Serena Williams overlooks husband Alexis Ohanian's Chelsea ties to share emotional moment with rival player Phallon Tullis-Joyce

Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, recently invested in the renowned English football club, Chelsea FC Women. A few days after taking ownership, Williams and Ohanian were present at the FA Cup final, where the Blues emerged victorious against their rivals, Manchester United, with a final scoreline of 3-0.

Following the final whistle, an emotional moment was shared between Red Devils and USWNT goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce and Serena Williams.

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian invested approximately £20 million (around $26.5 million) in the club for a stake worth 8-10%. The tech entrepreneur is a strong supporter of promoting women's sports, as he also owns a women's American football team called Angel Team FC. He also created an event called Athlos, which is a platform for emerging women athletes to showcase their talent and gain further opportunities.

Meanwhile, the 23-time Grand Slam title winner has been one of the foremost ambassadors for women's sports this century. She has changed how people perceive women’s sports with her brilliance on the court.

Recently, a heartfelt exchange between Williams and Tullis-Joyce went viral, where the former World No.1 can be seen hugging the fellow American while he is overwhelmed to meet her.

Williams later addressed the moment with Tullis-Joyce on X.

“I wear Chelsea blue but pro woman on my heart. Any color goes. #womensport,” she wrote.

This comment and gesture from the tennis legend underscore that promoting and supporting women’s sports remains the top priority, despite her husband’s business ties.

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Serena Williams calls out the sports fraternity for not recognizing women's sports

Serena Williams speaking at an event - Source: Getty

In December 2024, Serena Williams attended a New York Times DealBook summit where she spoke about women athletes not receiving the recognition they deserve, despite delivering world-class performances.

"Women athletes have always been around. We’ve always been amazing and we’ve always been great. You guys are just noticing, and I think it’s important that people realize that," Williams said.

The 43-year-old has consistently supported the cause of advancing women’s sports. In 2022, in collaboration with Nike, she invested $1.3 million in 20 organisations worldwide to encourage emerging female athletes and promote women’s sports.

She has also invested in the WNBA team, Toronto Tempo, which will be the first Canadian team to compete in the league. The team is set to participate starting from the 2026 season. Even though Williams retired from tennis in 2022, she remains committed to shaping the future of women’s sports.