Alexis Ohanian, Serena Williams’ husband and founder of Reddit admitted that he was never a fan of tennis. The tech guru was speaking at the IGNITION conference hosted in New York, where confirmed that Serena was the one who changed his perception towards tennis. The two got married in November 2017 and have a daughter who goes under the name Alexis Olympia, born in the same year of their official union.
“I played team sports my entire life and I thought tennis was a joke of a sport. I thought it was something people did for giggles when they wanted to get a little exercise,” he said. At some instance, he had to switch the channel whenever tennis came on.
“I was so naive and so wrong and my entire mindset of sport…no matter what day I was having, there were 10 other guys on the field or four other guys on the court who were there to help me out because it was team-based,” he added.
Serena Williams’ influence
But ever since he met Serena Williams, his attitude and perception towards tennis have really changed drastically. Alexis Ohanian has been able to appreciate some of the vital lessons learned from playing tennis. By watching Serena Williams efficiently handle defeat and rejection, he now understands the need for mental strength that is very vital while playing tennis. It is a vital attribute that his wife has mastered correctly. That exemplary feat of mental strength displayed by Serena Williams is one of the most important reasons to why Ohanian is now into tennis.
“To take rejection and defeat and to be able to find that next gear and that higher level is something she has turned into an art form and is unparalleled at. That is a mental strength that doesn’t get enough credit in sport,” said Alexis Ohanian.
Serena Williams relentless nature
Serena Williams has enjoyed a great tennis career till this moment. She has successfully managed to balance both family and career demands. In 2017, she had to take some time off the court after giving birth to her daughter Alexis Olympia. But still she came back stronger to participate in the sport she loves the most. Since her return after giving birth, Serena managed to feature in four major finals, the 2018 and 2019 Wimbledon and US Open finals. Furthermore, she is very committed to winning her 24th Grand Slam title.
Serena Williams in Auckland, ranking, and results in 2020
Now ranked no.10, Serena Williams has a 3-0 win-loss record in 2020. The American is now having a run in Auckland where she defeated Camila Giorgi 6-3 6-2, Christina Mchale 3-6 6-2 6-3 and Laura Siegemund 6-4 6-3.
The American won 72 titles in her career: 42 on hard courts, 13 on clay courts, 7 on indoor courts, 2 on carpet courts and 8 on grass courts. (See the list of her titles)
