Last Updated on February 23, 2024
Richard Dove Williams Jr. is a retired American tennis coach best known for being the father of decorated tennis players Serena Williams and Venus Williams.
Williams has been a tennis coach since 1994 and has bagged tons of prestigious awards for his outstanding contribution to the sport.
Richard Williams Quick Facts
Full Name: | Richard Dove Williams Jr. |
Popular Name: | Richard Williams |
Nicknames: | N/A |
Birth Date: | February 14, 1942 |
Age: | 81 years |
Parents: | Richard Dove Williams and Julia Mae Metcalf |
Siblings: | 4 sisters – Pat Williams, Barbara Williams, Penny Williams, and Faye Williams |
Birth Place: | Shreveport, Louisiana, United States |
Nationality: | American |
Ethnicity: | African-American |
Religion: | Christianity |
Education: | Graduated from an unidentified high school |
Marital Status: | Divorced; previously married to Betty Johnson (from 1965 until their divorce in 1973), Oracene “Brandy” Price (from 1980 until their divorce in 2002), and Lakeisha Juanita Graham (from 2010 until their divorce in 2017) |
Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
Children: | 5 children with Betty Johnson – Sabrina Williams, Richard Williams III, Ronner Williams, Reluss Williams, and Raneeka Williams; 2 daughters with Oracene Price – Venus Williams and Serena Williams; 1 son with Lakeisha Graham – Dylan Starr Williams; and 1 son from a relationship outside his marriages – Chavoita Williams |
Net Worth: | USD 10 million |
Source of Wealth: | Salary & Bonuses as Tennis Coach, Endorsement Deals, and Other Ventures |
Height: | 5′ 9″ (1.75 m) |
Weight: | In kilograms: 82 kg; In pounds: 180 lbs. |
Early Life and Career Information
Early Life
Richard Dove Williams Jr. was born on February 14, 1942, in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States, to Richard Dove Williams and Julia Mae Metcalf.
Williams graduated from high school. However, the name of the school remains unknown.
After completing his high school education, Richard Williams moved from his hometown to Saginaw, Michigan. He later relocated to Long Beach, California, where he eventually launched his coaching career.
Career Information
While in Long Beach, California, Richard Williams took tennis lessons from a trainer nicknamed “Old Whiskey.” He was not passionate about the sport at that time. However, all that changed one day as he was channel-surfing and landed on a channel broadcasting the 1978 French Open.
Williams followed the event in which Polish tennis player Virginia Ruzici won the women’s singles tournament and bagged a whopping $40,000 first-place prize (around $170,000 in today’s dollars). Inspired by the prize money, he decided that his future daughters would become tennis professionals.
Richard Williams started training his daughters Venus and Serena when they were only four and a half. The two girls began their training in a tennis academy. But in 1995, Williams withdrew them from the academy and decided to become their sole coach.
In previous interviews, Richard Williams has claimed that he would train his daughters from as early as 6:00 am until dark on many occasions. Thanks to his determination, Venus turned professional in 1994 and Serena achieved the same feat the following year.
Williams coached his daughters throughout the ‘90s and much of the ‘2000s. However, he has since retired from that and all other coaching engagements.
Other Ventures
Richard Williams has co-authored a book titled “Black and White: The Way I See It,” alongside Bart Davis. The book was published in 2014 to fairly critical success.
Williams has also inspired the making of the biographical film ‘King Richard,’ which was released on November 19, 2021. The movie stars Will Smith as Richard Williams, with Venus and Serena serving as executive producers.
Richard Williams’ Net Worth
Up until his retirement, Richard Williams was considered one of the world’s most accomplished tennis coaches of his generation. And if his current net worth is anything to go by, Richard is also one of the wealthiest tennis trainers of all time. The legendary coach had a net worth of $10 million, as at November 1, 2022.
Richard Williams made millions in base salary and winning bonuses during his career. He also earned hefty paychecks from a few other ventures, including endorsement deals.
But while Williams is a dollar millionaire, his net worth still doesn’t measure up to that of his daughters. For comparison, Serena Williams is worth $250 million while her sister Venus is $100 million rich.
Lessons from Richard Williams
1. Have a solid plan
Richard Williams resolved that his daughters would become tennis professionals even before they were born. When Venus and Serena were born, Williams drafted an 85-page plan detailing how he would go about training them.
2. If you want anything done right, do it yourself
Williams was dissatisfied with the quality of training his daughters were receiving in a tennis academy. Therefore, he withdrew them from the academy and decided to coach them himself. That decision ultimately paid off, as the two tennis legends began winning grand slam tournaments a few years later.
3. Family comes first
Richard Williams is a devoted father and a staunch advocate for his daughters Venus and Serena. He has worked tirelessly to ensure the two tennis superstars realize their full athletic potential.
Famous Quotes by Richard Williams
• I think Serena right now, is feeling very sad that she didn’t win because I know she wanted to win. Serena hates losing. If anything bothers Serena, it’s to lose.
• My plan was simple: to bring two children out of the ghetto to the forefront of a white-dominated game. Could it be done? I hoped so. In fact, I was beyond hope. I was certain.
• To see where we come from, out of the worst ghetto, to be here at the finest club in the world, it’s just phenomenal. In other words, if I was writing a script for a movie, I would say, it gonna never happen,” Richard Williams said.
• Well, actually I think Venus and Serena are role models for kids in advantaged areas, disadvantaged areas, middle-class areas.
• You’ve got to understand that you’re dealing with the image of a 14-year-old child. And this child gonna be out there playing when your old ass and me gonna be in the grave. When she say something, we done told you what’s happening. You’re dealing with a little black kid, and let her be a kid. She done answered it with a lot of confidence, leave that alone.
Final Word
Richard Williams may have retired from coaching engagements. But the seeds of success he planted in his daughters Venus and Serena will continue to flourish for years to come.