Richard Williams, a stronger slap than Will Smith

“We don’t know all the details of what happened, but we don’t tolerate anyone whipping unless it’s in self -defense.” This is the official comment of Richard Williamsrevealed by his daughter Chavoita LeSane to NBC News, about that slap Will Smith hit Chris Rock at the Oscar ceremony after the comedian and presenter’s joke about his actress wife’s alopecia Jada Pinkett Smith.

Later, the aggressor received the Oscar for best leading actor playing ‘King Richard’ (The Williams Method) the role of the father of the sisters Venus and Serena Williamsthe enlightened designer of legendary career paths starting at the beginning, without a bit of knowledge of the world of tennis.

Will Smith’s slap made history, though it hit harder in this sport Richard Williams. A physical violence to the public is unknown, but the actions and, especially, the words that shook many consciences and caused little trouble in a professional circuit that received two African-American figures openly arm, pulled on Tiger Woodsalthough he had a bad opinion of his controversial father and mentor.

The film, which was approved and directed by the Williams family, and the biography authorized and directed by Richard (‘Black and White: As I see it’) painted the part of the story they wanted to send from the outside. What really happened remains in the memory of its heroes. Because one of the characteristics of Richard and his work is secrecy. In fact, he keeps his young children away from the other promises of American tennis as much as possible, until they become professionals as teenagers. At the time conditioned by the law (Jennifer) Capriati, when the trend of letting 14 -year -old girls enter the Tour without a calendar limit came to an end. Many roads to the hell of a young phenomenon lead to a more staggered entry into the circuit.

Venus and Serena grew up on the public slopes of California’s ‘ghetto’ Compton. A place so dangerous that one of the three sisters of tennis players, daughters of their mother’s first relationship oracenewas killed by a wild bullet in a shootout between rival gangs in 2013. The tragedy in Yetunde was one of the most painful moments the family has experienced.

The champions were formed only in a calmer environment on the east coast, in the land of Florida. They returned in 2016 to their place of origin to name the new public courts.

Legendary Richard Williams said he decided to have two champion daughters, even before he became pregnant, when he saw on television how the Romanian tennis player was. Virginia Ruzici received a millionaire’s check. He had no idea about tennis, he trained in several video courses from a guru on the subject, Vic Braden. This is what Richard, who also played the Oracene, said to line up for the arrival of the women.

Legend has it that he was fed that he wrote his plan in a 78-page booklet. That he showed it by making his daughters into the stars. “They will be number one and number two. Serena will be even better than Venus,” he announced to anyone who wanted to listen. It’s true that they are two legendary tennis players, barely seen on the courts but still officially active.

The exact intervention of other coaches is not clear, as is the well -known collaboration of technical experts Rick Macci. With Richard, you never know where the truth bar of his intrastory is. Her daughters ’rivals, as well as the media and organizations, suspected that in the early years she had decided on the results of battles between the two.

They denied this and accused those who dared to comment on this possibility of racism. From 2002 to 2014 they rotated the contest Indian Wells, the ‘big fifth’, who marked his audience as completely racist. People of boos greeted the news that Venus was not in the semifinals against Serena, minutes before their match. He undisguisedly repeated this disapproval when Serena appeared in the final against the Belgian kim clijsters. Venus and Richard said they heard insulting adjectives associated with their African-American background during their stay at the stands to follow the rivalry.

Either against me or against me. such as romanian Irina Spirlea, which resulted in Venus Williams ’chest collapse, incidentally, in a hot clash in the semi-finals of US Open 1997. Richard called him a “big, tall, white turkey”, accusing him of racism.

That scuffle had a reality then: most tennis players were so against the hermetic Williams block, that they would go on their own without establishing any connection to the rest of the locker room.

And they all looked at the arrogant, bully Richard, who announced that he had amassed so much money that he would buy Rockefeller Center.

Venus and Serena softened this dichotomy over time, as Richard’s figure also faded, especially after Oracene divorced, who had become strong in her children’s tennis player box, the man who passed by gradually disappeared. sa grand slam wearing a tennis player, always with a handbag under the armpit and with a cigarette in the mouth, as thin as the length. Up close he was friendly, talking to any publisher who wanted to ask a question, regardless of the importance of the medium or its source.

Of course, he told the story that best suited him. In 2002 he began a new sentimental adventure with Lakeisha Graham, only a year older than Venus. She had a son. At the age of 80, he lived away from the public eye, until the film starring Will Smith came along. The one with the slap A kind of testimony built to measure. One more slap from Richard Williams to anyone not from his circle. His story is what he handles.