"I think there wouldn't be a Serena Williams without Venus" - Agent Jill Smoller
Serena Williams' long-time agent Jill Smoller appeared on a recent episode of "Boardroom: Out of Office", where she spoke about her transition from a tennis player to a sports agent, and her relationship with the 23-time Grand Slam champion.
In a new OOO, @RichKleiman is joined by @WME_Sports agent Jill Smoller.
When Richard Williams gave her an in with working with his daughter @serenawilliams, she turned a small opportunity into a decades-long partnership with the tennis legend.
🎙: link.chtbl.com/2yAKSb0e https://t.co/DUVl4oz99O
On the podcast hosted by Rich Kleiman, the long-time manager and business partner of basketball superstar Kevin Durant, Smoller recalled how she first got the chance to represent Serena Williams.
Smoller had been working as a sports agent for ICM (International Creative Management) Partners, a talent agency, and she tried to get the company to sign the William sisters.
"This was 1996, and I tried to explain to ICM 'These are going to be the greatest athletes of all time'. It is the most unique thing," Jill Smoller said.
Unfortunately for Smoller, the Williams sisters decided to sign with IMG (International Management Group), a global sports management company instead. ICM, being a Hollywood talent agency, were not willing to pay the marketing guarantee for a sports star whereas IMG understood the potential and took the risk.
However, Smoller revealed that Serena Williams' father Richard Williams took a chance on her and offered her a small piece of the pie.
"Richard, because he thought I was crazy or just aggressive and ambitious, gave me a tiny piece of it - entertainment and off-court appearances," Smoller added. "But it gave me some stickiness in there."
Smoller then shifted her focus to Serena Williams' older sister Venus. Smoller was all praise for the 41-year-old, saying she has always been a gracious and protective sister.
"Serena will always say that Venus is her hardest competitor because they know each other so well, they know each others' games inside out and they practiced every day," Smoller said. "I think there wouldn't be a Serena without Venus."
Smoller also pointed out a significant difference between the two sisters when it came to how they handled losses. According to the agent, not losing was more important to Serena Williams than winning.
"Venus is very elegant in defeat; and Serena is not so elegant in defeat," Smoller said. "She hates losing more than she likes winning."
Venus and Serena Williams were never given the grace to struggle: Jill Smoller
Speaking about the cultural reaction to Venus Williams and Serena Williams coming up in the world of tennis, Jill Smoller stated that the sisters powered their way through racism and other setbacks with dignity.
"Neither girl was ever given the compassion and grace, ever, coming up. There's always been a higher bar, the bar always moved," she said. "They were never given the grace to struggle, and so they were brought up in a way that you just pushed through."
Serena's agent also emphasized that the current generation owe the Williams sisters, whose struggles have made it possible for players to speak out about different issues.
"In many ways, they have paved the path for this generation to be able to have this voice as they've spoken out, being an advocate for everybody else," Jill Smoller said."