Alexis Ohanian is well known for both his entrepreneurial success and as an attentive husband and father, but recently shared an unusual tale that illustrated his passion for sports memorabilia collecting. While searching for Serena Williams rookie cards on eBay, Ohanian made an unexpected yet delightful find related to Andy Roddick – making the entire search experience rewarding in itself!
Ohanian has made no secret of his passion for collecting unique cards and comics related to tennis since 1991. On this venture he found particular pleasure in collecting NetPro cards – pioneers in official tennis trading cards since 1991 featuring legends such as Roger Federer, the Williams sisters, Andy Roddick. Unfortunately during this endeavor Ohanian found one rather rare card dedicated to Andy Roddick instead.
Ohanian took to his Instagram to share his excitement over discovering a 2003 Netpro Elite 2000 Card of Roddick, highlighting its rarity with only 2000 copies made. His admiring caption for Roddick’s rookie card showcased his appreciation for the sport and the players beyond just his immediate family connection.
The fascination with such collectibles stems from their limited availability. The 2003 NetPro set, featuring only 2000 serial-numbered sets, included rare glossy variations and was part of a special contract with Roddick, marking the production of the first-ever officially licensed autographed tennis card. Yet, for Ohanian, the primary goal remained elusive as he sought a rookie card of Serena Williams.
In 2022, a signed patch rookie card of Serena Williams from the 2003 Net Pro series fetched $266,400 at auction, setting a record for a card featuring a female athlete. This illustrates both the value of such memorabilia and Ohanian’s deep admiration for his wife’s achievements.
Unveiling Alexis Ohanian’s Favorite Serena Williams Rookie Card
Ohanian owns several rare rookie cards from Serena Williams’ collection, one in particular being of great sentimental value to him: A 2018 Employee Exclusive Patch Auto card from her 2017 Australian Open performance that stands out to Ohanian due to a photo featuring Serena while pregnant – making this card especially special to him! Earlier in 2018, Ohanian revealed this particular piece as his favorite: An Employee Exclusive Patch Auto featuring Williams during that event with Serena at her side as it also includes Serena looking pregnant during its creation – giving this card additional significance in Ohanian’s eyes: its presence during 2017 Australian Open event featuring Williams herself! Ohanian revealed this particular card as being his personal favourite; in particular this piece contains Serena at her Australian Open 2017 appearance while pregnant Serena looking very pregnant herself at that event and featured both women at their best as it featured Serena during that tournament performance with their daughter Olympia as its highlight card feature card in particular as it contained photo.
Ohanian continues his search for Serena Williams rookie cards. However, it remains to be seen if he will share any updates or acknowledge Andy Roddick for awarding Ohanian with their rookie card accolade. In any case, Ohanian’s dedication to collecting and celebrating sports achievements adds an intriguing layer to his public persona, connecting technology, sports, and personal admiration – creating an enjoyable public persona in itself!