Serena Williams voices discomfort over cotton plant decoration in New York City hotel

Serena Williams shared her reaction on social media after an encounter with unexpected decor during her New York stay.

Serena Williams has spoken out after noticing a cotton plant used as decoration during her stay at a New York City hotel.

The 43-year-old tennis champion shared her reaction on Instagram Stories on Thursday, posting footage of the plant in a hallway and asking her followers, “Alright, everyone. How do we feel about cotton as decoration?”

Williams added, “Personally for me, it doesn’t feel great.” In a follow-up clip, she pulled a cotton ball from the branch, compared it to nail polish remover cotton, and visibly shuddered before leaving the frame. 

“How do we feel about cotton as decoration?” the tennis great asked. Serena Williams calls out NYC hotel’s cotton plant decoration 👀 Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/B32uC7fPK8

— streetaddictz.net (@streetaddictz) September 26, 2025

Her hotel stay came as she was in New York to support Kim Kardashian’s NikeSKIMS collaboration launch, though it is unclear which venue she was staying at. The launch campaign, titled “Bodies at Work,” featured over 50 Nike athletes including tennis legend Serena Williams and sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson who headline the film.

The moment arrives as Williams faces ongoing discussion about her partnership with GLP-1 medicine company Ro.

In August, she appeared in a promotional video where she injected herself with weight-loss medication, saying it was what her body “needed” after having two children. While Williams described her choices as informed and personal, the post drew divided reactions from followers.