Inside Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian’s sports-tech fortune: she’s the second highest-paid woman athlete, has lucrative deals with Nike and Audemars Piguet, while hubby sold Reddit for millions

May 8 , 2023

Alexis Ohanian, Olympia and Serena Williams are one happy – and rich – family. Photos: @alexisohanian/Instagram, Nest Seekers

Serena Williams showed off her baby bump at the 2023 Met Gala alongside hubby Alexis Ohanian, welcoming a second child after Olympia; the tennis legend announced her retirement from the sport in 2022

With a combined net worth of US$330 million, this power couple sure know hows to splurge, from luxury properties and philanthropy to investing in start-ups focusing on women-owned businesses

There are power couples in Hollywood like Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, in politics like Barack and Michelle Obama, in pop music like Beyoncé and Jay-Z – and also in sports-tech, like Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian.

Williams, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, has a net worth of more than US$260 million, thanks in large part to earning more than US$94 million in career prize money – considerably more than any other professional women’s tennis player. Meanwhile, her husband Ohanian has an estimated US$70 million net worth himself, giving the power couple a combined value of US$330 million.

Read on to find out how the sports-tech power couple make and spend their money …

Serena Williams’ lucrative tennis career, brand deals and other projects

Tennis legend Serena Williams models new custom apparel from Nike that features the latest in cooling technologies only days before the start of the US Open, in New York, US, in 2004. Photo: AP

Williams has earned millions from endorsement deals with companies like Nike, Beats by Dre, Gatorade, JPMorgan Chase, Tempur-Pedic, Aston Martin, Audemars Piguet, Intel and Wilson. Nike recently honoured their long-time partnership by naming a building after her.

Serena Williams (left) and other famous tennis players pose for photographers during the Rally For Relief at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, in January 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE

Williams is still the second highest-paid woman in sports, just after Naomi Osaka, making US$45.9 million last year. All but US$1 million came from off-court earnings. She says she has never been motivated by money and never thought about checks. She even tried to deposit her first million-dollar check through a bank drive-through – and failed.

Serena Williams debuts her HSN collection in New York City, US, in 2014. Photo: Corbis

She has her own clothing line with HSN, the Serena Williams Signature Statement collection.

Also, she’s served on the board of SurveyMonkey – an online survey tool – since May 2017.

Will Smith (centre) in King Richard. Photo: TNS

She was also an executive producer on the film King Richard (2021), starring Will Smith as her father.

Tennis champion Serena Williams speaks to CNBC with her venture capital firm partner Alison Stilman (right). Photo: @CNBC Television/YouTube