How Did Serena Williams Meet Her Husband?

A Lucky Meeting in Rome

Serena Williams is one of the greatest tennis players in the whole world. She has won so many trophies and made fans happy with her amazing skills. But did you know that she has a wonderful love story? Let me tell you how she met the man she married—Alexis Ohanian.

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The story begins in Rome, Italy, in May 2015. Serena was getting ready to play in an important tennis tournament called the Italian Open. She was staying at a nice hotel in Rome. One day, she decided to go down for breakfast. This was very unusual for Serena because she normally stays in her room during tournaments. She gets very nervous and likes to practice and study her games. But this time, something made her want to go downstairs.

When Serena got to the breakfast area, she found out it was closed. So she sat at an empty table with her trainer and her coach. Nobody else was around. Then suddenly, a tall man walked in and sat down right next to their table. Serena and her team thought it was funny. They didn't know who this person was. So they decided to have some fun and tried to scare him away. They told him there was a rat at the hotel! Of course, there was no rat. They just made it up. But the man was not scared. He said something cool like, "I'm from Brooklyn. I see rats all the time." This made Serena laugh.

Falling in Love

The tall man's name was Alexis Ohanian. He was not a tennis player. Instead, he was a tech expert who started a big website called Reddit. He was in Rome for a technology meeting. Serena and Alexis started talking and got along really well. Serena liked how smart and funny he was. She thought he was a great person.

After their breakfast meeting, Serena invited Alexis to watch her play at the French Open, which was happening a few weeks later in Paris, France. He said yes! Soon, Alexis and Serena started spending more time together. They went on dates and got to know each other better. Serena's family and friends could see that she was very happy.

The Big Proposal

By December 2016, Alexis and Serena had been dating for more than a year. Alexis wanted to ask Serena to marry him. He planned something very special and romantic. He took Serena back to Rome—to the exact same hotel where they first met! At the exact same table where they had breakfast together, Alexis got down on one knee and asked Serena to marry him. Serena said yes! She was so happy and excited.

Serena told everyone about the proposal in a beautiful poem she shared on Reddit. She wrote about how Alexis took her back to Rome, to the exact place where they first met. She called it a full circle moment—where their love story came back to the beginning.

Getting Married and Starting a Family

Serena and Alexis got married on November 16, 2017, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The wedding was huge and beautiful! Many famous people came to celebrate with them, including the singer Beyoncé and model Kim Kardashian. The wedding theme was "Beauty and the Beast," and guests wore fancy clothes.

Serena wore a beautiful white wedding dress made by a famous designer. She also wore two other fancy dresses during the party! The celebration was amazing, and they even had a white carousel that spun around so guests could party on it. What a cool wedding!

Today, Serena and Alexis have two beautiful daughters together. Their first daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., was born in September 2017. They welcomed their second daughter, Adira River Ohanian, in August 2023.

Lesson About Love

Serena's love story teaches us something wonderful. Sometimes, the best things happen when you don't plan them. Serena went downstairs for breakfast on a normal day, and she met the person she would marry! Alexis sat at her table by accident, but it turned out to be the best accident ever.

Today, Serena and Alexis are very happy together. They show that love can happen in the most surprising ways. Even when Serena tried to scare Alexis away with a made-up rat story, he stayed and got to know her. And now they have a beautiful family and a wonderful life together.

The next time you have an ordinary day, remember Serena's story. You never know what amazing thing might happen when you least expect it!