“I was about to be killed so many times, a lot”

Serena and Venus Williams' father, Richard, once candidly admitted his experiences with racism as a black man in America. He revealed that he was no stranger to this and on several occasions came dangerously close to “being killed”.

Richard grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana before moving to Saginaw, Michigan, Long Beach, California and finally Compton. His goal was to provide his daughters with a tough environment to help shape their mindset.

During his childhood, he had already encountered the harsh reality of racism. He once shared that he had witnessed a friend being lynched in the 1940s and 1950s, an experience that affected him deeply.

The 82-year-old recalled the death of another friend who was hit by a white woman. The woman claimed it was the victim's fault, and Richard stated that there was no police investigation and no action taken.

“There was no investigation, there was no police car. But that was life. I was almost killed so many times. A lot of times,” Venus Williams' father, Richard, told CNN in 2015.

Speaking about moving to Compton with her daughters, she said:

“To be successful you have to prepare for the unexpected, and I wanted to prepare for that. Criticism can bring out the best in you.”

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'This is the hardest time in the world I've ever been through' – Venus Williams' father Richard on Indian Wells racism controversy

A controversial incident occurred at Indian Wells in 2001 when Venus Williams she withdrew from her semifinal match against her sister Serena just before it was scheduled to take place, citing a knee injury. This led to widespread speculation and accusations that Venus had withdrawn to avoid facing her sister in the final.

When Serena played the final against Kim Clijsters, with her father Richard and Venus in the stands supporting her, they were met with a hostile crowd. Many observers believed that the hostility was fueled by racial prejudice. The booing during the game was intense, and both sisters later shared how uncomfortable and painful the experience was for them.

It was another encounter with racism for Richard, possibly the one that traumatized him the most. He revealed to the media that he overheard a bystander talking about “skinning him alive”. Fearing for his safety, he vowed never to return to the tournament.

“This is the hardest time in the world I've ever been through,” Williams said. “I'm never going to Indian Wells again, because I think that guy would flay me alive.”

Both sisters boycotted the tournament, with Serena returning in 2015 and Venus following suit a year later in 2016.