Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian hits back at ‘idiots’ accusing tennis champion of skin bleaching

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Alexis Ohanian, Serena Williams‘ husband, has responded to online criticism and rumors that the tennis star has been lightening her skin.

Alexis Ohanian, 42, defended his wife, 44, after she shared family pictures taken at her sister Venus Williams’ wedding.

She posted the same two photos on X and Instagram, showing her wearing a white, strapless dress with a long, flowing train and lace gloves that didn’t cover her fingers.

Serena Williams was accompanied by her daughters, 8-year-old Alexa Olympia and 2-year-old Adira River, who were both beautifully dressed. Her husband, Alexis Ohanian, stood behind them in a suit and tie.

Sometimes joy isn’t loud and obvious; it’s a quiet feeling. It’s important to appreciate those small, happy moments,” Williams shared, along with a photo showing off her impressive 31-pound weight loss. “I loved this picture and wanted to share it with everyone.”

Ohanian quickly shared the images on X, along with a message asking why people who don’t understand photography lighting were criticizing them.

When someone pointed out that Alexis seemed to be suggesting Black people are unfamiliar with proper photography lighting, contrasting it with obvious skin-lightening practices, Ohanian quickly defended himself.

‘Or: photos from the same event can look different based on lighting,’ he wrote.

Ohanian seemed to be addressing long-standing rumors and online criticism accusing his wife, the retired tennis player, of lightening her skin.

In 2024, Williams used an Instagram Live session to respond to criticism she received after sharing a video on X (formerly Twitter).

Williams addressed criticism by stating she doesn’t bleach her skin, explaining that changes in skin tone are simply due to sun exposure.

I need to address this because it’s absurd. People are commenting on my skin tone, saying I’ve bleached it. But I’m a proud, dark-skinned Black woman, and I fully embrace who I am and how I look.

It’s not the first time Williams’ husband has publicly defended her. 

Last year, Alexis Ohanian quickly defended his wife, Serena Williams, after she received criticism online and from sports commentator Stephen A. Smith. The criticism stemmed from Williams dancing to Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us” during the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime show. Many believe the song was a pointed message to Williams’ former rumored boyfriend, Drake.

The entrepreneur praised the halftime show, pointing out the irony that some people are now celebrating a performance similar to one Serena Williams was heavily criticized for at Wimbledon thirteen years ago. They suggested the current situation highlights a larger issue beyond just the music itself.

Ohanian directly addressed Smith while on his show, First Take. He told Smith, ‘I was really hoping you’d be here.’

Smith broke in, ‘Marriage advice? No, I’m not qualified.’

Ohanian gained more followers on social media after responding to a candid ESPN host by saying, ‘I was curious because you haven’t been married before, have you? I often give advice to entrepreneurs who are trying to create companies worth a billion dollars, and I do that because I’ve actually built billion-dollar companies myself, so I usually stick to what I know.’

Ohanian has been married to the world famous athlete since 2017. 

Serena Williams is considered one of the best tennis players ever. Throughout her career, she was ranked number one in women’s tennis for an impressive 319 weeks.

Serena Williams had an incredible career, winning all four major singles championships – the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open – multiple times between 2002 and 2023. Notably, she always defeated her sister, Venus, when they faced each other in the finals of these tournaments.

Serena Williams last won a major championship at the 2017 Australian Open. She retired with 23 Grand Slam singles titles, one short of Margaret Court’s record of 24.

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2026-01-09 04:05