Serena Williams Expresses Gratitude for Being Named 2024 ESPYS Host

The retired athlete ‘couldn’t be more excited’ for the gig.

Serena Williams / Jasper Colt-USA TODAY

The 2024 ESPYS—the annual award ceremony celebrating top athletes across all sports—will take place in July, and according to an announcement from ESPN yesterday, former professional tennis icon Serena Wiliams will be the host of the event.

As a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, Williams was a fitting choice for the role. “Given Serena’s spectacular on-court achievements and her overall cultural impact, she’ll bring elite star-power and dynamic energy as host of the show,” Kate Jackson, ESPN’s VP of production, said. “We are thrilled to work with her to shape a powerful and entertaining show celebrating the best moments in sports this year.”

But the choice wasn’t simply a matter of Williams’s on-court prowess. “In a year where women’s sports are being watched and celebrated like never before, it is a perfect fit to have perhaps the greatest female athlete of all time hostThe ESPYS,” Jackson explained.

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The 42-year-old understands the importance of the role, particularly in a year that has seen so much progress and newfound attention on women’s sports. “I couldn’t be more excited to hostThe ESPYS,” Williams said in a press release. “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.”

The 2024 awards ceremony will take place on July 11 in Los Angeles.