Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian has clapped back at trolls speculating that the tennis champion has bleached her skin.
The Reddit co-founder, 42, came to his wife’s, 44, defense after she posted family photos from sister Venus Williams’ wedding.
The dual photos shared on her X and Instagram accounts featured Williams sitting down in a strapless white gown with Watteau train and long lace fingerless gloves.
Her daughters, Alexa Olynpia, 8, and Adira River, 2, stood close beside her in stunning dresses while Ohanian was in the back in a dark suit and tie.
‘Joy does not always roar sometimes it whispers. It important to savor those sweet moments…,’ wrote Williams – who has been showing off her incredible 31lb weight loss – adding: ‘I love this picture so I wanted to share it with you.’
Ohanian soon re-posted the images on X and wrote, ‘Where are all the comments from idiots who don’t understand how photography lighting works.’
Serena Williams’, 44, husband Alexis Ohanian, 42, clapped back at trolls speculating that the tennis champion has bleached her skin; The couple seen in an Instagram snap with their kids
Last year, Williams shut down the ‘ridiculous’ skin bleaching claims, and noted that changes in sun exposure contributed to her appearance; pictured in 2025 in New York City
When a user challenged that statement with, ‘Alexis wants Black people to believe we don’t know what photography lighting looks like vs blatant skin lightening,’ Ohanian came back swinging again.
‘Or: photos from the same event can look different based on lighting,’ he wrote.
Ohanian’s comments appeared to be a response to years of social media trolls who suspected the now-retired tennis ace of bleaching her skin.
Back in 2024, Williams went on Instagram live to slam the negative remarks directed at her after she posted a video on X.
‘For you haters out there, I do not bleach my skin,’ Williams said at the time. ‘There is a thing called sunlight, and in that sunlight, you get different colors.
‘Yes, I’m calling you out on this because it is ridiculous. Everyone’s like, “Oh, she bleached her skin.” I’m a dark, Black woman, and I love who I am, and I love how I look.’
It’s not the first time Williams’ husband has publicly defended her.
Last year, Ohanian rushed to his wife’s defense after social media users and sports commentator Stephen A. Smith blasted Williams for crip walking to Kendrick Lamar’s hit song Not Like Us during Super Bowl Halftime in 2025. The song is believed to be a slap in the face to Williams’ rumored ex Drake.
‘Pretty fantastic halftime show,’ the entrepreneur wrote. ‘Some of y’all have no idea how criticized Serena was for this same dance at Wimbledon 13 years ago and it shows. This is bigger than the music.’
Ohanian dealt with Smith head on while appearing on the latter’s show First Take. ‘I was hoping you were going to be here,’ he said.
Smith broke in, ‘Marriage advice? No, I’m not qualified.’
The Reddit co-founder came to his wife’s defense after she posted family photos from sister Venus Williams’ wedding
Reposting the snaps, he wrote, ‘Where are all the comments from idiots who don’t understand how photography lighting works’
When a user challenged that statement, Ohanian wrote back, ‘Or: photos from the same event can look different based on lighting’
The athlete previously said, ‘I’m a dark, Black woman, and I love who I am, and I love how I look’; pictured at the 2024 Met Gala in New York City
Ohanian has been married to the world famous athlete since 2017; pictured in May 2023 in New York City
The Olympic gold medalist retired from professional tennis in 2022 after 27 years; pictured in September 2022
Ohanian won more social media fans when he told the outspoken ESPN host: ‘I was gonna ask, cause, you hadn’t been married before, right? Cause I give advice to plenty of founders who want to build billion-dollar companies. And the reason I do that is because I build billion-dollar companies, so I generally try to stay in my lane.’
Ohanian has been married to the world famous athlete since 2017.
Williams is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. She held the WTA’s No 1 women’s ranking for 319 weeks of her career.
Her run from the 2002 French Open to the 2023 Australian Open was legendary, with Williams winning all four singles Grand Slam titles and beating older sister Venus Williams in every final.
She won her last major tournament at the 2017 Australian Open. Williams finished her career one Grand Slam singles title shy of the all-time record, 24, which is held by Margaret Court.
