It takes a powerful man to stand next to the incomparable Serena Williams. Enter Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian.
The former world No. 1 in women’s singles tennis has a serious reputation, with her 23 Grand Slam singles titles and an estimated net worth of $225 million. With a resume like that, who could possibly be good enough for the tennis star?
Read on to learn how these two hugely successful tennis player and the reddit co-founder met and built an amazing life together.
Early Life
Alexis Kerry Ohanian was born in New York City on April 24th, 1983. After graduating from Howard High School in 2001, Ohanian went on to study at the University of Virginia. It was there that he would meet his friend and future co-founder, Steve Huffman.
Alexis Ohanian would graduate from university with dual degrees in commerce and history. The momentum of his college experience and his business mentors would later launch his first big idea.
The Start-Up Guy
After his online food-delivery app idea was passed over by investors, Ohanian leaned into a new idea– a news and social media forum where members could conversationally contribute their own content. Users today know this platform as “Reddit.”
On the Reddit platform, users can post links, comments, images, and videos. These posts are then organized into “subreddits,” or online communities that allow users to navigate to the most relevant content. Content can be voted on by fellow users, which will then determine its position in a forum thread.
Ohanian and his partner Steve Huffman were only twenty-two years old when the platform was created. After sixteen months, the company was sold for a massive sum to Conde Nast.
Serena Williams’ husband has seen success in other formats as well. His Wall Street Journal bestseller “Without Their Permission: How the 21st Century Will Be Made, Not Managed” ranked number for on the publication’s business list in 2013.
After Ohanian sold Reddit to Conde Nast in 2006 (remaining on the board of directors), he would move on to the venture capital world. In his work with venture capital firm Initialized Capital, Ohanian worked directly on seed investments that launched platforms like Instacart, Opendoor,’ Zenefits, and Cruise.
In 2021, it was announced that Ohanian would be leaving Initialized Capital, his venture firm project of ten years, to launch a new venture firm, Seven Seven Six.
Success Attracts Success
News about Serena Williams’ husband was trending after he supported his wife in light of a controversial cartoon run in the Herald-Sun Newspaper. According to Ohanian, the cartoon was “blatantly racist and misogynistic,” as it featured an angry Serena Williams with exaggerated features. This cartoon was run in light of Serena’s passionate response to a referee’s call during the 2018 US Open.
Ohanian has not been shy to comment to the press about his partner’s experiences as a female athlete and person of color. It is apparent that Ohanian has been nothing but supportive of his partner throughout their relationship.
Becoming Serena Williams’ Husband
Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian clearly have eyes for each other. Their love story spans over 6 years (and counting), and endless successes.
- May 2015 – Alexis Ohanian and Serena Williams meet by chance at a hotel in Rome
- A few days later – Alexis Ohanian attends the Italian Open on special invitation from Williams
- Mid-2015 – The couple courts in Paris on a romantic getaway
- September 2015 – Ohanian publicly supports Williams at the U.S. Open
- December 2016 – Alexis Ohanian and Serena Williams become engaged while visiting Rome, Serena’s favorite city
- January 2017 – Serena competes in the Australian Open while approximately eight weeks pregnant
- April 2017 – Serena accidentally reveals her pregnancy
- September 2018 – Serena Williams gives birth to daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr
- November 16, 2017 – Alexis Ohanian officially becomes Serena Williams’ husband after the couple marry in New Orleans at the Contemporary Arts Center
- January 2018 – Serena and baby Alexis grace the cover of Vogue magazine
- May 2018 – Serena Williams and husband Alexis Ohanian attend the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
- November 2018 – the couple celebrates their first wedding anniversary
- January 2019 – Still going strong, Serena Williams gushes about her husband in Allure magazine
As the partner of Serena Williams, Alexis Ohanian maintains an active role in the household as a husband and father. Though he is not the primary earner in the household (boasting an estimated net worth of $70 million compared to Serena’s $225 million), he is dedicated to supporting his wife in her wildly successful career.
Interesting Facts About Serena Williams’ Husband, Alexis Ohanian
Think you know everything about Alexis Ohanian? Though he seems like a very typical businessman, there are a few things that might surprise you.
Sadly, one of Ohanian’s first girlfriends fell from the fifth story of a building and slipped into a coma as a result of her injuries. Additionally, the entrepreneur’s mother was tragically diagnosed with terminal brain cancer just a couple of months after Reddit was founded.
As a matter of success, Ohanian made Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list in both 2011 and 2012.
Alexis Ohanian is also known for his activist work. Passionate about the environment, the entrepreneur has raised awareness about destructive whaling practices during select TED talks. Additionally, Serena Williams’ husband is credited with collaborating with teenager Rayouf Alhumedh to design and release an inclusive hijab emoji.
Get the Scoop On Famous Spouses
Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, may not be the most famous of spouses, but he is certainly no slouch. With experience as a CEO and a startup founder– and
Want the scoop on more famous pairings? Check out the carefully curated lists on the Total Pro Sports blog. We’re just as curious as you are!
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