Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, recently remembered one of his t-shirts, which had become a source of controversy in 2019. The Reddit co-founder mentioned how a fan reminded him of the D.A.R.E. t-shirt that he wore at the 2019 US Open showdown between Williams and Maria Sharapova. The t-shirt sparked controversy among fans as it included a message that directly took a dig at the Russian player.
Alexis Ohanian Reminisces About the Controversial D.A.R.E. T-Shirt Amid a Fan Interaction
Ahead of the most-awaited launch of Venus and Serena Williams’ podcast, Alexis Ohanian was reminded of the time when one of his t-shirts brewed controversy against his wife’s on-court rival, Sharapova.
Sharing a post on X, the Reddit co-founder mentioned how a stranger’s Halloween costume that resembled him and Serena Williams reminded him of the iconic t-shirt.
“Had a guy come up to me today to grab a selfie and he showed me a photo of him and his girlfriend dressed as me and my wife for Halloween a few years ago. Pretty surreal. I think it was me in my DARE shirt. That one did numbers,” he wrote.
Had a guy come up to me today to grab a selfie and he showed me a photo of him and his girlfriend dressed as me and my wife for Halloween a few years ago. Pretty surreal. I think it was me in my DARE shirt. That one did numbers. 🎃
— Alexis Ohanian 🗽 (@alexisohanian) June 15, 2025
It was back at the 2019 US Open where Alexis Ohanian’s DARE shirt came to light. During Williams’s showdown against Sharapova, the Reddit co-founder had the shirt covered with his jacket. However, as soon as his wife secured a commendable win over the Russian rival, he removed his jacket to showcase the message on the t-shirt wide open.
The t-shirt also included a short message that said:
“Keeping Kids Off Drugs.”
This drew a relation with the two-year-long ban imposed on Sharapova by the International Tennis Federation. Fans took to social media platforms to accuse Ohanian of intentionally trolling the WTA star.
Alexis Ohanian Denies the Need for Five-Set Matches for Both Men and Women in Tennis
After players, including Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur, and others, demanded prime slots for women at Roland Garros, a fan was quick enough to deny the change. According to him, women should first prepare themselves for five-setter matches to deserve prime slots in major events.
Ohanian, found the idea rather bizarre and therefore denied the requirement of five-set showdowns, even for men.
“As someone who discovered tennis through the women’s game, I fell in love with the drama of every point mattering. When I finally watched a men’s match, I was confused. Five sets? It made the early games feel like warm-up acts instead of high-stakes battle. The tension was diluted, not heightened,” he wrote on X.
As someone who discovered tennis through the women’s game, I fell in love with the drama of every point mattering. When I finally watched a men’s match, I was confused. Five sets? It made the early games feel like warm-up acts instead of high-stakes battle. The tension was… pic.twitter.com/9r50a2OT8b
— Alexis Ohanian 🗽 (@alexisohanian) June 9, 2025
Although the French Open tournament director did not respond positively to participants’ requests, it remains to be seen if the change will occur in the future.