Serena and Venus Williams' father, Richard, once candidly admitted his experiences with racism as a black man in America. He revealed that he was no stranger to it and had come dangerously close to being “killed” on several occasions.
Richard grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana before moving to Saginaw, Michigan, Long Beach, California and finally Compton. His goal was to create a challenging environment for his daughters to help shape their mentality.
As a child, he had already encountered the harsh reality of racism. He shared that he once witnessed a friend being lynched in the 1940s and 50s, and that it had a profound effect on him.
He recalled the death of another friend who fell on top of an 82-year-old white woman. The woman claimed it was the victim's fault and Richard stated that no police investigation or any action was taken.
“There was no investigation, there was no police car. But that was life. I was close to being killed many times. Hell most of the time,” Venus Williams' father, Richard, told CNN in 2015.
Speaking about moving to Compton with her daughters, she said:
“To be successful, you have to prepare for the unexpected – and I wanted to prepare for that. Criticism can bring out the best in you.”
'This is the hardest time in the world I've ever had' – Venus Williams' father Richard on Indian Wells racism controversy
In 2001, a controversial incident occurred at Indian Wells Venus Williams withdrew shortly before the semi-final match against her sister Serena, citing a knee injury. This led to widespread speculation and accusations that Venus did not face her sister in the final.
When Serena played in the final against Kim Clijsters, she faced a hostile crowd as her father Richard and Venus cheered her on in the stands. Many observers believed that the hostility was rooted in racial prejudice. The boos during the match were intense and both sisters later shared how uncomfortable and painful the experience was for them.
It was another encounter with racism for Richard, perhaps the one that shook him the most. He told the media that he heard a spectator talking about “his skin being flayed alive”. Fearing for his safety, he vowed never to return to the tournament.
“This is the hardest time in the world I've ever had,” Williams said. “I'm not going to Indian Wells again because I believe that guy will flay me alive.”
Both sisters boycotted the tournament, with Serena returning in 2015 and Venus a year later in 2016.
Venus Williams and Father Richard recall a match between the 7-time Grand Slam champion “should have won”
Edited by Pritha Ghosh