Alexis Ohanian stood up for Serena Williams against Stephen A. Smith on ESPN. GREG LOVETT/PALM BEACH POST / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Serena Williams' Husband Slams Stephen A. Smith Over Super Bowl Comment

Originally posted on Serve on SI | By Pat Benson | Last updated Oct 13, 2025 7:22 PM ET

Serena Williams became the greatest women's tennis player of all time thanks to her powerful game and fiery drive. Today, it became clear why she and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, are a perfect match.

Ohanian appeared live, in-studio as a guest on ESPN's First Take. The Reddit cofounder was disappointed to learn the show's cohost, Stephen A. Smith, was appearing virtually.

In February, Smith took a shot at Williams and Ohanian after the tennis legend's iconic cameo in Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show. Williams danced on stage to the diss track "Not Like Us," aimed squarely at her reported ex-boyfriend from many years ago, Drake.

Please go back and look at exactly what I said. I was talking overall from a man’s perspective — highlighting what most men would think. I didn’t utter a single disrespectful word about Serena. No issues with folks getting upset of literal serious stuff one’s pissed about. This… https://t.co/JtKlUZs15R
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) February 12, 2025

Smith said on the show, "If I'm your husband, I'm thinking, 'Why are you up there trolling him? Trolling your ex?'"

Smith said, "If I'm married, and my wife is going to troll her ex, go back to his ***. Because clearly you don't belong with me. What you worried about him for and you're with me?" Smith tried to clean up his remarks on social media the following day, but the damange was done.

Today, Ohanian confronted Smith over the personal insults, "Stephen A. Smith, I think you had some marriage advice for me. Is that right?" The popular sports television personality joked that he was not qualified to give marriage advice.

That did not stop Ohanian. "You hadn't been married before, right?" Smith did not respond, and Ohanian continued, "I give advice to plenty of founders who want to build billion-dollar companies, and the reason I do that is because I build billion-dollar companies. So I generally try to stay in my lane."

"You hadn’t been married before, right? Cause I give advice to plenty of founders who want to build billion-dollar companies. And the reason I do that is because I build billion-dollar companies." – Alexis Ohanian just checked Stephen A. Smith https://t.co/YghAXHoMrR pic.twitter.com/lks6l9zPEI
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 9, 2025

The wording was a little awkward, and the timing wasn't perfect, but the verbal punch still landed. Ohanian is a billionaire and happily married to one of the greatest female athletes of all time. Just like Kendrick Lamar proclaimed during the Super Bowl halftime show, "GAME OVER."

Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles and is widely considered the greatest player in history. She retired after the 2022 U.S. Open and has balanced a loaded business portfolio with her family life . Meanwhile, her older sister, Venus Williams, is still making history as a player and setting fashion trends at 45 years old.

This should be the last time Smith speaks on Williams' personal life.

This article first appeared on Serve on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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