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Venus swapped trophies with Serena
Compton Courts
Their father started Venus and Serena playing tennis very young in Compton, California, a rough neighborhood with nothing like clay courts. By ten, Venus was so good that opponents struggled to win points. Serena was told she was not old enough for tournaments, but she watched Venus and felt she could do pretty well.
Signing Herself Up
While their father watched Venus play, Serena walked over to the registration table and signed herself up. The organizers knew her dad and did not ask for money, so they put her on court two. When he noticed she was missing, someone told him they had seen her on the other court, and he said she was not allowed. He found her mid-match, and she thought she was busted. She won, he decided maybe she was ready, and he went back to the table and registered her officially.
The Final
Serena moved through the draw and met Venus in the final. She won a couple of games, which would have been a big win for anyone else, but Venus took the match by something like 6-2, 6-1. Venus held the gold trophy and Serena the silver, and Venus looked over and said silver was her favorite color and asked whether Serena would mind trading. Serena agreed and went home with the gold.
How did their father learn to coach tennis?
Richard Williams had little tennis background when his daughters were born. He has said he decided to coach them after watching a tennis tournament on television, and he learned the game from books and videos. He taught Venus and Serena on public courts in Compton.
How did the sisters' careers compare?
Venus turned professional in 1994 and Serena followed in 1995. Venus won seven Grand Slam singles titles, and Serena won twenty-three, the most of any player in the Open Era. They met in nine Grand Slam finals, and Serena won seven of them.
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