The news of a biopic on Richard Williams, father and former coach of Serena and Venus Williams, had taken the tennis world by storm. The film, starring Will Smith, presented a unique opportunity for the tennis fans and Hollywood fans to cross over. While the release of the film garnered much praise for the old Richard, who pushed his daughters to achieve greatness; it also paved the way for criticism.
Sabrina Williams is the eldest child of Richard Williams and his late first wife, Betty Johnson. In a recent interview, Sabrina told the media that the portrayal of Richard as a loving father was extremely biased since he left his first family when his fifth child was just eight weeks old.
He Went Out on the Pretext of Buying Me a Bike – Sabrina Williams on Richard Williams
Sabrina Revealed a Shocking Side of RichardHe said he left his first family of five children when their youngest daughter was a toddler. “My sister Reneeka was eight weeks old when my father left. How do you abandon a baby? “I was eight and he left under the pretext of ‘I’ll buy you a bike?’. Now I can laugh about it.” Sabrina, 57, told The Sun in an interview.
Sabrina’s damning accusation: “He chose tennis because he knew it could also make him a millionaire.”
Sabrina Williams has claimed that the reason Richard Williams pushed Serena and Venus into tennis was the desire to make money. she said “He chose tennis because he knew it could also make him a millionaire. To be honest, these girls rose to the top while his other children suffered because of my father’s decisions. We grew up in poverty after he left.
Sabrina also talked about how she had two childhoods and how Richard didn’t lift a finger to help them in their worst times, like when Betty Johnson died after a battle with cancer. “The first one went well because we had money, but the second third was very difficult. It was like an instant change. Without the churches we belonged to, I don’t think my mother would have succeeded. Sabrina said.
Sabrina on Richard: “He’s not the king of the world”
Sabrina Williams said that contrary to the film’s title, Richard Williams is not a king. “He thinks he’s the king of the world, but no one who’s ever been around him thinks he’s King Richard. It’s an outrageous title, but to be honest, it suits him. He is not the king of the world. If you look at him psychologically, he never succeeded, except in his head: he only saw two of his daughters abandon all his other children. » She said.
Sabrina Williams on Serena, Venus and Olympia Ohanian
Sabrina Williams also commented on her half-sisters, saying she didn’t want to trade places with them. “I wouldn’t trade places with Venus or Serena. I was driving while listening to music and thinking: would I change anything in my life? No, I wouldn’t, I would relive all the struggles I went through. She said. » She further added.
Also read: Will Smith should be “ashamed” – Sabrina Williams, half-sister of Serena and Venus, criticizes the actor for his biased portrayal of Richard Williams