Three years after marrying tennis icon Serena Williams, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian has made a startling confession about his wife’s career.
In the pilot episode of American sitcom How I Met Your Mother, one of the characters poses an obscure theory about the perfect relationship.
Aptly labelled “The Olive Theory”, it’s believed partners are a great fit if they have vastly contrasting opinions on a particular topic. For example, if one person hates olives, then ideally the other loves them.
With this in mind, it should therefore come as no surprise that Serena Williams’ husband hated tennis before they met.
Speaking to CNN, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian conceded he never would have attended a tennis match if not for his wife’s career.
“I hated tennis for a long time, until I met my wife and tried to learn it,” Ohanian said.
“I am always a sports fan, and when I watched a final closely, I understood the privilege I had.
“Now I appreciate the world of tennis — I understand how the world of tennis is a difficult and intense world.
“In the world of technology we work really hard, but we have been naive since the work done by a professional tennis player, both physically and mentally, is absolutely on another level.”
Williams and Ohanian have been married since 2017, and the American superstar gave birth to their first child Alexis Olympia in September of that year.
Despite his initial preconceptions on the sport, Ohanian and his daughter are regularly spotted in the front row of tennis events, cheering on Williams.
“I sat in the front row to see everything Serena does, to understand her role in the world and I discovered how different she is from others,” Ohanian said.
“I know how much she has worked for everything, not only as a woman but also as a black woman.
“At the same time Olympia will never question all the great work her mother has done, and one day I will explain it to her, but I want to make her understand that I do my part too.”
Williams is a 23-time grand slam champion, one title shy of the all-time record held by Australian great Margaret Court.
