Serena Williams says dad ‘crushed dreams’ of chasing career in other sport

Serena Williams is quite possibly the greatest female player of all time, but she might have followed a very different path if tennis didn’t work out – until her father intervened

Serena Williams has claimed her dad “crushed” her dreams of pursuing a different sport. The 44-year-old, who is often hailed as the greatest female tennis player in history, made an unforgettable impact on the sport before hanging up her racquet in 2022.

Hailing from Compton, California, Serena clinched an astounding 23 Grand Slam singles titles, and won an additional 14 women’s Grand Slam doubles titles with her older sister, Venus.

Her dazzling career spanned nearly four decades, having first swung a racquet at the mere age of four and turned professional in 1995.

Their father, Richard, not only home-schooled them during their childhood but also served as one of their official coaches, even withdrawing them from Rick Macci’s academy to personally train them in 1995.

His meticulous coaching methods played a pivotal role in the sisters’ remarkable achievements, leaving them with very few regrets in the long term.

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Yet, despite all her success, Serena revealed this week that she had always dreamt of becoming a gymnast if her tennis career didn’t pan out.

The Wimbledon icon recalled a story during the latest episode of Stockton Street, her podcast with Venus, where she spoke to track and field star Gabby Thomas about her father ruthlessly quashing that dream.

She explained: “I desperately wanted to be a gymnast. One day my dad was like, ‘What would you do if it doesn’t work out in tennis?’ I would say, ‘I want to be a gymnast’.

“One day my dad took me aside and he’s like, ‘You can’t say that anymore’. I was also like 10 years old. When I tell you I was devastated, my heart sank, and I felt like, ‘You crushed my dreams of being a gymnast!'”

Venus interjected: “She was already too tall, and you have to start really young. The ship had sailed, in the right direction though. Right, straight to Flushing around the corner.”

Serena instead devoted her life to tennis and won her maiden Grand Slam singles title at the US Open in 1999 at just 17 years of age.

She set a host of records throughout her career and retired with one final appearance at the US Open.