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Forget the tennis court for a second. Serena Williams’s husband, Alexis Ohanian, once sat beside her at a hotel in Rome without even realizing he was sitting next to one of the greatest athletes alive, and somehow that awkward breakfast encounter turned into a marriage. From a random table dispute involving a fake rat to building a family and a business empire together, their love story is anything but ordinary.

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Who is Serena Williams’s husband, Alexis Ohanian?

Alexis Kerry Ohanian was born on April 24, 1983, in Brooklyn, New York. He later moved with his family to Maryland, where he attended Howard High School in Ellicott City and graduated in 2001. He then studied at the University of Virginia, graduating in 2005 with degrees in history and commerce.

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Ohanian’s interest in technology began well before his professional career took off. At Virginia, he met Steve Huffman, and the pair eventually co-founded Reddit in 2005. The platform became one of the internet’s biggest communities, establishing Ohanian as a major name in the technology world.

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What is Alexis Ohanian’s height and age?

Born in 1983, Alexis Ohanian is 43 years old as of August 2026. He is also notably tall at 6 feet 5 inches, a height he confirmed during a 2025 interview.

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His height is particularly noticeable when he appears alongside Serena, who stands 5 feet 9 inches tall. Beyond the physical contrast, Ohanian has become a familiar presence at major sporting events supporting his wife and their daughters.

How did Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian meet?

According to Vanity Fair, Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian first met by chance in May 2015 at the Cavalieri hotel in Rome. Serena was in the city for the Italian Open, while Ohanian was attending a conference. Their first interaction was hardly a traditional romantic meeting.

Ohanian sat down at a table near Serena and her friends by the hotel pool, apparently unaware that he had chosen the spot next to one of the world’s biggest tennis stars. Serena later recalled that she and her friends tried to persuade him to move, even joking that there was a rat near him. He stayed, and the unexpected conversation eventually changed both their lives.

Serena invited him to watch her play in Rome and later encouraged him to meet her in Paris. Their first date became a six-hour outing through Paris, including a visit to a zoo and a walk around the city. Ohanian admitted that before meeting Serena, he had barely followed tennis.

The relationship moved quickly. In December 2016, Ohanian proposed to Serena at the same Rome hotel where they first met. They married on November 16, 2017, at the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans in a Beauty and the Beast-themed ceremony attended by several celebrities.

Their first daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., was born on September 1, 2017, shortly before the wedding. In August 2023, the couple welcomed their second daughter, Adira River Ohanian.

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What does Alexis Ohanian do for a living?

Ohanian is an entrepreneur, investor, and venture capitalist. His biggest early success came from co-founding Reddit with Steve Huffman in 2005. The pair sold the company to Condé Nast in 2006, reportedly for between $10 million and $20 million. Ohanian later returned to Reddit before stepping away from its board in 2020.

He subsequently co-founded Initialized Capital and later launched his own venture capital firm, 776. His investments have increasingly focused on women’s sports.

Ohanian was a lead investor in Angel City FC and purchased a stake in Chelsea Women in 2025, investing £20 million. He has also expanded his involvement in women’s sports through other ventures, including Los Angeles Golf Club’s participation in the Women’s Team Golf League.

He has also become an advocate for paid paternity leave. After taking 16 weeks off following Olympia’s birth, Ohanian began publicly campaigning for stronger family-leave policies.

Who are Alexis Ohanian’s parents?

Alexis Ohanian is the only child of Chris Ohanian and Anke Ohanian. His father, Chris, is Armenian American, while his mother, Anke, was born in Germany. Ohanian has spoken openly about his Armenian heritage, with his paternal grandparents having fled the Armenian genocide and eventually settled in the United States.

His father worked as a travel agent, while his mother worked as a pharmacy technician. Ohanian has credited his parents’ partnership and sacrifices with shaping his understanding of family and support.

Anke died from brain cancer in 2008. Her story has remained an important part of Ohanian’s personal history and his understanding of family.

What is Alexis Ohanian’s Net Worth in 2026?

Celebrity Net Worth places Alexis Ohanian’s net worth at around $150 million, although exact figures are difficult to establish because much of his wealth is tied to private investments and business holdings.

Wealth contributor

Role

Reddit

Co-founder; company was sold to Condé Nast in 2006

Initialized Capital

Co-founder and early-stage investor

Seven Seven Six

Founder and venture capitalist

Angel City FC

Lead investor/owner

Chelsea Women

£20 million investment for a minority stake

Other investments

Technology, startups and women’s sports

Ohanian’s fortune therefore extends well beyond his original Reddit success, with venture capital and sports investments now forming major parts of his business profile.

What is Alexis Ohanian’s Instagram account?

Fans can find Alexis Ohanian on Instagram at @alexisohanian. His account features business updates, family moments, women’s sports, and posts about his daughters and Serena. His Instagram profile currently lists him as the owner of 776 and highlights his involvement with women’s sports ventures. He is also active on X under @alexisohanian, where he regularly discusses technology, business, sports, and family.

From a chance meeting beside a pool in Rome to building a family and investing heavily in women’s sports, Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian’s relationship has grown alongside two remarkably different careers. While Serena’s legacy was built on the tennis court, her husband has established his own path through technology, venture capital, and women’s sports, making their partnership one that extends far beyond their celebrity status.

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Written by

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Nilendu Brahma

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Nilendu Brahma is an eSports Content Writer at EssentiallySports, bringing his passion for gaming and sports journalism to the forefront. With a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, Nilendu combines his love for writing with his expertise in eSports. As a die-hard Barcelona fan and a cricket fanatic, he understands the pulse of sports enthusiasts. With a keen eye on games like Valorant, CS:GO, League of Legends, FIFA, Dota, and Call of Duty, Nilendu's in-depth knowledge and avid following of eSports make him a credible voice in the industry. In his spare time, Nilendu enjoys exploring new best sellers around the world.

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Snehal Dogra

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