Alexis Ohanian wears many hats. He’s an entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder of Reddit. He’s also a passionate supporter of women’s sports. But above all, his favorite job is being a dad to his two daughters. And with that job comes many roles. He’s the self-declared “papa pancakes,” flipping breakfast treats every Sunday. He’s the “caddy daddy,” helping his daughter Olympia explore her interest in golf. At bedtime, he turns into a storyteller for baby Adira. Ohanian proudly calls himself a “girl dad,” and he’s made it his mission to raise queens. Royal treatment? Of course. His wife Serena Williams is already used to that.
Speaking of royal moments, let’s rewind to the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Williams-Ohanian family hit the red carpet at the opening ceremony — Serena, Alexis, and little Olympia, who was six at the time. It was pouring rain, but Ohanian was on duty. He stood right behind Serena, holding an umbrella to shield her from the downpour. In a funny twist, a Eurosport commentator didn’t realize who he was. “She [Serena] looks absolutely incredible. She’s got someone just behind us holding an umbrella,” said Laura Woods. “Those are the levels you aspire to. To have an actual umbrella holder behind you.”
The clip went viral. Ohanian reposted it with a laugh, quoting a post from the Tennis Letter that read: “TV commentator: ‘Serena Williams even has her own personal umbrella holder.’ FYI… the ‘umbrella holder’ is Alexis Ohanian, her husband. He’s one of the founders of Reddit. ”
The 41-year-old took it all in stride. In fact, he recently posted a story on Instagram, this time holding an umbrella for Olympia. The caption? Just one phrase: “Umbrella holder.”
Being a dad means everything to him. He recently called Olympia his “north star.” At the Forbes 3050 Summit in Abu Dhabi, he opened up about how fatherhood shaped his work. He said, “Olympia was in many ways my North Star and I said I want to keep building businesses and I want to be doing it in a way that I know I’m gonna be proud of and so that’s why I started 776, seeded it with $100 million of my own money and said I am going to use this to drive the best business outcomes in a way that I can brag to my daughters and grandkids about one day.”
That direction led him to champion women’s sports, and it started with a simple moment.
Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian reveals why he invested in women’s sports
At the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, he was watching the final with Serena Williams and Olympia. His daughter was running around in an Alex Morgan jersey. And something just clicked.“A big part of the reason why I started Angel City FC was because Olympia was running around, this is 2019 in an Alex Morgan jersey,” Ohanian said in an interview with On Her Turf.
That sparked a conversation that changed everything. He continued,“I commented to my wife, ‘Hey, wouldn’t it be nice one day if Olympia played on the national team?’ And without missing a beat, Serena said, ‘Not until she’s paid what she’s worth.’ And I said, ‘Alright, challenge accepted.’”
Ohanian took that challenge seriously. And he’s been collecting precious memories along the way. In January 2025, he shared a moment from the grand opening of Athlos — a new women’s track competition with the largest prize purse in the sport’s history. He posted a photo of Olympia wearing a silver crown before the races began.“I think about this photo all the time,” he wrote. “One of those precious moments before all the @athlos action began; I hope Jr. remembers this night for a long time. And this was just the start.”
And that’s not the only first. Ohanian is also a founding investor in Angel City FC, a National Women’s Soccer League team in Los Angeles. His wife, Serena is in the ownership group too. So is Olympia — making her one of the youngest part-owners of a pro sports team. Ohanian may be a tech mogul and a business brain. But more than that, he’s just a dad showing up for his girls.
The post Serena Williams’ Husband Alexis Ohanian Recreates Adorable ‘Umbrella’ Tradition for Daughter Olympia that He Once did for His Wife appeared first on EssentiallySports.