Richard Williams, the father, coach and manager of
tennis prodigies Serena and Venus Williams, was profiled by
Pat Jordan in Sunday's N.Y. TIMES MAGAZINE. The two
sisters, who have played a limited number of events, will
play in this week's Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne.
Williams "likes to play games with white people," as he
tells white reporters, "Now, don't be intimidated by us. We
won't hurt you." Jordan: "He seems to think he is throwing
them off stride when they interview him about his
daughters." Although the 16-year old Venus has a
multimillion-dollar endorsement deal with Reebok, Richard
Williams said he has "turned down other sponsors because too
much money might mess up his kids." Williams: "The only
thing that can stop Venus from being No. 1 by 18 is an
accident. Do you know Venus Williams gets more media
attention than anyone in sports except Michael Jordan?"
MARKETING STRATEGY: The elder Williams added that
there "is so much racism in America that Americans don't
care about black people. That's why I plan to promote Venus
and Serena in Asia. I don't want to market them in a
society that doesn't care about them. Chinese people are
interested in black people." Although Williams claims he
has never "made money off his daughters," Reebok Dir of PR
Dave Fogelson said Williams was paid a consultant's fee for
two years. Williams: "Reebok never paid me one penny."
SHOWTIME? Williams' plan of playing a limited number of
events is examined. Former coach Rick Macci, on Venus:
"When Richard said he didn't want the girls playing a lot of
tournaments, I thought that was a good idea because they
were raw. But I didn't think they'd go three years." Kevin
O'Connor of the tennis Saddlebrook Academy: "Venus has one
more year of an aura of excitement about her before she
becomes an old song. People will say: 'Enough, already.
Come on, you gotta play'" (N.Y. TIMES MAGAZINE, 3/17).
