Serena Williams beams as she touches down in New Zealand after announcing engagement to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian
SERENA Williams has touched down in New Zealand - just hours after she announced her engagement to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.
The 35-year-old tennis star flew in from Houston, arriving with fellow tennis star Caroline Wozniacki to compete in the ASB Classic tennis tournament next week.
Last night, Williams - who previously dated Drake, Common and Grigor Dimitrov - announced her happy news with on her fiance Ohanian's content sharing and discussion website.
But the bride-to-be didn't comment on her forthcoming nuptials when she was greeted by the press at Auckland Airport.
In a brief interview surrounded by security and media, Williams said the influence of her elder sister Venus, 36, had been key in her decision to come to New Zealand for the first time.
"It's always fun to go places you've never been.
"Venus said it was great and I should come, so I always listen to big sister."
The 22-time Grand Slam winner is using the tournament as she gears up for upcoming Australian Open in Melbourne next month.
Her husband-to-be Ohanian, 33, has also reportedly flown in to be at her side.
The engagement comes as a surprise as the pair have kept their relationship private since they started dating just over a year ago.
In the post titled 'I said yes', she wrote: "I came home / A little late / Someone had a bag packed for me
"And a carriage awaited / Destination: Rome
";To escort me to my very own "charming" / Back to where our stars first collided
"And now it was full circle / At the same table we first met by chance
"This time he made it not by chance / But by choice
"Down on one knee / He said 4 words /And I said yes."
As well as the poem there was a sweet cartoon of Alexis promising to Serena and the caption: "Future Mrs Kn0thing", which is Alexis's username on the site.
After she shared the sweet announcement, Alexis - who founded the site back in 2005 - replied: "And you made me the happiest man on the planet."
Alexis also shared the happy news on his Facebook page writing: "She said yes".
It seems marriage has been on his mind for the past few weeks as he recently shared a verse from the Bible about the meaning of love.
He captioned the popular wedding quote, he said: "I didn't grow up in a religious household, but someone I love recently sent me this famous passage from Corinthians.
"Love really is an amazing force in the world. And we need more of it. And we need to protect it when we've got it. I'm trying to get a little better every day."
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