Serena Williams’ ex-coach Rick Macci hailed Richard Williams for his parenting style. Macci mentioned how Richard would challenge the Williams sisters to push hard every day but also gave them constant kisses and hugs.

Serena Williams’ ex-coach opens up about Richard’s parenting style (Image source: left/GETTY, right/INSTAGRAM)

Macci coached Serena and Venus during their childhood and has had a significant impact on them.

Apart from the Williams sisters, the 70-year-old also coached Andy Roddick, Jennifer Capriati, and Maria Sharapova, all of whom became the World No. 1 at some point in their careers.

In 2017, the American became the youngest member to join the United States Professional Tennis Hall of Fame.

Macci often chronicles tales of Williams from the time he spent with them on X (formerly Twitter). In one of his latest tweets, the American marveled at Richard’s extreme approach to parenting hailing him as a ‘smart’ guy.

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“Richard Willpower Williams pushed his kids hard every Day. He challenged them every Day. He yelled at them every Day. Most of all he hugged and kissed them every Hour. How smart was this guy! @Venuseswilliams @serenawilliams,” he wrote.

Richard Williams’ parenting style was presented to the entire world when his biopic ‘King Richard’ was released in 2021. Speaking to Forbes ahead of the film’s release, Serena Williams said it was paramount for his father that his daughters had fun.

“I think it was a great opportunity to see how amazing African-American fathers are. A lot of Black men aren’t seen in that light. And a lot of people think that my dad was a different character. He wanted us to have fun first over anything. That’s the thing that I loved most,” she recounted.

Macci once recalled how the father and daughter duo would practice in complete darkness at dawn in a bid to help get the younger Williams sister acquainted to blinking lights.

“Serena Williams would practice at 5 am with Richard’s car lights shining” – Rick Macci on how the father-daughter duo practiced in ‘pitch dark’

Serena Williams and her father Richard – Source: Getty

In another one of his tweets, Rick Macci mentioned how Serena Williams would practice at 5 in the morning with the help of her father Richard helping her with the lights. He also added that Richard would jokingly ask Serena to get used to blinking flashlights hitting her lights.

“Serena would practice at 5 am some mornings in the pitch dark with his the car lights shining behind her and dad with a flashlight blinking on and off in her eyes. The Compton Comedian would always say hey MEEK get used to the bright lights! Love this guy,” he wrote.

Serena would practice at 5 am some mornings in the pitch dark with his the car lights shining behind her and dad with a flashlight blinking on and off in her eyes. The Compton Comedian would always say hey MEEK get used to the bright lights! Love this guy.

@serenawilliams

— Rick Macci (@RickMacci) December 11, 2024

Rick Macci shared how Serena and Venus would fall a lot which made other coaches think they were ‘clumsy’. However, Macci explained why the Williams sisters fell as much as they did.

The coach explained in another Tweet that their desire to get the ball when low was what made lunging and falling a part of the ‘Compton DNA playbook’.

Nobody fell on the court as much as VW and MEEK. Coaches watching thought they were off balance or clumsy. These 2 little warriors tried So Hard to get that ball when low that lunging and falling down was part of that Compton DNA playbook. RAGE! @Venuseswilliams @serenawilliams

— Rick Macci (@RickMacci) December 9, 2024

Needless to say, Richard Williams’ unorthodox yet effective training methods helped him groom his daughters to become world-class stars who have etched their names in the tennis history books.