Serving up romance! Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian fell head over heels for one another in 2015 — and they’ve been getting stronger ever since.
The professional tennis player and the tech entrepreneur met by chance while staying at the same hotel in Rome. “This guy comes and he just plops down at the table next to us and I’m like, ‘Huh! All these tables and he’s sitting here?'” Williams told Vanity Fair in 2017 of her first interaction with her now-husband by the hotel pool.
Ohanian joined the Michigan native for breakfast that morning and ended up scoring an invitation to her match at the Italian Open. In December 2016, just over a year after they bumped into each other, Ohanian proposed to Williams at the same hotel that sparked their romance.
“I came home a little late. Someone had a bag packed for me and a carriage awaited. Destination: Rome, to escort me to my very own ‘charming.’ Back to where our stars first collided,” the S by Serena founder penned in a sweet Reddit poem announcing her engagement. “And now it was full circle. At the same table we first met by chance. This time he made it not by chance, but by choice. Down on one knee, he said 4 words and I said yes.”
Before they could exchange their vows, the couple hit another major milestone in their relationship: their first child. The athlete accidentally revealed her pregnancy via Snapchat in April 2017 and five months later, gave birth to daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.
Despite her complicated delivery, her partner was right there by her side. They tied the knot in New Orleans in November 2017 in front of guests including Beyoncé and Kim Kardashian.
Two years later, Williams gushed about her husband’s ability to let her shine. “Alexis doesn’t dim my light,” she told Allure in January 2019. “He doesn’t try to dim my light. He puts me in the light, even if I don’t want to be. He pushes me to further points I never thought about.”
She admitted that she noticed her “light would be dimmer” in past relationships — but not with the Reddit founder. “Now I feel like I can shine really bright and still do everything that I want to do,” she said at the time.
Ohanian doesn’t mind being known as Mr. Serena Williams. “I’ll be a self-made billionaire one day and most people will still know me as Serena’s husband (or Olympia’s dad),” he wrote via Twitter in April 2021. “And that’s fine by me.”
Keep scrolling to relive the power couple’s whirlwind romance:
The dynamic duo met while coincidentally staying at the same hotel in Rome in May 2015. Williams was in town for the Italian Open, while the Reddit cofounder was speaking at the Festival of Media Global conference. One morning at the hotel pool, the pair sparred over claiming a free table — and the rest is history. Courtesy of Alexis Ohanian/Instagram
Shortly after their chance encounter in Rome, Williams invited her now-husband to meet her in Paris. Reflecting on their romance in 2017, Ohanian told Vanity Fair, "Even if she blows me off and we don’t hang out, I'm still going to have an amazing time in Paris and I'll have an even better story for all my childhood friends." Courtesy of Alexis Ohanian/Instagram
"Come at the queen, you best not miss," Ohanian captioned an Instagram post in September 2015, showing his support for the all-star athlete at the U.S. Open. Courtesy of Alexis Ohanian/Instagram
Just over a year after they met, Williams announced her engagement in a sweet poem shared via Reddit. Ohanian proposed at the same hotel in Rome where they first laid eyes on each other. Courtesy of Serena Williams/Instagram
Williams sparked speculation that she was pregnant when she accidentally shared a private Snapchat on her public page in April 2017. Soon after, she gushed over her unborn baby in an Instagram post. "My Dearest Baby, You gave me the strength I didn't know I had. You taught me the true meaning of serenity and peace. I can't wait to meet you," she wrote at the time. Courtesy of Serena Williams/Instagram
The couple's daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., was born in September 2017. "Welcome, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr., we're so happy to meet you," the new father confirmed via Instagram at the time. "Our little girl is already mama's perfect sidekick." Courtesy of Alexis Ohanian/Instagram
Two months after welcoming their baby girl, the pair tied the knot in New Orleans in front of family and famous friends, including Beyoncé and Jay Z. Dave Allocca/Starpix/Shutterstock
Baby's first Vogue cover! Serena and her newborn graced the front of the fashion magazine in January 2018. "I can't wait for my next one maybe one day. My mom and dad always did tell me to dream big. But for now I am told I am the youngest Vogue cover ever at 3 months!" a post on Olympia’s Instagram account read. Vogue
Six months after exchanging their own vows, Williams and her husband turned heads at Meghan Markle's nuptials to Prince Harry at St. George's Chapel in Windsor. Williams met the Suits alum at DIRECTV's Celebrity Beach Bowl in February 2014. Shutterstock
The family of three jetted off to Italy for a summer getaway in July 2018. Courtesy of Alexis Ohanian/Instagram
"One year down a lifetime to go," the Grand Slam champion captioned a low key selfie with her husband in honor of their first wedding anniversary. Courtesy of Serena Williams/Instagram
Williams was one of the cochairs of the annual Met Gala in 2019 — and stunned in a yellow Versace gown on the red carpet. "Two working parents get a date night. 😍," the entrepreneur captioned a photo of himself and the tennis pro serving looks at the event. Matt Baron/Shutterstock
"Remember when I asked you to tell me a story at 2am outside our hotel? Then, I fell asleep standing in your arms? ❤️," Williams wrote in a romantic Instagram post, recalling a past date night in Paris with her man. Courtesy of Alexis Ohanian/Instagram
Cheers to two years! The power couple marked their second wedding anniversary in style in November 2019. "Celebrating 2 years with my ride or die @serenawilliams 🎉 always ready for the next black tie event ... Or Netflix & Chill night in," Ohanian gushed via Instagram. Courtesy of Alexis Ohanian/Instagram
After nearly five years together, the pair still find time for themselves — even as busy parents. Courtesy of Serena Williams/Instagram
"Y'all only see me out there in the stands holding it down for her, but she's the GOAT off the court when it comes to holding it down for her husband. TRUST me," the Brooklyn native teased after sharing a photo of himself sitting courtside at one of Williams' matches. Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP/Shutterstock
Even amid the coronavirus pandemic, Williams' husband and daughter were cheering her on from the stands at the 2020 U.S. Open. Courtesy of Alexis Ohanian/Instagram
The tech guru showed his unwavering support for Williams during the Australian Open in February 2021 by wearing a shirt with a photo of her playing tennis on it. The tee read, “Greatest Female Athlete.” Earlier in the tournament, Ohanian wore an “Unstoppable Queen” shirt, again honoring the legendary athlete. Courtesy of Alexis Ohanian/Twitter
After Williams showed off the couple’s home for Architectural Digest in February 2021, including the athlete’s prize room, Ohanian pointed out his favorite tennis memento from his wife’s collection via Twitter. “Y'all geeked out over the trophy room in our home, but @serenawilliams didn't show you MY favorite grail in here,” he gushed, revealing a photo of Williams’ limited edition trading card from her early days in the game. “It's from a 1 of 100 set of her rookie card. Eyes @OnlyAltOfficial.” Shutterstock; Courtesy Alexis Ohanian/Twitter
During a Q&A video for Bumble's The Question Game, Williams was asked the most surprising thing about marriage. The four-time Olympic gold medalist admitted, "Marriage is not bliss. But it can be if you work at it. I learned that love is an amazing feeling. And if you have an opportunity to feel it, then it's a special thing.” Courtesy of Alexis Ohanian/Instagram
After one fan wrote to Ohanian via Twitter, "I love how you don't mind that they call you Serena Williams' husband," the Reddit cofounder, who recently stepped down from the platform, responded lightheartedly: "I'll be a self-made billionaire one day and most people will still know me as Serena's husband (or Olympia's dad) and that's fine by me." Courtesy of Alexis Ohanian/Instagram
Ohanian admitted in May 2021 that he is still struggling to find a work-life balance that works him, praising his wife for her ability to properly prioritize. "One thing that I'm still working on is balancing that with time off, with time away, with time to reset and recharge,” he said during an appearance on CBS This Morning. “Something she's really good at is shutting it off and focusing on family time or personal time. I'm always a smart phone away from dipping back into a term sheet or dipping back into work. I certainly still get checked from time to time on that one because it's something that I want to be my best. I think we all do." Courtesy of Serena Williams/Instagram
Ohanian teased that he's "always cheering too loud" for his wife from the stands as she competed at the 2021 French Open. "Always," he wrote via Instagram. "Don't worry, Mama will roar back." Javier Garcia/BPI/Shutterstock
Williams was forced to withdraw from the 2021 Wimbledon tournament after suffering a leg injury — but her husband still cheered her on through it all. He posted a snap of the athlete on the court, captioning the Instagram photo with a crown emoji. FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
"From her mama," Williams captioned a matching mother-daughter pic with Olympia, to which the tech guru replied, "❤️❤️ my two girls." Courtesy of Serena Williams/Instagram
The four-time Olympic gold medalist and her hubby slayed the 2021 Met Gala red carpet. “Serena served a royal look tonight,” Ohanian gushed via Instagram. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
“Rare date night in the wild,” Ohanian captioned a sweet black-and-white of him and Williams sharing a kiss. Courtesy Alexis Ohanian/Instagram
The couple got all dressed up for a night out in New York City. “Was so fun to be his date,” Williams wrote via Instagram. Courtesy Serena Williams/Instagram
The couple and their daughter kept things silly in the photo booth. “Our family is forever,” Ohanian wrote via Instagram. Courtesy Alexis Ohanian/Instagram
Williams and Ohanian got all dressed up for the Gucci x LACMA event, with the latter joking, “Yes, I spent most of the night answering questions about #NFTs.” Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Williams and her daughter wore matching outfits on the King Richard red carpet — and Ohanian was a fan of their mother-daughter style. He captioned his Instagram post, “👀.” Matt Baron/Shutterstock
The pair marked their fourth anniversary with heartfelt Instagram tributes as Williams took a "stroll down memory lane" and thanked her husband for "making each day together special." Ohanian, for his part, gushed, "[Four] years ago you made me the happiest man in the world and our little family keeps me feeling more grateful every day." Courtesy of Serena Williams/Instagram
Williams announced her retirement from tennis in an essay published in the September issue of Vogue. The athlete said that one reason for the move is that she and Ohanian are trying to expand their family. "In the last year, Alexis and I have been trying to have another child, and we recently got some information from my doctor that put my mind at ease and made me feel that whenever we’re ready, we can add to our family," she wrote. "I definitely don’t want to be pregnant again as an athlete. I need to be two feet into tennis or two feet out." Ella Ling/Shutterstock
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