The 81-year-old dad and coach of the legendary tennis sibling duo has had three marriages and numerous children.
Raising a daughter to become one of the best tennis players in the world is an incredibly difficult task, but raising two is extraordinary.
This is not the case for Richard Williams, the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams, who have a combined 30 Grand Slam singles titles, 122 career singles titles, and 8 Olympic gold medals.
Richard Dove Williams Jr. was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on February 14, 1942, to his parents, Julia Mae (née Metcalf) and Richard Dove Williams.
His early experiences growing up in a family of sharecroppers in the racially segregated South with his sisters, Pat, Barbara, Penny, and Faye, profoundly influenced his worldview and determination.
He faced significant hardship in his youth, including violent encounters with white attackers.
When he was only 5 years old, he was beaten up for “handing a dollar to a white store clerk.”
During one particular incident, he was hit on the head with a baseball bat, a bottle, and a flashlight.
In the 1980s, while living in Compton, California, Richard developed a 78-page plan to train his daughters in tennis despite having little prior experience in the sport.
He began coaching Venus and Serena on public courts when they were about 4 and a half years old, using unconventional methods to focus on building resilience and a strong mindset.
Richard would later say in an interview that 4-and-a-half was probably too young to have started them and that 6 would have been a more appropriate age.
In 1995, when Serena was 14, and Venus was 15, he withdrew them from a tennis academy and began training them himself.
His detailed methods and unyielding belief in their potential laid the foundation for their future success.
Venus Williams won her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 2000, defeating Linsday Davenport in the final.
Serena Williams claimed her first Grand Slam title at the US Open in 1999, triumphing over Martina Hingis.
Richard’s influence extended beyond coaching; he was a vocal advocate for his daughters, often challenging the status quo of the tennis establishment.
His assertiveness sometimes drew criticism, but it also highlighted issues of race and representation in the sport.
In 2001, during the Indian Wells Masters, Richard and his family faced racial hostility, leading to a boycott of the tournament by Venus and Serena that lasted over a decade.
Before meeting Oracene Price, Venus, and Serena’s mother, Richard married his first wife, Betty Johnson, in 1965 and had five children— Sabrina, Richard III, Ronner, Reluss, and Reneeka Williams.
Betty also has one child from a previous relationship.
Richard and Betty divorced in 1973.
After moving to California, Richard met Oracene in 1979, and the pair married in 1980.
Oracene, who had three daughters from a previous relationship (Yetunde, Isha, and Lyndrea Price), gave birth to Venus on June 17, 1980, and Serena on September 26, 1981.
Oracene also played a significant role in training and developing Venus and Serena into world-class athletes.
As their two daughters were becoming tennis champions in the early 2000s, their relationship started to falter.
They began living separately in 2000, and their divorce was finalized in 2002.
Following his divorce from Oracene, Richard married Lakeisha Graham in 2010, who is several decades younger than him.
Together, they have a son named Dylan, born in 2012.
However, their relationship became strained, and they eventually separated in 2017 amid legal battles and allegations from both sides.
Williams also has one confirmed son from a relationship outside his marriage.
Sabrina Williams, one of Richard’s daughters with his first wife, has made allegations against him, claiming that Richard was a “serial cheat” who fathered up to 20 children.
She alleged that he abandoned her family when she was eight years old, leaving her mother, Betty Johnson, to raise their six children alone.
Sabrina criticized the 2021 biographical film “King Richard,” starring Will Smith, for omitting the experiences of Richard’s first family.
She expressed that the portrayal of Richard as a dedicated father to Venus and Serena did not align with her own experiences.
In recent years, Richard has faced health challenges, including multiple strokes that have affected his speech and mobility.
Despite these setbacks, he remains a revered figure in the tennis community.
Richard’s legacy is not only reflected in the achievements of Venus and Serena but also in his impact on the sport of tennis.
His story underscores themes of perseverance, the importance of family support, and the pursuit of excellence against all odds.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Serena Williams attended fashion school at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale from 2000 to 2003 and launched her own clothing line, Serena, in 2018.
- Richard Williams used unique training methods, such as making Venus and Serena practice with bad balls to improve their speed and agility.
- By age 10, Venus Williams held a 63-0 record in the US Tennis Association junior tour and was ranked No.1 for girls under 12 in Southern California.
