TENNIS STARS Serena and Venus Williams haven’t been seen with their frail father “King Richard” for years amid the drama of his chaotic love life, which has recently spiraled out of control.
They’ve remained silent as legendary tennis coach Richard Williams’s seven-year divorce from his ex-stripper wife sensationally ground to a halt earlier this month.
King Richard's life appears to be unraveling at a time when he’s at his most vulnerable and suffering from major health problems.
But the sporting greats will never abandon their dad.
That’s the view of his eldest daughter Sabrina - despite her own bad experience with their father, who walked out on his first family when she was just 8 years old.
Earlier this month, he gave up on the drawn-out divorce from his much younger wife Lakeisha, 45, who allegedly “stole” the Williams’ family home by faking his signature on the title deeds and transferred it into her name, so that she could then take out a $279,000 loan.
Richard’s son Chavoita Lesane claims that he wasn’t well enough to continue the court battle with Lakeisha - yet her side counters that the divorce dismissal was an amicable decision and they’re very much in a “romantic relationship."
Throughout this, there’s been no visible sign of Serena or Venus, or their other sisters Isha and Lyndrea.
But Sabrina, 60 - who’s been publicly critical of her dad’s behavior in the past - defends the family and says that their Jehovah's Witness beliefs will be pulling them through.
"Serena has just had her second child [Adira, August 2023], we’re assuming that they’re not there, but do we really know that for sure? Why would Venus and Serena not be there?" Sabrina said.
"The family being present to a Jehovah's Witness is very important. I believe they're around, I just believe that they're not letting it be known.
"I just believe from their faith as Jehovah's Witnesses - it wouldn't go well if they weren’t. They may not want to be seen in full view with all of what is going on around him."
Richard’s been seen once on Serena’s Instagram in recent years, in 2021, where he’s filming her eldest daughter Olympia, 6, riding a bike along the pathway next to his luxury Palm Beach home.
Serena cutely captioned the video, "A rare sighting, the one and only G.O.A.T. still motivating ... King Richard, but I call him daddy.”
After Richard lost control of the family home to Lakeisha, he moved into the aforementioned pad, which is owned by a firm affiliated with Serena.
"If he lives in a house owned by Serena, I really believe they have contact. You never see pictures of them together, but they will be involved," Sabrina added.
"I know they’re going to treat their dad right - even if he didn’t always treat them right.
"They will be protecting him, they don’t want his image of King Richard seen in a different light, they’re loving their dad 100%, they just don’t want to be associated with the drama.
"They know the things their dad has done, but family, it’s the number one thing in their religion."
Photo credit: Getty
Richard Williams has been keen to finalize his divorce from Lakeisha Graham for years but their case has dragged out amid a fight over their marital home.
The couple married in 2010 when Lakeisha was 32 and Richard was 69.
Williams is a hands-on father to their young son, Dylan, known as Junior, and has tried to maintain a good relationship with his ex despite the court case.
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Richard’s been through the mill with Lakeisha, who admitted in court docs that she’d also faked his signature once before, so that she could sell his 1999 Bluebird Wanderlodge Motor Coach, worth $45,000, claiming it was to buy food for herself and their son Dylan, now 11.
Court docs allege that after Lakeisha took his home, she got a huge loan from “hard lender” David Simon and blew the lot on a failed trucking business and “fast food and frivolities” - with Simon currently chasing her through the courts for the cash back.
The debt spiraled to $620,000 at one stage, including legal fees and interest - with it now looking very likely that she'll lose the $1.4 million-valued home to pay Simon back.
But Lakeisha still clung to the marriage, with court records showing that she tried twice to halt the divorce. In June last year, she claimed that Richard was under duress from a third party and filed a motion for the case to be tossed out - a claim she repeated in January.
I know they’re going to treat their dad right - even if he didn’t always treat them right.
Sabrina Williams
Now the case has been dismissed for good - unless Richard refiles.
This has all happened to the backdrop of Richard’s failing health - he’s had at least two strokes and his doctor, Monica Walker, told the courts he had dementia and irreparable brain damage.
Sabrina has huge amounts of sympathy, as through her job as a hospice chaplain, she deals with people who suffer from degenerative diseases.
"It’s sad because dementia is very hard for a family, sometimes they remember, sometimes they don’t. I know from my training as a hospice chaplain, they can remember an old school friend’s name from years ago, but not their own child," Sabrina said.
"They should be given support, as it’s so tough for a family. It’s sad, there’s tears.”
Yet, with Lakeisha still on the scene, there is the prospect of a fight for Richard’s fortune if he hasn't yet made a cast-iron will before his condition declines.
"His son [Chavoita] has power of attorney or something similar from what I believe, but Richard’s married, that’s his legal wife, so there’s a way for her to become his power of attorney, and have control of his money, that must worry his son," Sabrina added.
