Screenshot : ESPN 2

As Serena Williams easily drubbed Maria Sharapova in their first-round U.S. Open match last night, she got to be magnanimous in victory, applauding one of Sharapova’s few winners in the second set and then telling the on-court interviewer post-match that facing Sharapova was an “incredibly tough draw” because she is “such a good player.” Meanwhile, Serena’s husband, Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, wasn’t going to waste the opportunity to get in one last jab.


When the match ended, Ohanian stood and unbuttoned his jacket to reveal he was wearing a D.A.R.E. (to say no to drugs) t-shirt, which harkens to Sharapova’s 15-month suspension from tennis for taking the banned substance meldonium. The subtle troll was extremely Reddit.



The match was perfunctory. Serena won 56 points to Sharapova’s 28; hit five aces to Sharapova’s one; and zinged 16 winners while Sharapova had six. Sharapova hit 20 unforced errors to Serena’s 12. Though Sharapova had five chances to break serve, she converted none of them. There was never a moment of real drama, and Serena now owns their career head-to-head 20-2.


Still, the lopsided match was hotly anticipated thanks to the long history of juicy beef between them.

And now that Ohanian managed to get a little nibble, the beef roasts on.