Serena Williams is synonymous with the sport of tennis, but she is so much more than that. She is a prime fashion icon, a dedicated mother, a loving wife, and a devout Jehovah’s Witness. In fact, her baptism at the start of 2023 was one of the most-watched videos on the internet. But, what about her eldest daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr.?
The tennis star has been very open about her religious affiliations. She was brought up in a JW household but has often admitted that she didn’t follow the religion to the letter until a few years ago. Once she committed to her faith, much like everything else in her life, Williams has been completely dedicated to her religious beliefs and is also bestowing them upon her daughter, Olympia.
Will Serena Williams have Olympia baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness?
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Young Olympia Ohanian has often showcased her likes and dislikes are synonymous with that of her mother’s. She loves to dress up like Momma Smash and admittedly spends a lot of time with her mother. The duo may not share ReRe’s profound love for tennis yet, but Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. did start playing the game. But the question arises, considering the 23-time Grand Slam champion’s staunch religious beliefs, does Serena Williams want to have her children baptized as well?
The 42-year-old former tennis star has often espoused a steadfast belief in her religion which her husband, Alexis Ohanian, has also supported. For instance, the couple often attends Jehovah’s meetings together. Additionally, after the 23-time singles Grand Slam winner was baptized, the video went viral on social media.
They have both firmly stated that they do not celebrate Olympia’s birthday since Jehovah’s Witnesses do not condone such celebrations. They do, however, shower their young one with love and support.
Serena Williams, the famous Tennis player got baptized today at the Jehovah's Witness Assembly in West Palm Beach Florida.
According to the Governing Body of the religious sect in Watchtower 2019, study 40, paragraph 14, only baptised Witnesses will be saved. pic.twitter.com/wd9E897pFL
— Uptown Press NG (@RealMoshudKarim) January 8, 2023
Serena Williams has iterated on many occasions how her faith has saved her and protected her family. Her staunch belief in her religion provided her relief in the darkest of times, like losing her half-sister, Yetunde Price, in an unfortunate shooting incident.
Her husband hasn’t declared a fondness for any particular religion, but reportedly, he does support Williams’ beliefs and the philosophies espoused by her religion since their marriage. Will that impact their decision to baptize their children?
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Has the couple made a decision about baptizing their daughters yet?
Given their unanimous stance on the subject of religious beliefs, it seems that Williams and Ohanian may wish to have Olympia and Adira River Ohanian baptized at some point. After all, back in 2015, Serena Williams admitted in an interview, “Being a Jehovah’s Witness is important to me, but I’ve never really practiced it and have been wanting to get into it.” She followed up on her word by attending meetings and then got baptized this year.
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So far, the couple has not indicated or set a date to have Olympia baptized any time soon. This may stem from the fact that Jehovah’s Witnesses view baptism not only as a cleansing but also as a person’s dedication to their beliefs. Perhaps, in the future, the internet will witness the commitment of Olympia Ohanian to her mother’s faith, but at the moment, there seem to be no immediate plans.
Watch this story: Serena Williams’ 6-Year-Old Daughter Olympia’s Inherent ‘Hobby’ Overwhelms Father Alexis Ohanian as He Swells With Pride Over the Act