How did Serena Williams meet her husband Alexis Ohanian? All you need to know about the timeline of their relationship

Serena Williams is married to American entrepreneur and investor Alexis Ohanian. The couple met by chance in Rome in 2015 when Serena was competing at the Italian Open and have been together since.

They got engaged in December 2016 and got married in November 2017, two months after the birth of their daughter Olympia.

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Who is Serena Williams' husband?

Alexis Ohanian is Serena Williams' husband. He is best known for being the co-founder of the social media website Reddit in 2005.

Born in Brooklyn, Ohanian studied at the University of Virginia, graduating with degrees in commerce and history. Along with his roommate Steve Huffman, he co-founded Reddit the year he graduated.

He later co-founded venture capital firm Initialized Capital in 2010 and invested in numerous companies and start-ups. He has also been involved in sports, being the lead investor in the group that founded National Women's Soccer League club Angel City FC.

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How did Serena Williams meet her husband Alexis Ohanian?

Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian with their daughter Olympia at the 2022 US Open

Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian first met at the Cavalieri Hotel in Rome in 2015, when the former was in the city for the Italian Open. Williams was having breakfast with her friends while Ohanian sat at the table right next to them.

Speaking on the Drew Barrymore Show, Williams said that Ohanian started typing on his computer after sitting next to them. The former World No. 1 also said that she and her group tried to get rid of him by playing a prank on him. However, that didn't work.

“So we were at this restaurant and, it was at the hotel we were staying at and I was in Italy and this guy shows up and the whole place is empty and this guy, like, really tall, he comes with his computer and he, like, plops down right next to us and he opens his computer and he starts typing, and I’m just like, why? I was so angry. I was like, why is this guy here? And so we tried to get rid of him,” Serena Williams said.

“You know, my friend was like, listen, there’s a rat over there. He’s an Aussie, he was like ‘Oh my God! There’s a rat! (in Australian accent) and I’m like, ‘Ya there’s a rat!’ and Alexis looks and doesn’t flinch, and I’m like, ‘you’re not afraid of rats?’, and he’s like, ‘Umm no I’m from Brooklyn but is there even really a rat there?’ I guess he always knew I was full of stuff. And so then, that’s how we met. I was trying to get rid of him,” she added.

Ohanian reminisced about his first meeting with Williams earlier this year, sharing the first image he took of the former World No. 1 at the Italian Open. The entrepreneur said that he was invited to see her match at the tournament after randomly meeting her at breakfast.

"2015. This was the first photo I took of my now wife; the same day I met her randomly at breakfast & she invited me to see her match in Rome. Please disregard the dated IG filter I put on it," Ohanian wrote on social media.

She later invited Ohanian to watch her play at the 2015 French Open, which she won by beating Lucie Safarova 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-2 in the final. The two continued dating and Ohanian proposed to Williams in 2016.

“I knew it was coming. I was like, ‘Serena, you’re ready. This is what you want,'"the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion told Vanity Fair.

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Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian's relationship timeline

Alexis Ohanian cheering for his wife at the 2022 US Open

Here is the timeline for the couple's relationship:

May 2015 - First meeting

Williams met Ohanian during breakfast at the Cavalieri Hotel in Rome during the Italian Open.

September 5, 2015 - Ohanian watches Williams play at the US Open and shares an image of the court on Instagram, with the caption reading: "Come at the queen, you best not miss".

December 10, 2016 - The Proposal

Ohanian proposed to Williams at the Cavalieri hotel in Rome, the venue where they met. He set up a romantic table for the couple by the poolside and covered the area with roses.

September 2017 - The Birth of Olympia

Williams gave birth to the couple's daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. It was a difficult ordeal for the former World No. 1 as she suffered a pulmonary embolism during labor and one after giving birth.

November 16, 2017 - The most high-profile wedding of 2017?

Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian got married at the Contemporary Art Center in New Orleans.