The latest edition of “Club Shay Shay” proved legendary, as tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams joined Shannon Sharpe.
The sisters boast a sporting legacy unlike any the world has witnessed before or will likely see again. They hold 30 combined Grand Slam titles, 10 Olympic gold medals and a litany of other marks for the record books.
And their next feat is the silver screen.
The Williams sisters and their father, Richard, are the subjects of the upcoming film “King Richard,” starring Will Smith as their father. The movie delves into the pair’s upbringing, their start in the sport and their rise to stardom. In the episode, Sharpe discussed the film and much more as he went one-on-two with the dynamic duo.
Richard Williams was a very loving and protective father, according to the sisters. He also openly defended his young girls as they made their climb to the crest of the sport. Sharpe recounted an instance in the film when Richard called out a reporter for questioning Venus’ confidence. Venus remembered the occasion well and spoke lovingly as she reminisced on it.
“I think that it went viral for the last couple of years,” she said. “I think people love that because it’s good to see kids being protected by their dad. It’s definitely a dad and daughter moment. It was super special.”
Serena and Venus on the viral video of their dad blasting a reporter for questioning Venus’ confidence I Club Shay Shay
Shannon Sharpe welcomes two of the greatest tennis players of all time: Serena and Venus Williams. The Williams sisters discuss the new film “King Richard,” which is based on their upbringing in Compton, and tell Shannon why it was so important to tell their origin story through the lens of their father, portrayed on screen by Will Smith.
Richard was certainly a no-nonsense father when it came to the affairs of his family. Often, young star athletes face questions surrounding their parents’ tactics and motives. Sharpe asked the sisters if they ever felt like they were pushed too hard by their father.
“No, we loved what we did, and it was fun,” Serena said. “Obviously, there were days we didn’t want to go to practice. There are still days I don’t want to. But you just do it because you know if you want to reach a goal, then you have to work. My dad was always so innovative and so amazing to work with.
“To this day, his brain moves at a way faster pace than anyone I’ve ever met. He’s also the most loving and caring dad.”
“I think we’re just happy to have the family that we do have,” Venus added. “When we put the racket down, we put the racket down. We’re fortunate to have that beautiful support. It’s just a regular family when we put the racket down.”
In the interview, it’s easy to see how much family values and togetherness mean to both sisters.
“That’s what we like about the film,” Serena said. “It captures the family aspect. We’re all so close. Everything we want to do, we want to do it as a family. We want to always have time together, and it’s so amazing that everything we’ve done and been through, it never changed our bond as sisters and as a family unit.
“We stick to our roots no matter what.”
Sharpe also asked Venus and Serena about the moment they realized they were special talents.
“Well, early on, our parents told us that’s what we would do,” she said. “Obviously, we put a lot of work in behind it. Thankfully, we had all that positive feedback going straight in.”
One thing the film won’t tell you, however: Tennis wasn’t the only sport the pair participated in.
“We ran track for a little while,” Venus said with a laugh. “That’s not in the film. We were encouraged to know who we were off the court, so that was more of a personal journey of pursuing things that you love. But tennis was always at the forefront.”
It seems that they chose the correct path.
Check out the full episode of “Club Shay Shay” with the Williams sisters below:
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