. 'Their trajectory was very different from the traditional.' Lawler, then an agent wor){kind=link}
Measuring the impact of Venus and Serena Williams, two all-conquering sisters from Compton, Los Angeles, is close to impossible. There is a depth and breadth to their stories that is utterly unique and, in many ways, beyond comprehension.
Few could dream of the figures behind their marvellous playing careers. A combined total of 30 Grand Slam singles titles – 23 for Serena, seven for Venus; 14 major doubles titles; nine Olympic medals, eight of which are gold; a combined 330 weeks as world No. 1 and more than $137million earned in on-court prize money.
Statistics alone don’t do this story justice and, frankly, miss the point. This is more than just tennis. The societal impact of these ground-breaking athletes is immeasurable: they changed the face of a predominantly white sport, inspired generations of aspiring talent, and forced the tennis establishment to take steps towards a more equal, just sport. All whilst ruthlessly dominating.
It was clear long ago that the Williams sisters were different. They would do things their own way.
Their father, Richard Williams – the focus of Oscar-winning Hollywood film “King Richard”, had mapped out a route for his daughters to become the best in the world. That route didn’t involve playing junior tournaments, as was – and largely still is – the status quo.