Serena Williams' Daughter Olympia Is Growing Up To Be Skillful On The Court Like Her Mom

Tennis star Serena Williams and husband Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, have started a beautiful family during their eight-year relationship. They began dating in 2015 and welcomed their first daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., or Olympia for short, in September 2017. Williams went through a life-threatening childbirth, nearly losing her life to blood clots that had traveled to her lungs. Thankfully, she bounced back. On November 16, 2017, the new parents walked down the aisle and have since gone to welcome a second daughter in August 2023, whom they named Adira River. While it's far too early to predict which pursuits little Adira will enjoy, Olympia has seemingly taken after her legendary mother.

In addition to being an excited and eager big sister, Olympia is beginning to showcase her moves on the tennis court. Olympia and Williams started practicing together in July 2020, sharing a sweet Instagram photo of them in matching playing gear. Olympia kicked off her lessons in the sport in October 2020 when she was just three years old. Williams told People that while she wasn't initially thrilled to put her toddler in classes, she felt it was the only safe activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, Olympia has shown off her skills on the court, an indicator that she could be a major tennis star in the future. 

While Olympia Ohanian may be a rising star on the court, Serena Williams admitted in an interview on "Person to Person" that her daughter didn't enjoy the sport as much as she did. "That's a little disappointing for me, but she's actually really good at it. So we are trying to figure out a way to get her to play a little bit," Williams explained to host Norah O'Donnell, later revealing, "Maybe I can push her into tennis by getting other kids to have a group lesson. I think that's what I'm gonna do."

Even if Olympia moves away from the sport that both her mother and aunt, Venus Williams, have dominated, she has plenty of other hobbies to keep her preoccupied. The tot has acquired a love for miniature golf, leading her parents to get her formal training on the course. Additionally, her father, Alexis Ohanian, told People that Olympia had become quite the dancer, making it clear that she's a kid of many talents.

Even if Olympia Ohanian isn't totally focused on tennis, she has demonstrated excellent form on the court. A September 2023 Instagram post on Olympia's profile showcased this. The photo showed an impressive two-handed backhand grip on her racket while she got some hitting practice in. The caption sweetly read, "​​Papa is my ballboy," to which dad Alexis Ohanian commented with the hand-raised emoji, hilariously confirming that he was indeed her helper.

With Serena Williams, one of the most prominent athletes in the world, as a mother, it's no surprise she is heavily invested in sports. Her family-run social media account has also shown the adorable little girl playing soccer and even stepping into horseback riding. No matter what route she chooses to take as she grows, Olympia certainly has great role models around her. Having stepped away from tennis, Williams is retired but hopes her daughter learns how far hard work and dedication can take her.