Serena Williams’ dad ‘King Richard’ reveals he called and begged her to do more tournaments after her last match
SERENA Williams’ dad ‘King Richard’ says he called to beg her to play a few more tournaments after her last match, so she would officially be ‘the greatest of all time,’
Former coach King Richard, 80, who trained both Serena and her sister Venus since childhood, didn’t think she should hang her racket up at this point in her career.
Tennis icon Serena announced in August that she was moving away from the sport to focus on other business endeavors, and expand her young family.
The 41-year-old, who already has a five-year-old daughter, Olympia, with husband Alexis Ohanian, wrote a moving cover story for US VOGUE about her difficult decision to step away.
“There are people who say I’m not the GOAT because I didn’t pass Margaret Court’s record of 24 grand slam titles, which she achieved before the ‘open era’ that began in 1968,” she wrote in the moving piece.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want that record. Obviously, I do. But day to day, I’m really not thinking about her.”
Serena played the final match of her professional career in September at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City during the U.S. Open.
Although she lost to Australian player Ajla Tomljanovic, the game was reportedly the most-viewed in ESPN history with an average of 4.2 million viewers tuning in.
Her father Richard, who has had multiple strokes and sometimes struggles with communication issues as a result, gave a rare interview to The U.S. Sun this month.
Sitting beside his son Chavoita LeSane at their home in Florida, he said he was incredibly proud of both his daughters, and knew Serena’s career was coming to an end.
Although he is reluctant to speak about them now they are household names, he revealed he wanted Serena to push on and possibly beat Court’s record.
MOTHERHOOD DREAMS
Richard, who has been described as a “controversial and contentious figure” in the tennis world, told The U.S. Sun: “I wanted her to play at least a couple more tournaments. She said no, she won’t do it.
“I asked Serena about maybe six weeks ago, two months ago, probably. But she’s done a great deal, she has lots of other businesses and is very successful.
“Her baby [Olympia] is unbelievable. She already speaks English and French very well … that child is doing extremely well,” adding that he’s hoping to be a grandfather again soon and now supports Serena’s decision.
He added: “I said, ‘Why don’t you play?’ She said, ‘I could. I think I could win, but I can’t do it no more. Yeah, I won’t do it no more.’”
Richard said she’s “extremely happy” despite her decision and is an “incredible mom,” who is still humble despite her wealth and is raising her daughter well.
The star and her famous sister have a number of other businesses they run, with Serena having started a venture capital firm in recent years.
I was proud of them before they were even born.”
Richard Williams on his daughters Serena and Venus.
She admitted in her VOGUE article that she had wrestled with the idea of leaving tennis for some time, saying: “I’ve been reluctant to admit that I have to move on from playing tennis. It’s like a taboo topic.
“It comes up, and I start to cry. I think the only person I’ve really gone there with is my therapist.”
She also spoke of becoming a mother again, revealing her daughter Olympia told her all she wants to be when she grows up is a “big sister.”
“Olympia says this a lot, even when she knows I’m listening. Sometimes before bed, she prays to Jehovah to bring her a baby sister. [She doesn’t want anything to do with a boy!]
“I’m the youngest of five sisters myself, and my sisters are my heroes, so this has felt like a moment I need to listen very carefully to.”
Talking about both his daughters, her father Richard chuckled: “I was proud of them before they were even born,” as he hatched a plan to turn them into tennis greats, even writing a 78-page manifesto outlining a blueprint for success.
But Richard says if they were welcomed into the world in 2023, he wouldn’t want them to play tennis at all.
“I wanted them to get money out of tennis, but it’s a totally different world today, I’d have them focus on businesses as they have now, they’re extraordinary,” he said.
VENUS’S FUTURE
His son Chavoita elaborated: “I think what he means is, he sees life so differently. He realized in tennis there’s a ceiling, and the ceiling is here [tournament wins].
“But when you’re in business, there is no ceiling, certain businesses. The sky’s the limit.”
Asked what the girls would have done if they hadn’t played tennis, Richard revealed: “Serena wanted to be an animal doctor, and Venus wanted to be an engineer I believe.”
Venus, 42, recently dropped out of the Australian Open due to injury and there have been whispers she may also be set to retire in the coming months.
Her father believes she is more passionate about playing tennis than settling down right now, but she may also quit and focus on other projects.
Asked if he thinks she’ll start a family of her own, he said: “I don’t think so, no I really don’t think so. She really loves kids, but I don’t think she’ll have kids. [And] I think she could be quitting [tennis] very soon.”
Venus has had a number of health struggles throughout her career, including being diagnosed with Sjorgren’s syndrome – a rare autoimmune disease, which can cause joint pain, numbness, and swelling.
She owns her own fashion brand and has also hinted she may follow in her father’s footsteps and coach tennis, which he approves of.
FILM SUCCESS
She recently said: “I love learning, and I love teaching. Believe it or not, I love teaching beginner’s tennis.
“I love that moment when people’s eyes light up, and they think, ‘Oh, I get it now!’ You just have to be coachable.”
The Hollywood biopic King Richard, starring Will Smith as Willaims, told the Serena and Venus story through their father’s eyes – and how he encouraged them to be successful.
Will won the Best Actor statue at the 2022 Oscars for his portrayal of no-nonsense Richard, who was thrilled with the film after initially expressing concern he may be villainized in the movie.
His son described his father as “phenomenal” and said although he’s not a big tennis fan and doesn’t watch matches, he can appreciate what his dad did for the game.
“When I look at the achievements of him as a father, tennis coach, tennis manager, being trained by someone named Old Whiskey, it’s quite amazing. It’s mind-blowing.
“I think my father went very far in tennis, in spite of being criticized a lot, even though I never really pay attention to criticism.
“It’s amazing to look at what Venus and Serena have achieved, especially with them being Afro-Americans, and having to jump over so many hurdles.”
