Rick Macci, the renowned tennis coach, recently made a surprising revelation about the Williams sisters’ early years in tennis. According to Macci, Serena Williams could never beat her elder sister Venus Williams in practice matches when they were juniors.
This disclosure is quite unexpected, especially if you consider Serena’s impressive career record against Venus, as the former won 19 out of their 31 professional matches.
As depicted in the film “King Richard”, Venus was considered the more naturally talented of the two sisters during their formative years.
Coaches and tennis experts saw immense potential in Venus, so they wished to focus more on her development. But it nearly came at a huge cost as Serena was sidelined despite her evident skill and determination.
However, Richard Williams, their father, always had a strong belief in Serena’s potential. He worked tirelessly to motivate her and convince coaches that she, too, was destined for greatness.
Richard’s unyielding confidence in Serena’s abilities was a driving force behind her eventual rise to tennis stardom. Macci also affectionately nicknamed Richard the “Compton Comedian” because of his dry sense of humor.
It is a testament to Richard’s unique personality and him being a doting father to his daughters.
Serena never beat Venus in practice Never. Richard the Compton Comedian never let them play as he said he saw and was involved in too many COMPTON STREET FIGHTS ALREADY. @Venuseswilliams @serenawilliams
— Rick Macci (@RickMacci) July 6, 2024
Richard also had a pragmatic reason for limiting the number of practice matches between Serena and Venus. He believed that frequent matches between the two could lead to an intense sibling rivalry.
At home, those fights could have blown up like the street fights he witnessed in Compton back in the day. By managing their interactions carefully, Richard aimed to maintain a healthy and supportive relationship between his daughters.
Macci’s Role in Shaping Venus & Serena
In an interview with The SportsRush recently, Macci called Serena and Venus’ success the ‘greatest American sports story of all-time’. It is a big claim to make as the States has seen other successful athletes of color as well who came from modest backgrounds, such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
But Macci justified himself by saying that it is a rarity to see two children from the same household going on to become the two best players in the world, that too in the same sport.
Macci’s recent revelation about Serena’s early struggles against Venus adds a fascinating layer to the already remarkable story of the Williams sisters. It underscores the importance of belief, motivation, and the right guidance in achieving greatness.
Macci’s ability to mold and guide both sisters, despite the challenges and competition between them, highlights his exceptional coaching prowess and deep understanding of the sport.
His role in their development is a testament to the impact a dedicated and insightful coach can have on an athlete’s career. But he is humble enough too to give Richard due credit because without his unique ways, Serena might have been left behind and tennis would have been denied more greatness.
