Serena Williams returns after 4 years at 44: Comeback, marriage to Alexis Ohanian, and life beyond tennis

Serena Williams has spent most of her life rewriting what’s possible on a tennis court—but now, she’s about to do something many fans had quietly stopped expecting: make a comeback. After nearly four years away from professional tennis, the 44-year-old legend is set to return to the tour, playing doubles at the WTA 500 Queen’s Club event in London, as per reports. The tournament runs from June 8 to June 14, 2026, and Serena has received one of just two wildcards for the event.

She won’t be doing it alone either. According to reports, Serena will team up with 19-year-old Canadian talent Victoria Mboko, one of the most talked-about young players on the rise. Serena has called Queen’s “one of the sport’s most iconic stages” and shared how excited she is to be back competing there—a sentence that sent a wave of emotion through fans who’ve missed seeing her in action. Naturally, with all the buzz about her return, curiosity about her life off the court—especially her marriage—has grown once again.

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Behind Serena’s powerhouse career is a partner with a very different—but equally fascinating—journey. Alexis Ohanian, born in 1983 in Brooklyn, New York, is best known as the co-founder of Reddit, one of the world’s biggest online platforms. His background is deeply shaped by his family’s immigrant story: his mother was German, and his father’s parents fled the Armenian genocide.

In an interview, Alexis shared how this history shaped his sense of gratitude and perspective. He once joked that he has “a bit of a crush on the Statue of Liberty,” explaining that seeing it reminds him daily of everything his family endured so he could have the opportunities he’s had. That mix of humour, humility, and awareness has become a quiet part of who he is—far from the loud stereotype of a tech bro.

As a teenager, Alexis’ family moved to the suburbs of Washington, D.C., where he attended Howard High School in Maryland, graduating in 2001. While school was happening in the background, his real passion was unfolding online.

He later studied at the University of Virginia, earning degrees in history and commerce. It was there that he met Steve Huffman, with whom he bonded over video games. That friendship turned into something much bigger: together, they built the first version of Reddit in just three weeks. Only sixteen months later, they reportedly sold the company to Condé Nast for somewhere between 10 and 20 million dollars—but Alexis stayed on the board and later returned as executive chair for a period before stepping back again to focus on investing and other ventures.

Their love story doesn’t begin at a glamorous party or a business meeting—but at a hotel breakfast in Rome. Serena and Alexis met by chance when he sat near her at a table; she actually told him to sit closer instead of moving away. That small, bold moment became the starting point of something much bigger.

After she won the Australian Open in 2015, Serena invited Alexis to watch her play at the French Open. At first, he wasn’t sure if she was serious, but he eventually flew to Paris. Before the tournament even began, the two spent time exploring the city together. That trip around Paris became their first real date—simple, human, and far away from their public roles as global tennis icon and tech founder.

On December 10, 2016, Alexis proposed to Serena in Rome, at the very place where they first met. A few weeks later, on December 29, Serena shared the news in the most “Alexis” way possible—by posting a poem on Reddit. In it, she described coming home to find a packed bag and a waiting carriage, being whisked back to Rome, and sitting at the same table where fate had first brought them together. “Down on the knee. He said 4 words. And I said yes,” she wrote, turning their engagement into a little piece of storybook poetry.

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Serena and Alexis welcomed their first child, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., on September 1, 2017. Just 11 weeks later, on November 16, 2017, they tied the knot at the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans in a star-studded yet deeply personal wedding. The world watched as one of the greatest athletes of all time stepped into another demanding, beautiful role: motherhood.

Years later, in May 2023, they announced they were expecting their second child. On August 22, 2023, they welcomed another baby girl, named Adira River Ohanian, adding another chapter to their growing family. Through Serena’s retirement from singles tennis, her business ventures, and Alexis’ own shifts in career and activism, the couple have often appeared united—supporting each other’s work and showing up for each other publicly and privately.

Photo: Getty Images

Of course, being a high-profile couple means dealing with constant scrutiny. In 2024, Serena and Alexis found themselves at the centre of divorce rumours. Serena attended the Met Gala solo, and fans noticed she wasn’t wearing her wedding ring. The speculation gained traction, especially when she chose not to post anything for Alexis on Father’s Day.

Instead, she shared a cryptic message:
“If you are lonely, turn off the lights and put on a horror movie after a while, it won't feel like you're alone anymore. Try it... It works.”

For many, this caption felt like a hint that all was not well. Social media quickly did what it always does—fill in the gaps with assumptions and theories. But over time, the couple quietly began interacting more openly online again, posting supportive comments and content that suggested they were still very much a team. Without dramatic statements or interviews, they seemed to choose subtle reassurance over public drama.

Now, as Serena prepares for her long-awaited return to competitive tennis, her relationship with Alexis stands as a reminder that even the most public couples live most of their real moments off-camera. Behind the headlines and rumours are two people navigating careers, parenting, identity shifts, and pressure—just on a much bigger stage.

For fans, it’s easy to see them as “Serena the legend” and “Alexis the Reddit founder,” but their story is also about small gestures: a shared breakfast table in Rome, a poem on a website he helped create, a husband courtside with their daughter, a wife cheering as he speaks about justice and representation.

As Serena walks back onto the court with racquet in hand and the world watching, her comeback isn’t just about sport. It’s also a continuation of the life she’s built—one where greatness, vulnerability, love, and second acts all exist side by side.

When you look at their journey—individually and together—what stands out more to you: the titles and achievements, or the way they keep showing up for each other through changing seasons?