King Richard Monologues

A look at how tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams became who they are after the coaching from their father Richard Williams.

The most strongest, the most powerful, the most dangerous creature on this whole earth is a woman who knows how to think. Ain't nothing she can't do.

Rick, all respects, dude, we love you. You're like a member of our family. But you work for us. I wrote this plan.

And when I say she's not playing, she is not playing. I call the shots. And I'm sorry if you don't like that.

Venus and Serena gon' shake up this world.

Where I grew up, Louisiana, Cedar Grove, tennis was not a game peoples played. We was too busy running from the Klan. But here it is. When I'm interested in a thing, I learn it. How it works, how the best peoples in the world do it. And that's what I did with tennis, with the girls.

When I was a little boy, I grew up in Shreveport. One day, my father took me to town. He give me this money to pay this White man for something. Back in them days, Black folks weren't allowed to touch White peoples. So I went to give the man this money, and I accidently touched his hand. And he start beating on me. He knocked me down, his friends come over, they all start stomping on me and beating on me. And I look up and I see my father in the crowd, and he took off running. Left me there with these grown men beating on me. Now, I haven't been no great daddy... but I've never done nothing but try to protect you. This next step you about to take, it would... It would be hard for anybody. But for you, you not gonna just be representing you, you gonna be representing every little Black girl on Earth. And you gonna be the one gotta go through that gate. And I just never wanted you to look up... and see your daddy running away.

Now, I know what you thinking. 'This family is from the ghetto. How they gonna pay old me?' Well, don't you worry about that. We're not here to rob ya. We here to make you rich.