Tennis icon Serena Williams has ignited a broader conversation on race after publicly calling out a New York City hotel’s choice to use a decorative cotton plant in its hallway. In an Instagram story shared while she was in town for the NikeSKIMS launch, Williams paused by the display and asked followers, “How do we feel about cotton as decoration?” Amid the attention, her husband, Alexis Ohanian, later defended her stance and slammed the media for comparing the plant to art in Williams’ home. Here’s what happened.

Serena Williams initially called out a hotel for using a cotton plant as decor in their hallway

During a recent stay at a luxury Manhattan hotel, Serena Williams sparked debate after noticing a decorative arrangement of raw cotton branches in a lobby display. In a short Instagram video, the 23-time Grand Slam champion questioned why the hotel would choose a plant so historically tied to the exploitation of enslaved people in the American South.

“Alright, everyone. How do we feel about cotton as decoration?” she asked her fans in the clip. “Personally, for me, it doesn’t feel great.” She then plucked a cotton ball off the plant and declared that it “feels like nail polish remover cotton.”

The post quickly went viral, drawing a mix of praise and criticism. Supporters applauded Williams for highlighting the painful symbolism of cotton, which evokes memories of forced labor and racial oppression. Others argued the display was simply a neutral design element and accused her of overreacting.

Williams was visiting New York City to attend the launch of the NikeSKIMS collaboration, “Bodies at Work,” hosted by Kim Kardashian. According to People, the campaign features Williams alongside other prominent athletes, including Sha’Carri Richardson, Jordan Chiles, Chloe Kim, Madisen Skinner, Romane Dicko, Beatriz Hatz, and Nelly Korda.

The tennis star’s husband, Alexis Ohanian, defended her following criticism over the cotton controversy

After Serena Williams called out the hotel for using a cotton plant as decor, media outlets noted that Williams previously showed off the cotton art piece in her home.

Williams’ Florida home features a powerful work of art by the late Atlanta-based artist Radcliffe Bailey titled Monument for a Promise (2013), according to Page Six. This mixed-media sculpture incorporates steel, concrete, cotton, and a trunk to depict a donkey standing over a mound of cotton, carrying a trunk. Williams has the piece in her foyer and previously told Architectural Digest about how much she loves that area of her home.

“When you walk in, it’s like walking into an art gallery,” she said. “That’s my favorite part of the house. It’s so unique. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Following the hotel controversy, Williams’ husband, Alexia Ohanian, called out the comparison between his and Williams’ home art and the cotton plant.

“Folks entitled to have their opinions, but to use owning Radcliffe Bailey’s Monument for a Promise as some kind of a ‘gotchya’ is so breathtakingly stupid — there is some very obvious symbolism of the cotton in the artwork,” he posted to X while linking to the Page Six story.

Alexis Ohanian has a history of defending Serena Williams

Following Serena Williams’ unexpected Crip Walk during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show, her husband, Alexis Ohanian, swiftly defended her against critics. The performance, which some interpreted as a nod to her rumored ex, Drake, reignited debates reminiscent of her 2012 Wimbledon controversy. Ohanian took to social media, highlighting the historical criticism Williams faced for the same dance years prior, emphasizing that her actions were a cultural statement rather than a personal jab.

“That there my baby daddy and husband. Always got my back. I Love you,” Williams posted to social media after Ohanian’s defense, according to Buzzfeed via Yahoo. “Gosh I’m so late to the game (I’ve been sick) & busy investing in billion dollar companies and running @WYNbeauty … def not dancing to be petty lol.”

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