco Gauff met at the Oscars Gala event. Both Americans were among the luxury guests at the most important cinema event of the year, in moments we review in a new Daily Dose of Social Media.
On the other hand, stars like Ben Shelton, Naomi Osaka, Mirra Andreeva, and Daria Kasatkina appeared in recent videos as they prepare for Indian Wells. At the same time, Aryna Sabalenka shared her vision of the future of women’s tennis following the launch of the WTA's new brand.
Coco Gauff attends the Oscars and joins Serena Williams
Coco Gauff made her debut at the Academy Awards ceremony, the most important event for awarding films from the past year. On this glamorous occasion, the World No. 3 wore a radiant yellow tennis-inspired dress and strutted down the red carpet outside the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
The 2023 US Open champion complemented her outfit with diamond jewelry and a hairstyle featuring braids and a messy bun. The 20-year-old American shared several photos from the gala and even ran into one of her idols, the 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, a regular guest at such events, who posed for pictures with Gauff.
Serena Williams becomes co-owner of Toronto Tempo
It was announced today that Serena Williams has become the co-owner of the WNBA expansion franchise, the Toronto Tempo. The 23-time Grand Slam champion hasn’t wasted time since her retirement and continues to be an active entrepreneur and investor in sports, healthy food, and fashion, with a particular focus on women-led startups. Williams joined a group of owners led by Larry Tanenbaum, chairman of Kilmer Sports Ventures.
“I am thrilled to announce my ownership role in the first Canadian WNBA team, the Toronto Tempo,” Williams said in a statement. “This moment is not just about basketball; it is about showcasing the true value and potential of female athletes — I have always said that women’s sports are an incredible investment opportunity. I am excited to partner with Larry and all of Canada in creating this new WNBA franchise and legacy.”
Shelton targets Indian Wells surprise
Ben Shelton is now training at Tennis Paradise, aiming to continue his strong 2024 season, which has placed him in the ATP Race top 5, meaning he is one of the five players who have accumulated the most points this year – behind Sinner, Zverev, Auger-Aliassime, and Alcaraz.
The American will look to take advantage of playing at home during the Sunshine Double to continue racking up solid results, and why not, challenge for a surprise title at Indian Wells. Shelton reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, where he earned most of his points this season. The American has shown that it’s in big tournaments where he performs best, having reached a Grand Slam semifinal at the 2023 US Open and two Masters 1000 quarterfinals. At Indian Wells, he defends the 4th round he reached in 2024, where he lost to third seed Jannik Sinner.
