Product Details

• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Xenon
• VHS Release Date: January 21, 2003
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000714IB
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #347,383 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

With authorized bios like this, who needs exposés? While thrilling tournament footage attests to Venus and Serena Williams's domination of tennis, they come off as mere pawns to their father, self-proclaimed "master planner" Richard, who, as the narrator informs viewers, "single-mindedly raised two sporting champions." Richard has served as the sisters' manager, coach, and father, and according to this program he planned his daughters' destinies before they were born. There is no arguing with his success, which is delineated in the number of championships won, the endorsements earned, and the sisters' phenomenal net worth. But self-deprecation ("I'm just a poor little cotton picker") is not Richard's game. "People look up to me wherever I go," he states at one point. "It's like I'm a god almost." There is much here to inspire young fans, who may enjoy the charming home movie footage and living vicariously through the women's glamorous off-court activities, which range from fashion shoots and music video appearances to commercials. But Richard's harrowing memories of growing up in the segregated South may be too graphic for some. --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational, March 6, 2003

By 

Scott McFarland (Manassas, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raising Tennis Aces - The Williams Story (DVD)

A look "behind the scenes" and behind the hype, at the Williams family. The story is augmented by footage of a training session at their compound, and old home movie footage of Venus and Serena.

The story is one that's not often told in perspective, and is really pretty interesting. Father Richard Williams had a rough life. He grew up poor (in rural Louisiana), with his absent father living down the street and providing nothing. He watched one childhood friend get run down by a white woman in a car, apparently intentionally. (Williams shows us the tree he planted at the time, in his friend's honor, now a large flowering tree). He had a nail driven into his leg because he wouldn't call a white man "sir" on a golf course. He had nothing. He moved to Compton, worked menial jobs, eventually worked his way to having his own security company. He had the idea to train future children to play tennis, because there was money in it. He subsequently trained Venus and Serena, unconventionally, while raising them (with his wife) to reflect what he describes as values that were strong in past eras - including love of family and poise under stressful circumstance. You can see where his goals in raising them mirror the same goals most of us have in raising children - for them to be happy AND to understand how to take responsibility for their own lives.

Not everything possible is here - Oracene/Brandy (the mother) isn't featured at all, and there are a few hard question that could be asked that aren't. But what is here is interesting and inspirational. The DVD has a nice set of extra interviews and extra footage.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars INSPIRATIONAL AND COURAEOUS, May 26, 2006

By 

dotty "inspirational non-fiction fan" (johannesburg-South Africa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raising Tennis Aces - The Williams Story (DVD)

i treasure this dvd because it demonsrates that with a goal in mind-belief in one's can do attitude,regardless of the ridicule and negative attitudes of others- anyone has the ability to reach for the stars.
I'M really inspired and I salute Mr Richard Williams for the values He instilled in his children to not let anybody sidetrack their focus on their goals and also He taught me of the importance of family support.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Double Trouble, October 9, 2008

By 

L. Young - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Raising Tennis Aces - The Williams Story (DVD)

The Williams sisters - Venus and Serena - changed the game of women's tennis by adding power to the game. This DVD tells their story and shows them in their youth on the tennis court and with their family. Serena had so much energy. Richard Williams tells some of his story in learning the game of tennis and teaching his girls different training techniques that helped their games and sent both of them to the number one position in the sport.