Today Serena and Venus Williams enjoy the status of being two of the greatest tennis players of all time. Having the biggest records and accolades to their names, the sisters are among the most respected players in the game today. But that wasn’t the case during their initial days.

Going back in time, one can recall tennis largely being regarded as the game of the whites. While many have seen Venus and Serena Williams steadily climbing to the top, not many are aware of the hardships faced by the two to reach there. Dissecting the hardships, one can see that it was not the sole efforts of the two girls but also their parents in helping them get over the racial dilemma.

Richard comes out in support of daughters Serena and Venus Williams

Those who have followed Serena and Venus off the court are well aware of the close-knit relationship in their family. They are also well versed in the fact that Richard Williams and Oracene always stood firm for their daughters. Turning pro in the mid-90s, Venus and Serena were in their early teenage years.

Also read- ‘A Dummy and a Fool’ – Venus and Serena Williams’ Father ‘King’ Richard Once Detailed the Repercussions of Playing Tennis

However, as one says, age is just a number, Williams’ sisters gave commendable performances on the court from the beginning. But outside the court, the girls always opted to keep shut on controversial matters. Instead, let their father handle it.

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Going back to the early-year interviews of Venus Williams, one can recall Richard Williams taking charge. “Now, don’t be intimidated by us. We won’t hurt you,” were some of his words during such times.

Oracene Price adds to Richard’s words

Similar to Richard, Oracene Price, the mother of Serena and Venus Williams also came out in support of her daughters. Elaborating on the situation during the debut of Venus Williams, Oracene said, “They don’t even look at her.” “I think they’re afraid of her,” she further added.

Walking the path of memory corridors, one can recall the spectators laughing off seeing Venus play. Taking a dig at such acts, Oracene further said, “They want her to be their Stepin Fetchit.”

Watch this story- Serena Williams’ invincible winning streak once made Chris Evert retract her words from her open letter 

 While on one hand, Richard and Oracene made sure to protect their daughters, Venus and Serena on the other made sure to climb up the ladder of success. The result? The two today enjoy an aura far from anyone’s reach.