A mysterious man animatedly talking next to Serena Williams during the US Open semifinals became one of the tournament’s funniest viral moments. Cameras caught him gesturing while Serena looked away, her expression suggesting she’d rather be anywhere else. Fans immediately joked he was “mansplaining tennis to Serena Williams.”
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The clip spread across social media, with some even guessing the man was Alexis Ohanian, her husband. But Jessica Schiffer later clarified the identity, and former coach Rennae Stubbs confirmed, “He’s one of her business partners AND a lovely person.”
The irony deepened when Serena’s own tournament ended in disappointment. Her doubles return with Venus ended in the opening round, while her mixed doubles run with Carlos Alcaraz stopped in the quarters. Earlier in June, she had lost her Wimbledon singles opener to Maya Joint after suffering a knee injury.
Serena Williams returned to tennis in June 2026, nearly four years after her last professional appearance. She began at the HSBC Championships with Victoria Mboko before entering Wimbledon. After the knee setback, she reunited with Venus in Cincinnati, but another early exit followed.
At the US Open, Serena teamed with Alcaraz, reaching the quarterfinals before falling to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli. She and Venus also lost in the women’s doubles first round.
Serena Williams Talks About Her Future After the US Open Loss
Despite the results, Serena’s outlook remains upbeat.
“Carlos is obviously so talented, but what really stood out to me is how much joy he brings to competing. We couldn’t stop smiling out there… That ability to stay loose while still being so competitive is really special,” She said, speaking about Alcaraz.
“It’s nothing long-term. It’s more or less having a lot of fun… I have two girls, and showing my girls that they can do that, too,” she added at the Forbes Power Women’s Summit.