Why is 'Serena Williams cotton plant' trending? Tennis star’s take on NYC hotel decoration sparks controversy

Former tennis player Serena Williams shared her opinion about seeing a cotton plant as a decorative item at an NYC hotel. She posted a video on her Instagram story on September 25, where she was seen saying:

“Hi, everyone. How do we feel about cotton as decoration? Personally for me, it doesn’t feel great.”

In the next video, she was seen holding a cotton ball and pretended as if she was removing nail paint. Although she did not clearly mention why she was unhappy about cotton being used as a decorative item in the hotel, it drew a lot of attention. Her Instagram story was discussed a lot by other media and social media outlets and has become a trending topic.

Public reaction to tennis star’s take on NYC hotel decoration

Meanwhile, a section of social media users agreed with Serena Williams, while others criticized her for the comments. Here’s what they had to say:

“Yeah that’s a little wild. Not my idea of tasteful decor but hey,” an Instagram user (@i_am_sakena) wrote.

“Ain NEVER seen nobody use cotton as a decorative plant,” another netizen (@boriibillions_) commented.

Meanwhile, other online commentators called Serena Williams out for plucking a cotton ball. Some of the comments are:

“I think it's a beautiful plant and decoration. We don't dislike cotton, we dislike picking it,” one media user (@right_wrong69) mentioned.

“Love serena but it’s a little reach. Cotton plants exist. Tobacco plants also exists and if she gone be mad at the plant she gotta be mad at every cigarette smoker,” an Instagram user (@thaat1guyspad1.0) shared.

This isn’t the first time Williams has been vocal about her experience at a hotel. Last year, she wanted to access the restaurant at the Peninsula Paris hotel, but she wasn’t allowed. She shared an X post at the time, writing:

“Yikes @PeninsulaParis I’ve been denied access to rooftop to eat in an empty restaurant … but never with my kids. Always a first.”

Serena Williams opens up about her weight management journey

In August 2025, Serena Williams appeared in an advertisement for a healthcare company named Ro. In the video, she said that after her children were born, she faced a situation that she had never encountered before. She said:

"I was doing everything right. Working out, eating clean, following the plan. But my body wasn't responding the way it used to. I knew my body was missing something it needed. For me, the answer was GLP-1s. The answer was Ro."

Serena Williams said she had been making informed decisions for her body and health. She said she was using the services of the healthcare company to take back control of her weight management journey. Her message to others was:

Trending

"If you're on GLP-1s, too, don't let anyone tell you it's the 'easy way out.' You're not taking a shortcut. You're taking care of yourself."

She said this takes a lot of courage. According to CBS News, GLP-1s helped Serena Williams lose 31 pounds in less than a year.

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