Behind every success lies the pain and sweat of parents who dream big for their children. American tennis legend Venus Williams is a remarkable example of that. While her success speaks for itself,  it is as much of her parents as it is of her. In her journey to become a global icon, Williams had the support of her family who never left her side. In retrospection, she remembers her parents’ great contribution, showing what it takes to become an icon like her.

Williams had a heartwarming confession about the importance of her parents in her professional life. Referring to them as “the best,” Venus said Richard Williams and Oracene Price were “very protective” about their daughters. The couple didn’t want them to lose their childhood stressing to build an athletic future. “They didn’t push us hard. So when it came to extremes and it was going too fast, we would slow down,” Venus revealed. For the Williams sisters, Richard Williams was a pivotal character in their successful tennis career.

Richard Williams intended of raising his daughters as tennis players. He started training Serena and Venus early, using only books and instructions when the girls were four and five respectively. HIs determination helped Venus build herself as a legendary player, who won seven Grand Slams. Venus Williams debuted in professional tennis in 1994 at 14. She and her sister’s incredible rise to fame from an early period showcased their father’s dedication. Romania’s Virginia Ruzici’s Roland Garros win in 1978 inspired Venus’ father and he created a 78-page plan for his daughters’ tennis careers.

In 1995, Richard’s elder daughter attended an interview with ABC News where the interviewer intentionally pressured her by offering similar questions repetitively. At that moment, Venus’ father interrupted the session and received much praise from his elder daughter. “Now at this age I understand that I don’t have to answer that or like to move on from that. That’s what I would do now. I was just thinking, yeah they don’t know my dad,” Venus said in Will Smith’s Red Table Talk podcast.

Since childhood, the WTA star shared a bond with her father like no other. Last year, she shared a selfie with Richard Williams on a basketball court enjoying a sunset and captioned, “Me and Dad after dark.” Their adorable picture warmed the fraternity’s heart showing an affectionate father-daughter bond.

With her father, Venus Williams talked about how her mother, Oracene Price, inspired her and Serena to finish their studies. Armed with degrees in fashion design and business administration, Venus Williams’ great knowledge about styling and beauty couldn’t have developed if her parents hadn’t pushed them to continue with their studies. In an old interview, the seven-time Grand Slam winner talked about it in detail.

Venus Williams spoke about her mother Oracene Price’s contribution to her life

Venus Williams shared an intense confession about her mother in an interview with the Hamilton College Community. While mentioning her mother’s contribution to tennis, Venus said, “She’s the woman with the values. She’s the grounding force. So without my mom, I don’t think we could have done anything we did in the sport.”

Williams confessed that her mother had been one of her strong role models. She also delved deeper into how her mother’s advice helped her make it big in her life. “I had strong role models in my parents—especially my mom. She always said, ‘Don’t ever let anyone tell you what to wear.’ The same went for anyone telling you how to feel and how to think; I had a great opportunity growing up to embrace that.”

Williams’ revelations about her parents’ importance in her life are truly remarkable. Despite such fame, this WTA star didn’t forget her parent’s hard work and dedication which brought her global recognition. While Venus’s hard work helped her attain rise to no 1, her parents’ continuous support motivated her to work beyond her comfort zone. Her zeal and her parents’ encouragement paved the path for Venus to rise as a champion showing how important family is in one’s life.