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Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian breaks his silence on her dance in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl show

Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian breaks his silence on her dance in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl show

Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian is weighing in on her show-stopping appearance at Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl 2025 halftime show on Sunday.

The 41-year-old Reddit co-founder took to X (formerly Twitter) to compliment the performance.

‘Pretty fantastic halftime show,’ he wrote after sharing pH๏τos of the field from his vantage point in a VIP box.

The 43-year-old retired tennis icon got some prime screen time as a featured dancer in Kendrick’s penultimate number, his hit song Not Like Us, which was filled with sH๏τs at his nemesis Drake — who also happens to be Serena’s ex-boyfriend. 

Drake doesn’t seem to have been in as good of a mood in the running up to the performance, as he delivered a rant about his exes on-stage in Melbourne, Australia, just hours before the halftime show began.

Serena was clearly happy with her performance after the Super Bowl, as she posted to X, ‘Let’s go Super Bowl halftime. I died a little!’

Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian is weighing in on her show-stopping appearance at Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl 2025 halftime show on Sunday; pictured Saturday

Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian is weighing in on her show-stopping appearance at Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl 2025 halftime show on Sunday; pictured Saturday

The 41-year-old Reddit co-founder took to X (formerly Twitter) to compliment the performance. 'Pretty fantastic halftime show,' he wrote; pictured Sunday

The 41-year-old Reddit co-founder took to X (formerly Twitter) to compliment the performance. ‘Pretty fantastic halftime show,’ he wrote; pictured Sunday

Alexis already has a reputation for always having his wife’s back, and Sunday was no different.

In addition to celebration the halftime show, he also stood up for her crip walk on the field.

Read More Drake rants about exes as Serena Williams and SZA join Kendrick Lamar at Super Bowl article image

The dance attracted some controversy on social media and in right-wing circles, but the response was primarily muted or celebratory this time around, compared to a 2012 incident in which she performed the dance to celebrate her defeat of Maria Sharapova at the 2012 Olympics.

‘Some of y’all have no idea how criticized Serena was for this same dance at Wimbledon 13 years ago and it shows…. This is bigger than the music he wrote.

He included a screensH๏τ of a summary of contemporary comments from conservative sports commentator Jason Whitlock, who was then with Fox Sports. 

He originally said that Wiliams ‘deserved to be criticized’ and said she ‘should’ve immediately apologized. Whitlock went on claim her tennis crip walk was ‘akin to cracking a tasteless, X-rated joke inside a church.’

After a fan in the replied called Whitlock ‘one of the biggest losers to exist, Ohanian added, ‘I get that faux outrage pays his bills, just not how I’d wanna spend my life.’

He also included a video of Samuel L. Jackson, who made appearances throughout Kendrick’s performance as an Uncle Sam figure.

Alexis also shared some pH๏τos of the field from his VIP box vantage

Alexis also shared some pH๏τos of the field from his VIP box vantage

In addition to celebration the halftime show, he also stood up for her crip walk on the field, noting how an earlier celebration of her defeat of Maria Sharapova at the 2012 Olympics was bathed in controversy

In addition to celebration the halftime show, he also stood up for her crip walk on the field, noting how an earlier celebration of her defeat of Maria Sharapova at the 2012 Olympics was bathed in controversy

Alexis included a clip of Samuel L. Jackson's satirical remarks as a meaningful comment on the criticism his wife had previously experienced

Alexis included a clip of Samuel L. Jackson’s satirical remarks as a meaningful comment on the criticism his wife had previously experienced

Serena and Alexis began dating in 2015 and welcomed daughter Alexis in September 2017, before marrying two months later. They welcomed second daughter Adira River Ohanian in 2023; seen in July 2024 in LA

Serena and Alexis began dating in 2015 and welcomed daughter Alexis in September 2017, before marrying two months later. They welcomed second daughter Adira River Ohanian in 2023; seen in July 2024 in LA

Serena previously dated Drake — the subject of Kendrick's diss track Not Like Us — on and off from 2011–2015; seen in November 2024 in Toronto

Serena previously dated Drake — the subject of Kendrick’s diss track Not Like Us — on and off from 2011–2015; seen in November 2024 in Toronto

‘Oh no, no!’ he cried out in response to the music before satirically taunting the rapper with the words of his critics. 

‘Too loud! Too reckless! Too… ghetto,’ he continued, emphasizing the last term, which some critics have interpreted as a racist dog whistle, though it popped up in plenty of critical social media posts from Sunday night.

Read More How Serena Williams’ appearance at the Super Bowl half-time show is the latest dig to ex Drake article image

Ohanian appeared to see Jackson’s satirical remarks as a meaningful comment on the criticism his wife had previously experienced.

His connection to Serena began after their first meeting in May 2015, shortly before she and Drake appeared to end their relationship, which was on and off from 2011 to 2015.

She was later seen kissing the rapper in August 2015, but Alexis began to be a regular fixture with her on social media around that time.

The two kept their relationship fairly under the radar, until they engagement on December 29, 2016.

On September 1, 2017, she welcomed their first child, six-year-old Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., and they later tied the knot on November 16 of that year.

In August 2023, the happy couple revealed they had welcomed their second child, 15-month-old Adira River Ohanian. 

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