Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian are one of the most powerful couples in the world, not just in terms of their influence, but their shared wealth too.
Serena, 43, is one of the most celebrated tennis players in the world, even years into her retirement, and boasts a net worth of $300 million (per celebritynetworth.com) thanks to her many wins, business ventures, and lucrative endorsements.
Alexis, 42, is an internet entrepreneur and investor, best known for being the co-founder and former executive chairman of Reddit, and himself has a net worth of around $150 million.
© Getty ImagesHowever, when it comes to the shared division of their wealth among their two kids, daughters Olympia, seven, and Adira, one, the parents are all about learning the value of a dollar.
Serena Williams: 5 surprising facts
© Variety via Getty Images1. Starting young
Serena started playing tennis at the age of three. Her family relocated from Michigan to Compton, meaning she and her sister, Venus, would practise tennis in what was considered to be a dangerous neighbourhood.
2. Early career overshadowed
Serena's early career was overshadowed by Venus, and she had to work hard to earn respect. When she was first spotted by her coach, he even described her as an ''average player.''
3. Jehovah's Witness
She converted to the faith after her mother joined in the early 1980s. Serena keeps her faith private, but she did mention her faith in God when she won her sixth Australian Open.
4. Living the French dream
Serena has conducted several interviews in French, owns an apartment in Paris, and was once romantically linked to her French coach, Patrick Mouratoglou.
5. Role model
The tennis star has openly talked about having ADHD and how she manages her emotional regulation while playing on the court to encourage younger athletes.
In a previous social media post, Alexis explained that their oldest receives an allowance of $7 a week for her own personal expenses and savings, although not without a bit of negotiation featuring her famous mom.
In exchange for chores, Olympia gets a quick buck from her parents, and Serena was in fact the one who drew up an actual contract to seal the deal. She acted as Olympia's "counsel," per Alexis, which put them on opposite ends of the matter.
© Getty Images"Serena was her lawyer in the negotiation," he explained in a video shared on X. "I drew up a real contract. Her mom was her counsel, which was really frustrating. She's gotta feed the dog, put her clothes in the hamper, makes her bed."
Somehow, he quipped that the Olympian was even able to get her daughter "weekends off," only required to do her chores five days a week. "We're trying to create that flywheel between doing the work and getting the money, and then understanding that there are things you could want."
Alexis revealed that at one point, she'd saved up almost $100 from her allowance, and wanted to purchase a tamagotchi watch worth $125. He explained the conversation they had in which he encouraged her to save up for another few weeks and earn the remainder herself.
© InstagramThat same cycle repeated itself when she wanted to buy an American Girl Doll dress, but realized she had nothing left in her piggybank. She, as Alexis described, "broke out the cute puppy eyes. Believe me, she knows how to work Papa."
But her parents, Alexis in particular, wanted her to understand the "pain" of not having the money and then earning it instead of relying on a stable source. “I need [Olympia] to feel that little bit of pain of, like, 'Ugh, I gotta wait two more weeks for that paycheck,' and then start to remember, 'Because I do this work, I get this money.'"
© Getty ImagesHe continued: "Neither Serena nor I grew up with wealth, so we're both trying to navigate how to create the circumstances for her to be able to be a functional adult while also having resources that we couldn't have imagined."
"We're trying to build the muscle: work = reward," he wrote on X. "Good things come when you work for it."
