Serena Williams’ father Richard breaks silence to defend Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars
Richard Williams spoke on the matter for the first time since the controversial event in 2022
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Oscar-winning actor, Will Smith played the role of Richard Williams in the highly awarded movie, King Richard. The movie was based on the Williams sisters’ father. At the 2022 Academy Awards, Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock for insulting his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The entire event was subject to numerous debates and discussions.
Richard has finally spoken on the matter after almost a year. Williams talked about the controversy on ‘Good Morning Britain’ for the first time. With regards to the incident, Richard defended Will as he said that he ‘appreciates Mr. Smith’. The 81-year-old staunchly expressed his support for the actor.
Last year, Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, comparing her to G.I Jane, which caused Smith to leap out of his chair, attack the stage, and slap the presenter. The joke was particularly offensive as Jada suffers from alopecia areata, a condition that causes sudden hair loss. Hence, Smith’s reaction seems plausible. Nevertheless, the actor faced severe backlash for his actions.
In contrast, Williams stated that he could never be appalled by Mr. Smith. “I think he has done the best thing he needed to do…Matter of fact, I appreciate Mr. Smith,” Williams said. Richard, in fact, did not feel sorry for Rock at all. In addition, he believed that it was time for everyone to forgive Smith for his actions.
Smith’s impromptu slap has earned him a 10-year ban from the prestigious Academy Awards. With regard to the issue of the ban, Williams also commented that the ban should be lifted. He also implied that the ban was unnecessarily long. Serena Williams has also given her take on the matter.
Wiliams sisters’ former coach Rick Macci comments on Richard Williams’ peculiar training technique
Rick Macci, Serena Williams’ former coach, had warm memories of working with the tennis prodigy when she was younger. When Serena and Venus Williams relocated to Florida, Macci served as their coach. Some other tennis players that the coach has trained include Andy Roddick, Jennifer Capriati, and Maria Sharapova.
He recently reminisced about the early morning coaching sessions with Serena when there were no lights to play. Williams’ father, Richard, used to put a spotlight in his daughter’s eyes as she hit volleys, he stated. Macci played a vital part in honing the sisters’ skills, despite coaching them for a short period of time.
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Tanisha Mohanty
(172 Articles Published)