"I never thought I would've married a white guy... Love has no color" - When Serena Williams opened up on her relationship with husband Alexis Ohanian
Serena Williams once opened up about defying her own expectations with her interracial marriage to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. The 23-time Grand Slam champion explained how they complemented one another, despite being polar opposites.
Williams first crossed paths with Ohanian at the Cavalieri Hotel in Rome amid her campaign at the 2015 Italian Open. Their relationship blossomed when the former World No. 1 invited him to join her friends and later asked him to accompany her for her campaign at the French Open.
Ohanian proposed to Williams at the same hotel where they met in December 2016, with the couple announcing that they were expecting their first child in April 2017. They welcomed their daughter Olympia in September that same year and tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in New Orleans in November.
In a 2018 interview with The New York Times, Serena Williams described herself and her husband Alexis Ohanian as "total opposites," highlighting her career as an athlete and his job as a tech entrepreneur.
"I’m an athlete. He’s a business guy. I’m black. He’s white. We are totally opposite. I think we just complement each other. I think we understand hard work in different ways," Serena Williams said.
Having faced racism throughout her career, Williams also disclosed that she often educated Ohanian on the racial injustices Black people were subjected to. The former World No. 1 admitted that she had never envisioned marrying a white man but emphasized that their union proved that "love had no color."
"Literally all I tell Alexis is, 'Well, you know, there’s such a difference between white people and black people.' He always gets to hear about the injustices that happen; that wouldn’t happen if I were white," she said.
"It’s interesting. I never thought I would have married a white guy, either, so it just goes to show you that love truly has no color, and it just really goes to show me the importance of what love is. And my dad absolutely loves Alexis," she added.
Serena Williams: "I’m sure there’s other people out there, but Alexis Ohanian is the one I connected with"
During the same interview, Serena Williams emphasized that her top priority was being with someone who loved her, laughed with her and made the effort to understand her life.
While the former World No. 1 acknowledged that there were surely other people who met that criteria, she emphasized that she only connected with her husband Alexis Ohanian.
"Ultimately I wanted to be with someone who treated me nice, someone who was able to laugh with me and someone who understood my life and someone that loved me," Serena Williams said.
"And you know, I’m sure there’s other people out there. But you know, Alexis is the one I connected with, and I wouldn’t have it any other way," she added.
Serena Williams and her husband Alexis Ohanian welcomed their second daughter, Adira River, in August 2023. On the occasion of the toddler's first birthday, Ohanian penned a touching message and marveled at how quickly she had grown.