By Olivia Janis
“The most strongest, the most powerful, the most dangerous creature on this whole earth is a woman who knows how to think. Ain’t nothing she can’t do,” says Richard Williams in the film “King Richard.”
With this philosophy in mind, Williams (played by Will Smith) works his daughters day and night until their dreams finally come true. The film “King Richard” focuses on the journey of the famous tennis stars, Serena and Venus Williams as they grow to become known as two of the best tennis players of all time.
Why am I telling you about a film that came out in 2021? Well, last weekend I was feeling a little down knowing that our tennis season was over and that we were not advancing in state. It was almost as if Netflix sensed my sorrows and put “King Richard” on their streaming service, just for me.
The beginning of the film introduces 8-year-old Serena Williams (played by Demi Singleton) and 10-year-old Venus Williams (played by Saniyya Sidney) at their home, Compton California. Their father, Richard Williams, motivated to change the outcome of his daughters’ lives, consistently trains them with the tennis knowledge he has accumulated over the years. He makes relentless attempts to seek out professional help, in hopes that whoever sees their potential agrees to train them with nothing in return (a request almost nobody would agree to).
Finally, Paul Cohen (played by Tony Goldwyn), impressed enough by the Williams sisters, agrees to coach them without pay; however, he only agrees to focus on coaching Venus. Despite the individual disappointment ignited in Serena, she remained very supportive and continued to practice with her mother.
Venus goes on to win her first junior tournament. Richard finds himself no longer watching her matches and simply listening for the bounces of the ball, because he claims he can “hear” her winning. Venus goes on the court with immense confidence and even cheating calls don’t knock her off her game. Even though tennis is known to be a very “white” sport, especially in the 1980s, the Williams family doesn’t let the feeling of exclusion stop them from making the courts their own.
Coach Cohen wants Venus to continue through the junior competitions to help get her to pro, but Richard lets his gut feeling make the decision to pull Venus out of tournaments, with the fear that if she continues the competition she will lose her childhood.
One thing that remains the same throughout the whole movie is how Richard continues to protect his daughters. You get a glimpse of the life they had to live in Compton, where gangs roamed the street, and Richard had to protect his daughters from their influence. A father’s job never ends, so even when the Williams family moves to a nicer neighborhood, Richard is still doing everything he can to keep his daughters safe from the outside world.
When Richard reveals to Coach Cohen that Venus will not be advancing to more junior competitions, their relationship ends there. The next coach the girls have is Rick Macci (played by Jon Berthnal). The Williams family then moves to Florida, where Serena and Venus train at Macci tennis academy. After years of just simply training with Macci, Venus then enters her first pro tournament in 1994, where after winning her first game, she plays Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, who at the time was the No.2 player in the world and had just won the US Open.
This match is bewildering, intense, and full of surprises. The film does such a good job of capturing the intensity and emotion that Venus is feeling as well as the entire crowd. From every ball that bounces to the sound that the beads in Venus’ hair make as they hit each other, the cinematography is exquisite. The scene comes to an end with the unfortunate loss of 14-year-old Venus, but ends on a hopeful note, where Richard expresses how proud he is of her.
The film, without a doubt, inspires everyone. The film demonstrates the power of grit, endurance, and belief, as Richard Williams and many other people in their lives bring their family out of the impoverished streets of Compton, to a successful life in West Palm Beach, Florida. “King Richard” displays the reality of life and how with fame can come the cruel critiques targeting his young daughters. But most of all, the film teaches its audience about family, sacrifice, and support, and that your family will always be your number one fan.
Never in a million years would I expect myself to be at a place of athletic accomplishment like Serena and Venus, but a girl can dream. As a high school tennis player who has no hopes of turning pro or even playing in college, I still suffer from a mental block during matches. Even though there are just tiny crowds that form at Lovett matches, I still manage to get inside my head. If you ask anyone who plays tennis, they will tell you that it really is a mental game.
As I watched Venus battle out her match against Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, even through the screen I could feel the pressure. Pressure from the crowd, her family, her coach, and most importantly herself. While skill and practice are very significant parts of tennis, I think your mentality plays an even bigger role. Like Richard says, a girl who knows how to think is unstoppable. Knowing how to calm yourself down, be confident, bounce back, and play smart are all crucial components of the tennis game. While my father doesn’t personally train me, he does offer the same support and reminds me to stay calm during matches. As I approach my senior year, I can only hope that I go on the courts with Serena and Venus’ poise and amazing attitude.
