Tennis is a sport in which a player gets a lot of short breaks. Changeovers happen after every odd game is finished, which means that players change sides after the first game and then every two games after that. During the short break, most players have a sip of water or energy drink or just sit down to gather themselves. Venus Williams does the same. However, her father wanted her and Serena Williams to do something else.
Richard Williams was the first coach of the Williams sisters. Even before Rick Macci took over their coaching, Richard was the one who taught tennis to the two players who are now legends. He even took them out of the junior circuit as he wanted his daughters to enjoy their teenage years.
Venus Williams on open defiance of her father
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Richard Williams was the reason Venus and Serena Williams reached the stage they did. Without the guidance of their father, the two would probably not even be involved in tennis. But even the sisters didn’t listen to every piece of instruction Richard told them to follow. Queen V talked about such instances on her Instagram story.
In an AMA on the Eleven By Venus Instagram page, a follower asked her what she does during changeovers. Venus said that she just kicked back and relaxed during that time. But their father wanted them to write notes and follow up on them.
“I actually just chill… you can write down notes on paper and focus on your notes on the changeover. That’s always what my dad wanted @serenawilliams and I to do.“
Read more – “It Tears The Family Apart”: Why Venus Williams and Serena Were Pulled Out From Junior Tournaments
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While people laud Richard’s attempts for his daughters, one move surprised everyone.
Why Richard Williams took his daughters out of the junior circuit
As the two sisters made a name for themselves in their teenage years, Richard Williams’ decision to take them out of the junior circuit surprised everyone. He reasoned that teenagers need to enjoy their time off the court. He felt that making them play each tournament would put immense pressure on them and affect their overall game.
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Watch this story – Hours After Venus Williams Turned Up the Heat in a $5,000,000 Generous Act, Serena Williams’ Husband Alexis Ohanian Comes Up With a Sweet Message for His ‘Sis’
Richard Williams was chastised for this move, but it ultimately proved to be fruitful as his daughters thrashed everyone on the senior circuit.