At the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony on July 26, Alexis Ohanian, husband of tennis star Serena Williams, received a playful new title from Eurosport co-host Laura Woods. During the live TV coverage, Woods humorously referred to Ohanian as Serena’s “umbrella holder” as he held an umbrella for his wife to shield her from the rain.
The family, including their 6-year-old daughter Olympia, was walking the red carpet when the comment was made.
Ohanian embraced the new title with humor, sharing a photo on Instagram of himself with Serena and Olympia, captioning it “Serena’s Personal Umbrella Holder” with a laughing face emoji. His light-hearted response set the tone for more playful exchanges online.
On July 27, he also shared a photo on X (formerly Twitter) referring to himself as Olympia’s personal umbrella holder, adding to the jokes surrounding his new role.
Social media users had a field day with the umbrella holder comment. One user compared him to a “secret service agent,” to which Ohanian responded with a nod to his protective mindset. Another user made a quip about the permanence of his role, and Ohanian agreed, showing he was in on the fun and enjoying the playful banter.
Serena Williams, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, played a significant role in the Opening Ceremony. Alongside tennis legend Rafael Nadal, track and field icon Carl Lewis, and gymnast Nadia Comaneci, Serena participated in a symbolic boat ride on the River Seine, which was part of the Olympic torch relay.
Despite the rain, Serena’s enthusiasm remained high, and she shared her excitement in a selfie video, noting that her decision to not wear a white dress was a good one given the weather.
Although Serena and her family were soaked from the rain during the ceremony, they managed to stay upbeat and positive. Serena’s excitement about the event was palpable, as she expressed her joy and made light of the weather conditions in her social media posts, ensuring that the rain didn’t dampen their memorable Olympic experience.
