Venus and Serena Williams embodied “thankful hearts and champion spirits” throughout their remarkable careers. As young girls, aged 10 and 9, training under Rick Macci, they exuded gratitude and humility. The sisters’ journey from Compton’s public courts to global tennis icons is a testament to their enduring spirit. With over 122 WTA titles and 30 majors between them, they remain grounded, crediting their family for instilling these values. But what were they like in the early days? The answer lies in their formative years under Macci’s guidance.

The 70-year-old coach is always spilling the beans about the Williams sisters. Whether it’s their late-night serve practice sessions using shopping carts filled with tennis balls or King Richard’s methods to instill courage and resilience in his daughters. Macci has seen it all. On March 18, he shared another tidbit on his X account, writing, “Every night after practice whether it was good bad or they were Mad at me or Dad the girls always said THANK YOU and a hug or fist pump.” This good-mannered nature of the Williams sisters was evident throughout their respective careers.

However, on the grand stage courts, Serena and Venus were quite aggressive and competitive as well. Macci affirms this spirit was there long before they turned pro. He added, “Now the little one sometimes had a little more than normal juice on the fist pump then anticipated but another kid goat COMPETITIVE quality inside the Compton pit bull. @serenawilliams @Venuseswilliams”

Macci often shared stories about how competitive Serena and Venus Williams were, even in everyday situations, like pushing past each other for food or wanting to be the first in line. Last year, on December 31, he shared more insights about their early days. On his X account, Macci painted a vivid picture of their relentless drive, recalling, “As you evolve, you want to keep getting better. Venus and Serena, they were so competitive. If there was a piece of bread on the table, they were so competitive. So they didn’t need it like people need to know how to win and people need to know how to lose.”

It turns out that even if Macci could have tweaked their training with more biomechanics, their innate competitive fire was the real game-changer. Interestingly, Serena stood out from Venus in this area, which became a key factor in her success on the court.

Rick Macci reveals what set Serena apart from Venus when they were young

Serena Williams‘ tennis career was a masterclass in determination, with her competitiveness being the ace that served her well for two decades. Her childhood coach, Rick Macci, had a front-row seat to see her growth.

In December 2023, Macci opened up in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, offering a deeper look into the sisters’ early days. He highlighted that Serena’s competitiveness was the game-changer, saying, “It was her competitiveness. It didn’t matter, if there was like a piece of chicken on the table she pushed Venus out of the way to get it. She had to be the first to take a drink. She was always like had to be first, she was so competitive.”

Macci observed that Venus was formidable, but Serena’s personality gave her an additional edge. He mentioned, “The only thing when she was a kid sometimes, she wasn’t sticking to it as Venus because Venus was more mature.”  Serena’s competitive spirit actually gives her an edge both on and off the court. It has propelled her into successful ventures even outside of tennis!

Now that Serena has hung up her racket and Venus is on a lengthy hiatus following her knee injury at the 2023 Wimbledon, Rick Macci’s stories keep their legendary spirit alive. Hopefully, the legendary coach continues to dish out captivating tales about these tennis icons.