"It wasn't just tennis over everything for Venus and Serena Williams" - Jon Bernthal on the Williams sisters' success
Hollywood actor Jon Bernthal gave his thoughts on why Venus and Serena Williams became so successful. He believes it is because they did not make their entire lives revolve around tennis.
Bernthal plays the role of Serena Williams' coach Rick Macci in King Richard, the biography of Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena Williams. On an episode of The Rich Eisen Show podcast, he spoke about how the Williams sisters viewed their lives in relation to tennis.
According to Bernthal, Serena and Venus did not dedicate their lives solely to tennis. Instead, they ensured that their quality of life was enriched by playing the sport rather than the other way around.
"It wasn't just tennis over everything for Venus and Serena Williams," Bernthal said. "It was "How is tennis going to serve you?" and not "How are you going to serve tennis?""
Bernthal credited their father Richard Williams with teaching his daughters the importance of education and spirituality.
Bernthal opined that it was the foremost reason why Serena Williams and her sister turned out to be as wildly successful as they have been in their life.
"It was one of Richard Williams' rules. There was no tennis unless the grades were perfect. You had to go to church. You had to do your tours," Bernthal said. "That is why they are wildly talented and successful in their path."
Venus and Serena Williams have expanded their horizons beyond just tennis
True to what Jon Bernthal observed, Venus and Serena Williams have not limited themselves to just playing tennis.
Venus Williams went to college at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in Florida. The seven-time Grand Slam winner is also the owner and CEO of V Starr Interiors, an interior design firm. She is also the owner of Happy Viking, a company that delivers plant-based superfood meals.
Serena Williams also studied fashion at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in Florida with her sister. The 23-time Grand Slam champion later enrolled at the Isenberg School of Management, UMass Amherst to study Business Management before switching to Pre-Med.
"I just switched my major from Business Management to- Pre Med. I go to UMass in case anyone was wondering," Serena announced on Twitter in 2014.
I just switched my major from Business Management to- Pre Med. #Interesting. I go to UMass in case anyone was wondering.
She also started her own sustainable clothing line called S by Serena, in addition to frequently investing in other startups that appealed to her. In 2021, Serena Williams was named one of the Top 100 most powerful women in the world by Forbes magazine.