Serena Williams's husband Alexis Ohanian breaks his silence on ESPN's controversial coverage

Tennis legend Serena Williams's husband, Alexis Ohanian, recently expressed his concerns regarding the latest media coverage of his achievements.

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Shubhrajit Goswami
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Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and husband of Serena Williams, has expressed his concerns regarding ESPN's coverage of his achievements, noting that much of the media attention tends to focus on his relationship with Serena. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing individual accomplishments, especially in a media landscape.

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Since he stepped down from Reddit's board in 2020, Ohanian has dedicated himself to promoting and investing in women's sports. He has played a pivotal role in supporting the NWSL team Angel City FC, which he co-owns with Serena and their daughter, Olympia.

Alexis Ohanian has gained significant attention for his record-breaking donation to the University of Virginia's women's basketball team, a powerful tribute to his alma mater where he first conceptualized Reddit. 

Ohanian on being presented just as 'Serena's husband' 

However, controversy erupted when a user on X voiced frustration with ESPN's coverage of this landmark donation. The user highlighted how the headline unacceptably reduced Ohanian's influential identity, referring to him merely as "Serena's husband." This reflects a broader issue of recognition and respect for individuals.

"I’m sure @alexisohanian doesn’t mind being referred to as “Serena’s husband” but come onnnnnn ESPN. Really??? A L E X I S O H A N I A N. I get that she’s the GOAT & all lol. But the man is also extremely accomplished & highly successful in his own right 👏🏼 😅," the user posted.

Despite expressing frustration at ESPN's oversimplified portrayal, Alexis Ohanian has stated that he has no issue being known primarily as Serena Williams's husband. In a fan interaction on X in 2021, Ohanian asserted that while he is on the path to becoming a self-made billionaire, he is fully aware that many will continue to recognize him primarily as the spouse of the 23-time Grand Slam champion.

"I love how you don’t mind that they call you Serena Williams’ husband," the fan posted.

"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," Ohanian responded.

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Tennis Serena Williams