Richard Williams

Richard Williams (born February 16, 1942 ) is an American tennis coach, and the father of Venus and Serena Williams. Williams is one of six children and only son of single mother Julia Mae Williams. He has been known to exaggerate aspects of his upbringing. A childhood friend told Sports Illustrated writer L. Jon Wertheim that Julia did not grow cotton, as Richard has claimed. Williams also claimed to be a star athlete in high school, but no records of his exploits exist. After graduating from high school, Williams moved to California, where he met a woman named Betty Johnson, whom he married in 1965. They had two daughters and three sons before divorcing in 1973. Williams met Oracene Price in 1979, who had three daughters by her late husband. They married in 1980 after Venus was born. They lived for a time in Lansing, Michigan, but eventually moved to Compton. Williams decided his daughters would be tennis professionals when he saw Virginia Ruzici playing on television. He began...