"Thanks to my wife Serena Williams, obviously, Billie Jean King and others" - Alexis Ohanian credits legends for kickstarting "wave" of women's sports

Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian has expressed his gratitude to his wife, Billie Jean King, and others for getting women's sports into the position it finds itself today. The Reddit co-founder and serial entrepreneur himself has been an active backer of women's sports, having made significant investments to make it grow. Ohanian regularly voices his unabashed opinions on various issues in women's sports as well.

Ohanian's wife Williams, a former World No. 1, retired from tennis in 2022 after cementing her legacy as one of the all-time greats of the game. Williams won 23 singles Grand Slam titles throughout her glittering career; the only women's tennis player to have achieved the feat in the Open Era. Along with her elder sister Venus, Williams also became a social inspiration for the black community, as the duo challenged the status quo in tennis, which was once a sport predominantly associated with the white privileged.

King was one of the greats of her time, having retired with 12 singles Major crowns. However, arguably her biggest contribution to tennis was her starring role in the creation of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) in 1973. Through this, King aimed to reduce the disparity between men's and women's tennis, which, to some extent, has happened. She continues to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Recently, Ohanian and Williams were the subjects of a Los Angeles Times article titled, "Alexis Ohanian and Serena Williams: Sports power couple'. It focused on the pair's efforts to make women's sports bigger and better. In 2020, it was confirmed that a new soccer team, Angel City FC, would be competing in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in the 2022 season. Ohanian, Williams, and King are the co-owners alongside many other high-profile names.

The Reddit co-founder took to X (formerly Twitter) to thank the Los Angeles Times and also express his gratitude to Williams, King, soccer star Alex Morgan, and others who have contributed to women's sports' growth over the years.

"Thank you Los Angeles Times! The impact that we’ve been able to have in women’s sports is huge. I’m so proud of that. But the truth is that the wave was already there... I just grabbed a board. It’s thanks to my wife (obviously), Billie Jean King, Alex Morgan + others who have been shining a light on women in sports for decades that we’ve come so far and been able to accomplish so much," Ohanian wrote.

NBA's praise for Caitlin Clark drew Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian's 'hyped for women's sports' verdict

Alexis Ohanian

Caitlin Clark made her WNBA preseason debut for the Indiana Fever in early May this year, and her stellar performance led to the NBA praising her via an X post. Ohanian caught wind of the praise that came Clark's way from the NBA and opined that the men's basketball juggernauts too, are excited about the future prospects of women's sports.

"Even NBA account is hyped for women's sports. LFG," Ohanian wrote on X.

In the past, Ohanian has stated that despite the overall improvements being witnessed by women's sports, it has been held back by a lack of investments. This, according to the Reddit co-founder, has stemmed from a mix of racism, sexism, and business incompetence.