Serena Williams' Two Children: All About Olympia and Adira
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- UPDATED JUNE 11, 2024
by Tasha Mayberry
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Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian are the proud parents of two daughters. The couple welcomed their first daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., known as Olympia, in September 2017. They expanded their family five years later when Williams gave birth to their younger daughter, Adira River Ohanian, in August 2023. After Olympia’s birth, Williams discussed the challenge of balancing motherhood and her career with InStyle in June 2018. “The only rule I have at practice is to be done at 1 p.m. because as much as I love tennis, I need to be with her,” she said. “I want to put her above everything else I’m doing. Since she was born, I haven’t been apart from her for more than a day.” Regarding a second child, she added, “If I weren’t working, I’d already be pregnant … I don’t know if I want to play if I have another baby.” Williams stepped away from tennis in September 2022, nearly a year before welcoming her second child. In an April 2024 interview with Byrdie, Williams was asked what brings her the most happiness in life, and she answered “my kids,” admitting, “I can’t say that a Wimbledon trophy holds a candle to volunteering at my kid’s school. I also hope my daughters see how many different passions I have — from tennis to beauty — and learn that they can lead dynamic careers and lives across their many interests,” she said. Despite her previous struggles with motherhood, Williams also acknowledges the joy it brings. “I’ve been so focused on my career my whole life, but when I had a family and got married, I realized that there’s so much more to life. And that was great,” she told PEOPLE in January 2021.
Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., 6
Williams and Ohanian’s older daughter, Olympia, was born on September 1, 2017, at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. Ohanian shared the news on Instagram, writing, “Welcome, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr., we’re so happy to meet you … Our little girl is already mama’s perfect sidekick.” Williams had announced her pregnancy by posting a photo of her baby bump on Snapchat when she was 20 weeks along. She later told Vanity Fair that she discovered her pregnancy just before competing in the 2017 Australian Open, which she won. “[I] did a double take and my heart dropped. Like literally dropped,” she told the outlet. Williams thought, “Oh my God, this can’t be — I’ve got to play a tournament. How am I going to play the Australian Open? I had planned on winning Wimbledon this year.” Although the couple chose not to learn their baby’s sex, Ohanian revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that they both suspected they were having a girl. “[Serena] won the Australian Open while pregnant. And she remarked that she feels like it has to be a girl because everything that that baby went through and handled like a champ, only a woman could be strong enough to take on,” he said. Williams has been candid about her complicated birthing experience, including her emergency cesarean section and postpartum surgeries.
Adira River Ohanian
The couple’s second daughter, Adira, was born in August 2023. They first revealed the news in a TikTok video, with Ohanian later posting a family photo on Instagram. “Welcome, Adira River Ohanian. I’m grateful to report our house is teaming with love: a happy & healthy newborn girl and happy & healthy mama,” he captioned the image. “Feeling grateful. @serenawilliams you’ve now given me another incomparable gift — you’re the GMOAT. Thanks to all the amazing medical staff who took care of my wife & our daughter 🙏 I’ll never forget the moment I introduced @olympiaohanian to her baby sister.” Williams initially announced her pregnancy when she attended the Met Gala with Ohanian in May 2023. “Was so excited when Anna Wintour invited the 3 of us to the Met Gala,” she captioned a photo of her and her husband. The couple later revealed the sex of their new baby with a drone display. Ohanian told PEOPLE that “no one’s more excited” about the pregnancy news than Olympia. “She’s been wanting this,” he said. “She’s been praying and asking about this for quite some time, so she’s very ready.” The entrepreneur also shared that he felt more confident as a second-time parent. “We’re not first-time parents anymore,” he said. “I feel more confident about having a newborn, all of those things that I just had zero confidence about with Olympia because I’d never even been around babies at that point in my life.
Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian's Relationship Timeline
Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian are officially a family of four! After announcing her pregnancy at the 2023 Met Gala, the tennis superstar confirmed the arrival of her second child, Adira River Ohanian, in August. Williams shared a sweet TikTok video in which she’s holding her newborn. “Welcome my beautiful angel,” she captioned the clip. Williams and Ohanian met for the first time in May 2015 over breakfast in Rome. The two were seated next to each other, a coincidence that would ultimately lead to their relationship. Williams made the first move, asking Ohanian to sit with her and her friends during breakfast — a sweet gesture that was quickly followed by an invite to watch her compete in the 2015 French Open. Before the match, the athlete and the internet entrepreneur explored Paris together, marking their first official date. The next few months were filled with support, as Ohanian cheered her on from the stands at her games.
