Alexis Ohanian Is Proud to Go Down in History as Serena Williams’ Husband and Her Biggest Fan

When one romantic partner is more successful in their professional life than the other, it can sometimes lead to conflicts and complications in their relationship. But Alexis Ohanian, having met Serena Williams, decided to devote as much energy and time as possible to his beloved. The businessman was able to prove that the ability to put family and the happiness of his wife and child above all else doesn’t detract from his masculinity and doesn’t prevent him from reaching new heights in his own work.

Alexis just found himself at the same table as Serena

In 2015, Serena Williams traveled to Rome for the Italian Open. She was sitting with friends in her hotel when a strange young man came over, plopped himself down at their table, nonchalantly took out his laptop, and started working. Serena was taken aback by this insolence, especially since there were plenty of empty seats around.

To shoo the guy off, she told him there was a rat under the chair. “I’m from Brooklyn,” said the stranger, unembarrassed, “and there are plenty of rats there.” It turned out that the uninvited guest’s name was Alexis Ohasian and he was one of the creators of Reddit, a site Williams had never even heard of. The two ended up talking, and Serena got Alexis’ phone number.

Williams unexpectedly, even to herself, made the first move

For a while the couple just texted. Then Williams randomly invited Alexis to one of her matches in Paris. In fact, the athlete hoped Ohanian would refuse, but he suddenly agreed. At this point, Serena wasn’t sure if she was acting wisely. After the competition, the two went to explore Paris, and soon Alexis would be seen among the spectators at many of Williams’s matches.

He became a real tennis fan, even though he didn’t like the sport before

Before Alexis met Serena, he couldn’t stand tennis. But when Ohanian started attending matches, Williams’s successes simply captivated him. He had no idea how much talent, effort, and perseverance it took for this woman to break through to the top.

Ohanian said he naively thought that working in technology was hard. But the more matches he attended, the more he realized how much physical and mental effort it took for each athlete to compete. “It’s a whole other level,” Alexis remarked.

Alexis understood how important it is for athletes to be supported at competitions

Ohanian never hid his emotions during the matches, being happy for Serena’s successes and sad for her failures. He knew how important the support was for the athletes during competition. He admitted he didn’t feel that just being there was enough, so once he showed up wearing a Greatest Female Athlete t-shirt with the word “Female” crossed out. Alexis said it was silly to divide athletes by gender, and he just thought Serena was the greatest athlete in the world.

Alexis has always put in time and effort to arrange romantic moments for his beloved

Friends often tease Alexis for his fondness for broad, romantic gestures. He prepared for months before he proposed to his beloved. He rented a hotel room where they first met, prepared a romantic dinner, and even enlisted the support of Tommy Hilfiger to lure the tennis player to Rome.

It is impossible not to pay tribute to Ohanian’s sense of humour, because the final touch was the very table they met at, decorated with flowers, on which lay a plastic rat. It was hard to say “no” to such a proposal. Alexis then put up billboards calling Serena the best mom ever and took her to Venice, simply because she wanted a bite to eat.

He sees the key to happy family life in the seemingly insignificant moments

Ohanian believes that living together is not only about romance and surprises, but first and foremost about supporting and adjusting to each other. At the beginning of each year, they spend a few days synchronising their calendars, as the couple tries not to be apart for more than a week at a time.

Every Sunday he cooks breakfast, and then they just spend the whole day together doing nice things and not getting distracted by work and phones. It’s that time, in Alexis’ opinion, that means much more than any big gesture.

Alexis was never afraid to look less successful than Serena

Ohanian is sure that if a man is annoyed by the fact that his wife earns more than he does or is more successful in her career, then something else is the problem. Although most husbands are proud of the success of their other halves, they may still consider their work to be more important or be frustrated by household chores.

Alexis thinks it’s time to change that view. When it comes to Serena’s career, he always asks his spouse, “What do you want to be doing?” or “Where do you want to be?” She, in turn, also asks Ohanian the same questions when it comes to his work.

Alexis calls himself a “business dad”

In 2017, the couple’s daughter, Olympia, was born. Serena had a difficult childbirth, and to help his partner, Alexis took paternity leave. He is still concerned about the fact that not all fathers can afford such a luxury and be with their family at this important time. In his opinion, paternity leave is a great opportunity to show one’s partner love and care.

Ohanian now considers himself a “business dad” and spends all day with his daughter Olympia if Serena is busy training or doing photo shoots. He either works from home or takes Olympia to the office. Alexis’ partners are already used to the fact that his daughter can suddenly show up at a meeting, and Ohanian joyfully informs everyone: “Olympia’s at work today!”

Serena says Ohanian is not trying to outshine her

Whatever warm relationships Serena has had with her partners in the past, they all dimmed her inner light in one way or another. Alexis, on the other hand, not only makes the star shine brighter, but even inspires her to accomplish things she may not feel ready for.

Williams notes that marriage, even with a terrific person, is always serious work. And married life becomes a true blessing only if the couple is constantly working on their relationship and if the spouses are happy to meet each other half-way.

He was always ready to stand up for his wife

Alexis is not afraid to stand up for Serena if he feels she is being hurt, though he prefers scathing remarks to physical retaliation. When someone commented that they felt it is time for Serena to leave the big sport because of her age and physical condition, Ohanian was not shy with his words, and not only beat his opponent in a verbal duel, but also gained many fans in the process.

Alexis wants to be his wife’s biggest fan

Ohanian is not at all bothered by the fact that he is likely to be remembered in history not as a rich entrepreneur but as the husband of a world-renowned tennis player. That is why when he hears mockery at his expense, or is called Serena’s groupie, he doesn’t get offended and just laughs.

Ohanian says stepping into the role of husband and father has only helped him become a better man. He has found a partner in Serena that Alexis will never be able to surpass, and that inspires him to try more new things. His dream for the future is to do charity work for his daughter. “The reason I stay winning is because I’m relentless about being the absolute best at whatever I do — including being the best groupie for my wife and daughter,” Ohanian stated.

What do you think is the best way to show support for your partner in a relationship?