Serena Williams’s former coach Rick Macci reminisces Richard Williams’ extraordinary diligence for his daughter’s training and success
Rick Macci praised Serena Williams father Richard Williams for his passion for the sport which translated in his daughter's successful career.
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Serena Williams with her father Richard Williams, Rick Macci
Superstar tennis coach Rick Macci shared an anecdote of the 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, which gives insight of the contribution of her father Mr. Richard Williams in her success. Mr. Macci trained many outstanding players in his long and successful career as a coach.
Some of her illustrious protégés include Jennifer Capriati, Andy Roddick, Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Vince Spadea, among others. However, Serena Williams is perhaps her greatest protégé.
Mr. Macci reminisced about the time when he had his training academy, the Rick Macci International Tennis Academy at the Grenelefe Golf & Tennis Resort in the Haines City of Florida, USA. Here Mr. Williams came with his 10-year old daughter Serena Williams to help with her training schedule at 5 AM. He also saluted the passion of Mr. Williams and the kind of support he was willing to provide for his young daughters.
“First lesson with 10 year old @serenawilliams at Grenelefe Resort 1991 no lights 5 am pitch dark Richard gets a flashlight and keeps turning it on/off in Serena eyes while we hit volleys! At the end of the day a winner finds a way! Love this guy!” his caption read.
Rick Macci later moved his training academy to Del Ray Beach. However, he still continues to train young professionals who want to build their careers in this sport. He was inducted into the USPTA Florida Hall of Fame in 2010.
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Serena Williams honored with Jackie Robinson Sports Award
The 23-time Grand Slam champion is trying to get herself acquainted with post-retirement life. Serena Williams played her last singles match against Ajla Tomljanović in the US Open 2022. She was after that given a warm farewell from tennis fans. Since then she is busy spending time with her family and friends and looking after her business interests.
However, in recent times, she has given many interviews celebrating her legacy. She has also received many honors and awards for her contribution to the sport. Recently, she was honored with Jackie Robinson Sports Award. This award is named after this great African-American baseball player who broke color barriers in Major League Baseball (MLB).
American actress and good friend Kerry Washington presented this award to the seven-time Australian Open champion. She also complimented her for her contribution in breaking barriers on social media.
Serena Williams was delighted to receive the trophy from her friend.
“I haven’t held up a trophy in a long time. Do I do it like this? [Laughs] Thank you. It’s such an honor to have a friend present this award to me today. I am incredibly grateful for your incredible kind words and your unwavering support over the years.” she said while receiving the trophy.
She also went on to thank National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), a civil rights organization, which honored her.
“Thank you to the NAACP, which continues to accelerate change with important areas such as health care, education, sports, the economy and so, so much more. The tireless efforts of your organization are making a difference in the lives of African Americans today and tomorrow. I’d also like to thank the image awards and the Hollywood bureau for honoring me with the Jackie Robinson award tonight,” she continued.
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