Serena Williams in a tight pink dress at ESPY's #OMG

Photos: Serena Williams’ plunging minidress steals show at ESPYs

By Chris Chase

To say Serena Williams stole the show at the ESPYs suggests that there was a show to steal.

The world No. 172 walked the red carpet in a dazzling, low-cut pink minidress that accentuated her curvy physique. The gold Christian Louboutin heels added at least four inches to Serena's 5-foot-9 frame.

[Photos: Serena Williams at the ESPYs]

Despite playing in two tournaments since last year's show, Serena was awarded the ESPY award for best female tennis player, which is like the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences giving an Oscar to Al Pacino for this year's sure-to-be stinker "Jack and Jill" because he was fantastic in "The Godfather II."

Yes, we know; it's useless to complain about a meaningless, arbitrary award like an ESPY. Still, you'd think ESPN could have lured Serena to the show with the promise of something else (a lifetime achievement award, a montage of her comeback, a shawl) rather than a prize for playing no matches during the voting period. Not that there were many other candidates for the prize but surely there was someone. What about wheelchair tennis great Esther Vergeer, who's won more than 400 matches in a row? Or mom-turned-champion Kim Clijsters? Or those ladies who always play doubles at the court down the street from you because, you know, they played tennis this year.

Serena is playing some World TeamTennis events for the Washington Kastles this month before returning to tournament play July 25 in Stanford. She's set to play three more tournaments before the U.S. Open.