Richard Williams (tennis coach) facts for kids
Williams at the 2007 Acura Classic
|
|
| Full name | Richard Dove Williams Jr. |
|---|---|
| Born | February 14, 1942 Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Coaching career (1994–present) | |
| Coaching achievements | |
| Coachee singles titles total | 49(V)-73(S) (122 titles) |
| Coachee(s) doubles titles total | 21(S-V)-2(V)-5(S) (28 titles) |
| List of notable tournaments (with champion)
|
|
| Coaching awards and records | |
| Records | |
Richard Dove Williams Jr. was born on February 14, 1942. He is an American former tennis coach. He is best known as the father and first coach of the famous tennis players Venus and Serena Williams. Richard Williams helped his daughters become two of the greatest athletes in tennis history.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Richard Williams grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was the oldest of five children. His parents were Julia Mae (née Metcalf) and Richard Dove Williams. He had four younger sisters: Pat, Barbara, Penny, and Faye. After finishing high school, he moved to Saginaw, Michigan. Later, he moved to California.
How He Coached Tennis Stars
Richard Williams learned about tennis from a man nicknamed "Old Whiskey." He was inspired to teach his future daughters tennis after watching Virginia Ruzici play on TV. Richard said he wrote a detailed 85-page plan for their training.
He started teaching Venus and Serena when they were four and a half years old. They practiced on public tennis courts. He later felt that starting at age six might have been better. In 1995, Richard took his daughters out of a tennis academy. He decided to coach them himself.
His coaching led to amazing success. Serena won the US Open in 1999. Venus won the Wimbledon title in 2000. After Venus's win, Richard was very excited. He jumped over a TV broadcasting booth and did a happy dance.
Richard Williams's Personal Life
Richard Williams was born into a family of sharecroppers. He has spoken about facing racism when he was young. He says his faith has always helped him through tough times. He has nine children, including Venus and Serena.
Before meeting his second wife, Richard married Betty Johnson in 1965. They had five children together. They divorced in 1973.
In 1979, he met Oracene "Brandy" Price. She had three daughters from a previous relationship. Richard and Oracene married in 1980. They had two daughters, Venus (born June 17, 1980) and Serena (born September 26, 1981). Both Venus and Serena became world-famous tennis champions. The family lived in Compton, California. Richard and Oracene divorced in 2002.
Richard later married Lakeisha Juanita Graham in 2010. They had one son together. They separated in 2017. Their divorce was finalized in 2024. Richard also has another son from a different relationship.
In July 2016, Richard Williams had a stroke. In 2022, it was reported that he had experienced two strokes.
Books by Richard Williams
Richard Williams has written two books. His first book, Black and White: The Way I See It, is a memoir. It was published in 2014. His second book, Richard Williams: Tennis and Race in the United States, came out in 2020. This book looks at the history of race and tennis in the United States. He has also been featured in many documentaries and news stories.
See also
In Spanish: Richard Williams (entrenador de tenis) para niños
