‘Do You See How Big This Area Is?’ – Intimidating Serena Williams Reveals Serious Moment With Husband Alexis Ohanian on Their First Meeting in Italy

Forget meet-cutes filled with butterflies! Serena Williams, the tennis powerhouse, recently revealed a surprisingly intense moment from her very first encounter with now-husband Alexis Ohanian. While Williams was present in Italy at the time for a tournament, Ohanian stayed at the same hotel for a tech conference. The two met over breakfast, and the rest is history. Recently, Williams narrated what actually happened during their maiden meetup.

Earlier this week, Williams was involved in an interview with Bloomberg, where she talked about various topics ranging from her business ventures to her personal life. One such topic was about meeting Ohanian for the first time at the Cavalieri Hotel in Rome in 2015. During the interview, Williams went on to reveal that she was angry with her husband-to-be’s behavior when they met for the first time.

Talking about the ordeal, Williams said, “I went down late, breakfast was closed. I went to this other restaurant with this massive pool. And there’s all these chairs and there’s all these tables and there’s this pool and there’s another side of the pool. There’s chairs and there’s all these tables and there’s this pool and there’s an other side of the pool.”

Further, she went on to add, “And so we’re the only people, it’s me, Jill, and my assistant at the time…So we sit down, the only people there, and we order our breakfast and we’re just talking and laughing. This guy walks in with a computer and he sits down right next to us at the table, right next to us.”

For someone unused to sitting with strangers, Williams was in a fury! “And I’m like so upset, like, do you see how big this area is? Are you kidding me? Like, do I look, does it look like we want people next to us?” Things got off to a slightly unusual start! But their Brooklyn connection was brought up in bizarre circumstances by Ohanian.

While Serena was having breakfast with friends, her assistant jokingly pointed out a nearby rat (likely to get the man to move). Alexis, though, was unfazed by the “rat” (perhaps there wasn’t one!). According to Serena, Ohanian responded by saying, “He looks up and he is like, ‘is there really a rat? because I’m from Brooklyn and I’m not afraid of rats.’ And I was like, oh, you’re from Brooklyn. So that’s how we started talking.”

This unexpected exchange broke the ice, leading to a conversation and ultimately, the beginning of their relationship. During their conversation, Williams found out about his association with Reddit but Ohanian was in for a surprise.

Williams narrated, “He started talking about, he did Reddit and he started Reddit. And then of course I hadn’t heard of it.” This might have left Ohanian a little red-faced because he is the co-founder of Reddit. Following this accidental meeting, Serena invited Ohanian to watch her compete in the 2015 French Open.

Moreover, their Parisian adventures before the match sealed their first official date. The following months saw a blossoming romance, with Ohanian cheering her on from the sidelines. Eventually, they tied the knot in 2017 and have shared a close bond over the years. Recently, Ohanian revealed a special act from his wife which drew appreciation from him.

Williams regularly checks on her husband

Apart from being a family man, Ohanian runs several businesses and has invested in a variety of fields. While her husband is busy with these activities, Williams makes sure to check on him and his stuff.

Talking about it, Ohanian revealed in a podcast, “I know I have blind spots and I’ll tell you even six years in a marriage I hit a landmine every week or two. And it’s not that I’m crazy but there are moments and I appreciate it, doesn’t always feel good at the moment but I appreciate it when she checks on me, checks on stuff. Because  I also know I am role model in behavior that my kids are watching.”

Not only are the two role models in their respective careers but also in their personal lives. Indeed, they have set a perfect example of how to manage personal and professional commitments.