Serena Williams recently shared a heartfelt reflection on the significant influence her father, Richard Williams, had on her and her older sister, Venus Williams. The former elite American player had made her appearance for the reception at La Reconquista Hotel in Oviedo, Spain, ahead of receiving the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports.
Serena Williams Credits Her Father for Leading Her and Her Sister on the Path of Tennis
Serena is widely considered one of the greatest tennis players in history, having won 73 WTA Tour singles titles, including 23 major singles titles, and four Olympic gold medals, three in doubles with her older sister Venus and one in the singles category.
Serena and Venus’ father, Richard, started coaching them from a very young age and played a vital part in their professional and personal careers. During a press conference via ABC Sports ahead of receiving her Princess of Asturias Award for Sports, Serena expressed her heartfelt gratitude to her father, Richard, and her mother, Oracene Price, who financially supported the family after Richard quit his job to train her daughters.
“He’s the main reason my sister and I played tennis. It was his idea; he wanted us to have a better life for ourselves than he had. And we did, we achieved it. We worked very hard, we listened to what he and our mother told us. My career has been a journey and a dream that has taken me far and wide. I’ve been to every corner of the world thanks to tennis,” said Serena in her interview.
She continued, “It’s brought me great joy many times, and also great sadness on occasion, that happens with every sport. Tennis has taught me discipline; it’s taught me to strive. It’s given me so much… I’m still benefiting from tennis. And all of this started with my father’s prompting.”
In Nov. 2021, a biographical film “King Richard” centered on the Williams sisters and their former tennis coach, father, Richard Williams, was released by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film chronicled the journey of how their father and coach effectively trained and laid the career foundation of the future legendary players, Serena and Venus Williams.
The notable actor, Will Smith, portrayed Richard Williams and won multiple awards for his role, including the 2022 Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Apart from receiving global recognition with the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports, Serena has received the prestigious Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year four times in 2003, 2010, 2016, and 2018.
The International Sports Press Association named Serena the best female athlete over the last hundred years.
Furthermore, in December 2019, she was named the Female Athlete of the Decade for the 2010s by the Associated Press. In 2023, she also received the NAACP Image Award Jackie Robinson Sports Award, among other recognitions.
