"The US Open champ, sitting alone in my house in the dark" - When Serena Williams moved out of parents' house & learned what it was to be an 'adult'
Serena Williams once opened up about the first time she moved out of her parents' house and lived with her sister Venus Williams, when both of them were still teenagers. Williams fondly remembered her first foray into adulthood, jokingly recalling how she forgot to pay the electricity bill and had to live in darkness.
Born to Richard Williams and Oracene Price, Serena and her sister Venus Williams became sensations in the United States early on, recognized early for the prodigies that they were. Serena won her maiden Major at the 1999 US Open as an 18-year-old, while Venus' first Grand Slam came at the 2000 Wimbledon Championships when she was 20.
Speaking in an interview with David Thorpe in 2008 for The Oprah magazine, Serena Williams reminisced on moving 15 miles away from her parents along with her sister, stating that she felt like a 'real grown-up' at the time.
"My sister Venus was ready, too, so when I turned 18 and she was 19, we moved out together into a house about 15 miles away from our parents. Okay, I wasn't completely on my own, but Venus and I have always had different schedules; we even avoid playing in the same tournaments when we can. As far as I was concerned, I was an independent woman, a real, live grown-up," Serena Williams said.
However, then already having won the 1999 US Open, the younger Williams had to spend a night in the dark because she had forgotten to get the bills paid on time. The 23-time Grand Slam champion recalled that it was not a one-off experience, as she constantly ran out of groceries and toiletries, thus waking up her to the rigorous demands of adulthood for the first time.
"And then, like proof of being an adult, my first electric bill arrived—$1,500! I couldn't believe it. Suddenly I understood why Daddy was always telling me to turn out the lights. Another time I came home from a tournament and—click! No lights. Our power had been turned off because I hadn't paid the bill on time," Serena Willaims said.
"There I was, the 1999 U.S. Open champ, sitting alone in my big house in the dark. I was constantly running out of groceries, toiletries, and little things I needed. That's when you realize what it means to be an adult: when you're on your own and you run out of toilet paper," she added.
"It took about a year, but eventually my new house started to feel like home" - Serena Williams
Serena Williams admitted that it took nearly a year before she and her sister Venus Williams became used to living on their own. Now, it is a fond memory for the American, who proudly stated that she still loved all the decorating choices she and Venus Williams made for the place.
"It took about a year, but eventually my new house started to feel like home. Venus and I did all the decorating, and seven years later, I still love the choices we made, like our window treatments and my classic bedroom furniture. We may have been giddy kids, but it turns out we didn't do anything too crazy," Serena Williams said.
"The first night I spent there by myself I was miserable—nothing in the house really seemed like it was mine. Now I don't relax until I put my key in the lock, swing open the front door, and my dogs rush to greet me," she added.
After an illustrious career winning 23 Grand Slams, the most by any woman in the Open Era, Serena Williams retired in 2022. Her sister Venus, on the other hand, is still active, holding seven singles Grand Slam titles.