What do you get when a superstar athlete and a foremost internet entrepreneur come together? The result is one of the most famous couplings in the world and a very wealthy one at that. This is the exact story of the renowned tennis player Serena Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian.
Unarguably one of the greatest athletes of all time, Williams has accumulated tens of millions of dollars in prize monies on her way to winning 23 Grand Slam trophies and numerous other titles. She has also scored several juicy endorsement deals and is consistently ranked as the world’s highest-paid athlete. Her trailblazing husband, on the other hand, is a famous tech guru who first made his name and money as the co-founder of the popular app Reddit. He has since spread his tentacles to other ventures and is a notable investor. Ohanian has acquired a massive net worth but many point out that it could have been more had he hung on to his famous invention.
Who is Richer Between Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian?
The answer to the above puzzle is Serena Williams with a net worth of $210 million. The tennis superstar is about four times richer than her husband and this is thanks to the superb career that she has had as a tennis player. Ever since going pro in 1995, Williams has thoroughly dominated the women’s game, winning 82% of her matches. She has won about 73 singles titles out of which 23 are Grand Slams. It is now estimated that she has won $92 million in prize monies which is more than any other female athlete ever.
Such impressive feats have made many brands want to associate with Williams and she now makes big bucks from endorsement deals. The American has a heavy sponsorship roaster consisting of the likes of Nike, Upper Deck, Bumble, Gatorade, JP Morgan Chase, Beats Electronics, Audemars Piguet, and JP Morgan Chase. Other sponsors include the likes of Pepsi, Aston Martin, and Delta Airlines, and Williams now easily picks up more than $30 million each year from endorsements.
Other lucrative sources of income for Serena Williams include fashion as well as investments. With regards to the former, the tennis player often makes bold statements with her on-court outfits and this has inspired several clothing lines, including S by Serena and Aneres. When it comes to investing, Williams is an ace impact investor and has shelled out not less than $6 million for several start-ups, especially those owned by women and minorities. She also has stakes in UFC as well as the NFL side, Miami Dolphins.
Unsurprisingly, the person that is helping Serena Williams build her investment portfolio is none other than her husband, Alexis Ohanian, who himself is worth $40 million. Ohanian made his first millions via the social news website, Reddit, which he co-founded. He and two other individuals set up the app in 2005 and by 2006, sold it to publishing giants Condé Nest for $10 million. This means that Ohanian potentially made about $3 million from the deal which is quite a bit of a letdown seeing as Reddit is worth about $6 billion today. Ohanian is not unmindful of this fact and has stated that it was because he didn’t have more good advice at his disposal. He is now determined to stop others in his shoes from making similar mistakes. To this end, the American internet entrepreneur has set up two investment funds; Initialised Capital (now defunct) and 776. These funds are dedicated to growing early tech startups and have thus far invested in companies such as Instacart, Zenefits, Opendoor, Cruise, Kinside, and Dispo.
Ohanian has also co-founded several other apps, including the travel search website Hipmunk, and the geeky merchandise brand Breadpig. The Reddit co-founder also has a stake in the women’s soccer league side, Angel F.C.
Halloween is always a surreal holiday for me, because on Halloween 2006, we sold @reddit to Conde Nast… the deal was months in the making and I wish I'd had more advisors around the table giving me more perspective on the sale. I thought I was getting away with something…
— §AlexisOhanian 7️⃣7️⃣6️⃣ (@alexisohanian) November 1, 2020
Alexis Ohanian is Two Years Younger Than His Famous Wife
Serena Williams is not only richer than her husband but is also older by two years. The tennis great was born on the 26th day of September in 1981 in Saginaw, Michigan. She however grew up in Compton, California. It was an area riddled with drugs and crimes but luckily for Serena and her sister, Venus, they had a father dedicated to helping them fulfill their potentials. The senior Williams homeschooled both girls from the get-go. He also became their first tennis coach and eventually guided them into becoming the superstars they are today.
On his own part, Alexis Ohanian was born on the 24th of April 1983 in Brooklyn, New York. His father, Chris, is Armenian American while his late mother, Anke, was German. Ohanian grew up in Baltimore where he showed great promise as a child. He finished as the valedictorian of his high school and went on to obtain a degree in history and economics from the University of Virginia in 2005. That same 2005, Ohanian put heads together with his partners to come up with their first pitch, an online food menu titled mymobilemenu. The idea did not fly but their next idea, Reddit, proved to be their breakthrough.
The Couple Began Dating in 2015 and Tied The Knot in 2017
Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian have been married since 2017 but they started dating two years before that. As the story goes, the two personalities first crossed paths at a hotel in Rome in May 2015. Serena had come to participate in the Italian Open while Ohanian was speaking at a media conference. They bumped into each other and the tennis star invited Ohanian to come and watch some of her matches. From there on, she extended an invitation to him to visit her in Paris, and by September 2015, they were going steady.
The two would date for more than a year before Ohanian popped the big question in December 2016. Serena said yes and they proceeded to share the news with the rest of the world on Reddit. Penning a sweet poem, the tennis player revealed that the proposal took place at that Italian hotel where they ran into each other.
The couple would later welcome their first child, daughter – Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. in September 2017. Two months later, they tied the knot at the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans. The wedding featured the likes of Beyoncé and Jay-Z and Williams famously rocked customized Nike trainers during the ceremony. She was 36 years at that time while her husband was 34.
Williams and Ohanian are now enjoying a stable relationship with their beloved daughter in tow. Ohanian never gets tired of supporting his wife on the ATP tour and has spoken out against racist and sexist abuse directed at her. The tennis player is quite appreciative of this and has revealed that her husband doesn’t try to dim her lights but rather pushes her to further points than she would have gone by herself. The couple is also making the best life for their daughter and Williams has revealed that she plans to coach her in the game of tennis.
How the Power Couple Stack Up Against Each Other
| Serena Williams | Alexis Ohanian | |
| Age | 42 | 40 |
| Height | 5 feet 9 inches (1.75m) | 6 feet 2 inches (1.89m) |
| Birthplace | Saginaw, Michigan | Brooklyn, New York |
| Net Worth | $210 million | $40 million |
| Sources of Income | Tennis, endorsement deals, and investments | Reddit, and investments. |
| Awards | Laureus sportswoman of the year (4x) and SportsIillustrated sportsperson of the year. | Forbes 30 under 30 list in technology. Fast Company’s most creative people in business 2016 |
