Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and written by Zach Baylin, King Richard is a biographical sports drama film starring Will Smith as Richard Williams, the father and coach of Venus and Serena Williams. With a clear vision and a bold 78-page plan, Richard is set on making his two daughters, Venus and Serena, tennis legends. They practise on courts in Compton, California, where he instils in them a strong dedication and sharp instincts. Even when things get tough, and people doubt them, the Williams family works together to overcome challenges and surpass the expectations set for them. Will Smith shines in portraying Richard Williams as a father who has an unwavering belief in his daughters. He is a flawed yet inspiring figure, doing his best for their future. The child actors deliver outstanding performances. King Richard is a feel-good movie, showcasing the determination of a father striving for his daughters’ success.

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Never since Nadia Comaneci did a perfect ten on the Balancing Beam at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games has any Romanian sports personality earned the same adulation from the spectators as did Simona Halep at the Centre Court of the All England Club, in south-west London, this year. It definitely wasn’t the 27-year-old’s first Grand Slam title as she had the French Open title of 2018 under her belt but it was the manner in which she tamed the ferocious Serena Williams that amazed all and sundry.

In defeating Serena, Simona not only deprived her ten-year senior from emulating the legendary Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam titles but with just three unforced errors against her name during the 56-minute contest, Simona went on to record the least number of unforced errors by any individual in any Grand Slam finals; succinctly, she played a near perfect tennis to which Serena had no answer.

For years together, Serena’s serves have been arguably her most potent weapon but Simona seemed to have mastered the art of nullifying the edge that the serve provides to any player during a game of tennis. The final score of 6-2, 6-2 in favour of Simona sums up the domination that she enjoyed over the entire contest against Serena. It was also not the first time that Simona had made such a short work of Serena. Once in an earlier tournament she had humbled Serena with a score of 6-0, 6-2 but at Wimbledon, it was a more elevated platform.

Simona Halep may not be a big name in Grand Slams but with 19 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) titles and 6 International Tennis Federation (ITF) titles, she is at the tenth place on the all-time list of women tennis players who have held the number one ranking for the longest period; it being 64 weeks in the case of Simona. In fact, in 2017, she had held on to the top position for a continuous period of 48 weeks.

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At an age where most would be trying to compete in the juniors category trying to make their way up slowly but surely into the seniors league, she had not just become a pro, but had a Grand Slam victory to her name. The (then) 17-year-old girl had become a star even before she had finished her teens, and is now counted among the best ever to hold a tennis racket. The one who continues to capture many a fan’s heart is none other than Maria Sharapova.

Learning the game

It isn’t easy for someone coming from Russia to excel in a sport, in which, till the 90’s, no player had ever reached the zenith. While Russia was still reeling under the affects of the Chernobyl tragedy in 1986, her parents decided to move to another city while she was yet to be born. The fact that they bid goodbye to their homeland proved decisive in the long run. Sochi, known for its sporting facilities, would be the city where Maria would hone her skills with the racket.

Tennis aficionados will remember Yevgeny Kafelnikov well, the former world number one and the first ever from Russia. It was Yevgeny’s father, Aleksandr, who pushed Maria into tennis, presenting her with her first racket. Yuri Yutkin, a popular Russian coach, took her under his wings and saw how natural Maria was with the tennis racket. But it was not until the legendary Martina Navratilova spotted her at her tennis clinic in Moscow that she found her true ‘calling’. On the legend’s recommendation, the father-daughter Sharapova duo shifted their base to Florida on borrowed money. Maria was barely seven at the time. Yuri, Maria’s father, was forced to wash dishes for money, to fund his daughter’s education till she was eligible for the academy. That sacrifice and effort by her father would see results soon, as she earned her scholarship to a popular tennis academy. That was the beginning of the rise of Maria Sharapova.

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