All language subtitles for King.Richard.2021.720p.HMAX.Web.x264.AAC.2ch.ESub.S420-English

♫ Warner Bros Fanfare playing ♫

Got your Popcorn, Candy, Drinks ?

.... The Movie is Rolling ....

"Enjoy the Movie"

(orchestral music playing)

I'll take that. Thank you.

Where I grew up,
Louisiana, Cedar Grove,

tennis was not
a game peoples played.

We was too busy
running from the Klan.

But here it is.

When I'm interested
in a thing, I learn it.

How it works,

how the best peoples
in the world do it.

And that's what I did
with tennis, with the girls.

BUD COLLINS: (on tape) If you
look at the biggest servers,

Sampras, Lendl, Connors,

you'll see the break of
their wrist is like a smack,

like a high-five.

That's what you're looking for
when you hit it.

That "pop".

All we need is a club
for training,

and clinics, the whole deal.

Everything the girls need
to go from prodigy to pro.

I wrote me a 78-page plan
for their whole career

before they was even born.

(chuckles)

It was, uh, 1977, I had
watched this tennis match

and I seen them get this girl,
uh, Virginia Ruzici,

$40,000 for four days' work.

And since I knew I had
only made $52,000 all year,

I knew I was
in the wrong business.

Went home that night,
told the wife,

"We need to make
two more kids."

So that night
I wrote up the plan.

One for Venus, one for Serena.

- All right.
- Cover their whole tennis...

- Step in a little bit more.
- ...cover their education,

foreign languages, everything.

- And now that plan say...
- All right, short it up.

...it's time for us
to come see you

to help turn them
into champions.

Now, I know what you thinking.

"This family
is from the ghetto.

How they gonna pay old me?"

Well, don't you worry
about that.

We're not here to rob ya.

We here to make you rich.

You ever think
about basketball?

Best of luck to you.

Okay, you making a mistake,
but I'mma let you make it.

- All right.
- (chuckling) Okay.

- Them pants look expensive.
- Oh, they are.

(coach) If I had a dollar
for every crazy parent

that told me their kid
would make it to number one,

I'd be a rich man.

You look pretty rich to me.

Well, there you go.

You need to open
your stance up a little more.

Your stance too closed.

(orchestral music continues)

(chatter and laughter)

Serena, those books
are bigger than you are.

No, they're not. I can do it.
I can carry more than you.

And break your back
while you're at it?

Wanna bet?

- Serena!
- (both laugh)

SERENA: Oh.

Phone book.

(Serena chuckling)

VENUS: Phone book.

Phone book.

Phone book.

- SERENA: Phone book.
- Girls.

- SERENA: Hey.
- Told ya I'd win.

- Hi, Mrs. Strickland.
- Thank you.

Now, you need
to go tell your father

to stop working you so hard.

I seen y'all practicing
in the rain.

The man is crazy.

Girls. Y'all go ahead
back in the house.

Tell your sisters
we leaving in a few minutes.

(Serena softly) Okay.

We'll deliver
the rest of them books later.

I ain't gonna tell you again,
do not talk to them kids.

Excuse me.
They came onto my lawn.

And somebody has gotta,
as hard as you're working 'em.

They work as hard
as they need to

to stay off these streets.

I'm in the champion-raising
business.

I got a book about it
about to come out soon.

Maybe I give a copy
to your daughter.

Remind me which corner
she working on again?

Get off my property.

Richard, leave
that nosy woman alone.

Yeah, just stop talking
to my kids.

Got your little
booty-hugging shorts.

You need some bigger shorts.

BRANDY: You know
she just wanna rile you up.

I gotta get to work.

I think you riling me up with
them little nurse shoes on.

- (laughing)
- I love them nurse shoes.

Get these girls to practice.

- All right. Have a good day.
- You, too.

Keep turning those hips
if you wanna get that power.

- SERENA: Okay.
- VENUS: Bye, Mom.

- Tunde, dang, you're a nerd.
- Stop.

Why you doing homework
on a Saturday? (laughs)

Because I am trying
to get an A.

You should try it
with your B-Plus.

(Lyndrea chuckles)

Where are we practicing today,
Daddy?

SERENA: Yeah,
where are we practicing?

At the club.

And, Serena, stop saying
everything Venus say.

(girls chuckle)

Hope they don't steal
our balls again.

Lyn, you probably
told 'em to do it

so we wouldn't
have to practice.

(girls laugh)

RICHARD: We got us
a van full of balls.

And you don't need
to be worrying

about what other folks
is doing anyway.

You need to worry
about what you doing.

We out here getting great,

that's what we need
to be worrying about.

You understand that?

(all) Yes, Daddy, we do.

RICHARD: All right.

- Oh.
- (honks horn)

Say hi to the peoples
that's gone.

(all) Hi to the people
that's gone.

(horn honking)

["Get Me Back On Time, Engine
Number 9" by Wilson Pickett playing]

SERENA: I feel like
I'm in church. (giggles)

Hey, who ready to work?
Who ready to work?

- RICHARD: Say again?
- (girls) We're ready, Daddy.

RICHARD: That's what
I like to hear.

(song continues) ♫ Can
you get me Back on time? ♫

♫ Move on, move on
Down the track ♫

♫ Keep that steam
Comin' out the stack ♫

Stay up on your toes.

You're making too much noise.

King Richard, don't get
much rest ever, do you?

Don't nothing come
to a sleeper but a dream.

(laughing)

Oh, no, watch out. Watch out.

There you go. Keep that wrist
like the smack.

It's like
with the "pop" on top.

(both grunting)

Throw it to the sky.
Get this one over the fence.

I like that. Yeah, that's it.

There you go!

First drill.
Whoever hit that, one dollar.

Yes, yes, good power.

Yes, there you go.
There you go.

Yes! Ooh, watch out, Martina.

Speed that racket here though.

Oh! Almost, Venus Williams!

(rap music playing
on car stereo)

Forehand.

Yes, you keep that stance open

or else I'mma come down there
and tickle you.

Very good. Very good.

Get to it.
Get to it. Get to it.

There you go. There you go.

Wait for that ball.
Go get it. Go get it. Yes.

(rap music continues playing)

- (music stops)
- (girls grunting)

Good depth. Good depth there.

Switch it backhand.

Don't get too excited.
This is your game.

Get it all the way
up to that cotton picker.

All the way up to the sky.

Yes, Venus Williams.
Come on in here.

That's a very,
very good day today.

You did good work.

- Venus Williams...
- Mm?

...who is your best friend?

You, Daddy. (chuckles)

Serena Williams,
who is your best friend?

Venus. Then you.

- Then you. After Venus.
- That's unbelievable.

- That is unbelievable.
- It's okay.

- Give your daddy a kiss.
- (Serena giggles)

Thank you. All right.

Why don't y'all go ahead, uh,

and pick the balls
and everything up?

How you doing? I'm sorry,
what's your name, mama?

You ain't gotta act
like that, love.

We just trying to talk to you,
that's all.

RICHARD: Tunde!

Pick your things up,
get your sisters,

go ahead to the bus.

(man 1) You Tunde?
That's your name?

Hey, the homie said
he wanna talk to you.

But, Tunde, you ain't gotta
be acting like that, love.

She's studying.
Where she going?

(man 1) Don't drop
your backpack, baby.

(indistinct chatter)

(hip-hop music playing
on car stereo)

Keep talking all that shit.

Oh, Tunde!

Tunde, the homie's
still right here.

(man laughs)

(group laughing
and chattering)

I be tellin' this love
right here...

You gotta stop acting
like a...

(Tunde softly)
What is he doing?

(man 1) Nigga be acting like
he scared or something like...

RICHARD: Young man, now
I asked you a couple times...

- (man 2) Young man?
- (laughter)

Now, that girl there
is only 16 years old.

And she out here to work.

Just leave her alone.

- (laughter)
- Leave her alone.

I talk to whoever I want,
homie.

(man 2) Oh, he upset, nigga.

You leave these girls
at peace.

Hey, yo, come on, homie, man.

Leave this
old-ass nigga alone.

(man 1) What, now you feel like

you're better than us
or something, homie?

Hey, homeboy, you know
you hear me talking to you.

What's up, homie, you got
something you wanna say?

I done said what I wanna say.

Just mind your business.
She not interested in you.

- (Richard grunts)
- (all gasp)

(group exclaims and laughs)

(man 1) Yeah, now
you my business, bitch.

(man 3) Oh, damn! Come on, Roc!

ROC: See your daddy now,
huh, Tunde?

(man 3) Come on, man.
He's an old-ass nigga, man.

ROC: That's your homie, man.
What's going on with him?

(man 4) Come on, man.

Hey, keep your old ass
at home, homie.

Turn that music up.
Turn that music up.

ROC: Come over here trippin'
and shit, man.

(music volume increases)

(Richard coughs)

(man 3) Why you beating up
my homeboy, man?

(group continues talking
and laughing)

ROC: Came over here
with that stupid shit.

(man 2) Punk-ass niggas,
say what?

Improved Subtitle by Sailor420

!!! Hope you enjoy the show !!!

Daddy, are you okay?

When I was your age, I used to
have to fight every day.

If it wasn't the Ku Klux Klan
or the police

or the White boys
from the next town,

somebody was always beating
on me for something.

And I ain't had no daddy
to stand in their way.

This world ain't never had no
respect for Richard Williams.

But they gonna respect y'all.

They gonna respect y'all.

- (tires screeching)
- (siren wailing)

Somebody ought to call
the cops on you.

- Daddy, what's happening?
- (helicopter whirring)

Nothing, Junior.
Go in the house.

(softly) Okay.

(chuckles)

- Hi, Mom.
- Hey, Mom.

Hey, Mommy.

Dinner's ready.
How was practice?

- It was good.
- Daddy got beat up again.

BRANDY: Did you work
on your serve?

VENUS: Yeah.

Tunde, get the plates.

If we eat fast enough,

we'll probably have time
for the talent show.

Oh, wait, hold on.
I'm going first.

I already know
what I'm singing.

LYNDREA: Let me guess...

(girls)
♫ Because the greatest ♫

♫ Love of all ♫

Stop! What's so funny?
The song is a great song.

- Move, move, move.
- Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am.

Leave Serena alone.

- Here, give this out.
- Thank you, Mama.

Y'all go wash up.

(girls giggling)

BRANDY: What happened?

That same boy
sniffing around Tunde.

(sighs)

- Gimme this.
- Thank you.

All right.
I got to get to work.

Okay, girls, half hour.

Finish your homework,
then get to bed.

- Y'all clean up.
- TUNDE: You got it?

- Yes, ma'am.
- Mm-hmm.

Something has to change.

- What you mean?
- We can't keep up this pace.

Me nursing all day,
you working all night.

Coaching in-between.

Now look at your face.

Look, I done already
put this behind me.

Okay, we just got to stick
to the plan.

We got champions
in the other room.

Richard, we have done
a great job with them.

They are great,

but they're not going
to Wimbledon like this.

Not with hitting with you and
me on those raggedy courts.

They need
better surfaces that...

They need better everything.

And not playing with you
with your busted-up feet.

My feets are fine, okay?

Okay, actually
they was hurting out there

a little bit today.

(girls chattering
and laughing)

Richard, you playing.
I'm serious.

I'm serious.

- You are right.
- I know I'm right.

Yeah.

You should have seen Venus
out there today.

Just something done clicked
in her mind.

- She is so ready.
- Yeah, she really is.

She ready for that next level.

(girls singing in other room)

- She ready.
- You got to trust me, okay?

- All right.
- I'mma get us some help.

Venus and Serena
gonna shake up this world.

And they gonna need to

'cause they not gonna
make it as singers.

(laughing)

They not 'cause...

(girls)
♫ I wanna dance with somebody ♫

Oh, Serena. (chuckles)

I got to get to work.
I got to get to work.

(girls)
♫ With somebody ♫

- That's what I wanna hear.
- Mm-hmm.

(girls)
♫ Somebody who loves me ♫

♫ Say you wanna dance
Don't you wanna dance ♫

RICHARD: We're gonna
shake up this world.

(girls laughing)

(girls) ♫ Oh,
I wanna dance With somebody ♫

["I Shall Be Released"
by Nina Simone playing]

- A basketball.
- Dancing together. A hole...

- Ballet.
- Oh, a ring. A ring.

A basketball hoop.

Ten o'clock, girls.
Time for bed.

ISHA: What was it?

Saturn.

(girls groan, laugh)

All right.
Y'all wrote in your journals?

Made your plans for tomorrow?

- (girls) Yes, Daddy.
- That's right.

Got to have a plan
for every day, else what?

(girls) You fail to plan,
you plan to fail.

RICHARD: That's right.
We not failing, are we?

(girls) No, Daddy.

Okay, all the way to the top.

VENUS: Come on, Meka.

RICHARD: You know,
one day not too long from now,

somebody gonna hand you girls
a check for $1 million.

And you gonna buy
as many beds as you want.

In one check? Really?

RICHARD: Maybe even
a couple of 'em.

But we not gonna be
like this forever, okay?

- Okay.
- RICHARD: All right.

- You girls go to bed.
- (girls) Good night, Daddy.

(song continues)

♫ I see my light ♫

♫ Come shining ♫

♫ From the west
Down to the east ♫

♫ Any day now ♫

♫ Any day now ♫

♫ I shall be released ♫

♫ They say every man
Needs protection ♫

♫ They say every man
Must fall ♫

♫ So I swear
I see my reflection ♫

♫ Somewhere
Inside these walls ♫

♫ I see my light ♫

♫ Come shining ♫

(muffled clanging)

♫ From the west
Down to the east ♫

♫ Any day now ♫

♫ Any day now ♫

(music fading off)

["Cissy Strut"
by The Meters playing]

(Richard on video)
As you notice, Vic,

they have very good form.

And, uh, you can see

their serve looks very good,
hopefully.

Raise your hand, Serena.

Venus Williams.

And, uh, we have your tape,
Tennis Our Way,

and we've been viewing it.

However, the tape say
you'll be good by Friday.

Well, guess what, Vic,
we got good by Tuesday.

- That's how good your tape is.
- (mouths)

(laughing)

These girls is looking
for some coaching,

and we think you'd be great.

So, you want to relax,
take it easy,

and get a chance to see
some real good tennis players.

- That's it.
- (button clicks)

So I guess
you made that yourself.

Yes, I did. Yes.

Uh, when the girls
was younger,

I had bought me
this camcorder.

So I film myself in the mirror

asking questions, things,
and the such.

Then when they got older,
I start doing it with them.

I called it
their "media training".

I see.
Well, that's very industrious.

Oh, yeah,
I'm a businessman, Vic.

This deal you're asking for,
you know,

all of this for free, Richard,

nobody's taking that bet.

Tennis is a technical game,

you know,
probably one of the most.

And... And if you didn't
grow up with the game, then...

It's like playing the violin.

You know, it takes hours
and hours a day.

You know, year after year

of expensive
expert instruction,

just to hold the thing right.

Yeah, and even then,

even for families with
unlimited financial resources,

the chances
of achieving the kind of

mastery and success
that you're talking about...

I mean, for one kid,
let alone two, it's...

It's like asking somebody
to believe that

you got the next two Mozarts

living in your house,
you know? (chuckles)

It's just...

It's just very, very unlikely.

I'm sorry,
that's just my two cents.

- Yep. Yep.
- I, uh...

- Maybe you can prove me wrong.
- Okay.

- (somber music playing)
- (tennis ball thudding)

VENUS: Daddy?

RICHARD: Dear Heavenly Father,
Jehovah, God,

we thank you for this food.

We ask you to bless
the hands of the peoples

that prepared this food.

We thank you for
this opportunity as a family

to come together.

And we ask you to please,

please don't let nobody get
fat from eating all this food.

(girls laugh)

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

(girls) Amen.
(continue laughing)

(indistinct chatter)

TUNDE: Meka,
I think he was talking to you.

- SERENA: Oh!
- (all chuckle)

- Look at all this cheese.
- TUNDE: What'd you get, Isha?

I got a little bit of work
I got to do. Uh...

Y'all ride home
with your mother. All right?

Everything okay?
You all right?

Oh, everything's great.
Y'all just go and eat.

Bring... Bring my food home
when you come.

(girls) Bye, Daddy.

- RICHARD: All right.
- (doorbell tinkles)

- LYNDREA: You eating his food?
- ISHA: Mm-hmm.

(car pulls up)

(car doors close)

(indistinct chatter)

ROC: Hey, where Tunde at,
homie?

(man 1) Roc,
what you doin', man?

(man 2) Come on.

ROC: Did I stutter, nigga?

(man 1) Hey, let's roll, homie.
Fool just went right now.

We bounce, we can smoke 'em.

Leave this old-ass dude alone.

ROC: You know
what my daddy taught me?

How to smoke a blunt.

And how to smoke
a bitch nigga, too.

I'm real good at both.

(spits)

(group chattering)

What you scared for, homie?

Tell Tunde,

me and the homies
might come by later

and run a train on her.

- (Richard grunting)
- (man 1) Oh! Oh, oh, oh, oh!

Get his ass! Get his ass!

(all grunting)

ROC: Get the fuck
out the way, homie.

(gun cocks)

(man 2) Smoke him, homie.

On the turf, homie. Smoke him.

He came and disrespect you
in our hood.

ROC: Don't nobody give a damn
about you, homeboy.

(groaning)

Nobody.

Let's roll. Let's roll.

(man 2) Take your balls, nigga.

(somber music playing)

(tense music playing)

(men chattering)

(unsettling music playing)

(indistinct chatter)

(gunfire)

- (glass shatters)
- (alarms wailing)

(man 1) They got Roc!

(man 2) Roc!
Hey, call an ambulance, nigga!

Call an ambulance!

Roc!

(man 3) Come on, Roc,
wake up! Talk to me!

(car engine starts)

(man 2) Get up, man.

(tires screeching)

(engine revving)

- (tires screech)
- (man 3) Come on, let's go!

(police siren approaching)

(door opens softly)

(grunts)

Give me this. Give me this.

(Brandy sighs)

(plastic rustling and tearing)

(bottle opens)

(softly) I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

(kisses)

How many fingers
am I holding up?

How you get all nine fingers
on one hand?

(Brandy chuckles)

You fine.

Gonna take a shower.

["The Love You Gave" by Dolly
Parton playing on stereo]

VENUS: Where are we practicing
today, Daddy?

SERENA: Yeah, where are we
practicing today?

Oh, we going
someplace special today.

These houses are huge.

Yes. That one
looks like a castle.

RICHARD: Y'all like these houses?

(both) Yes.

That one looks
like the White House.

Which one? Which one you like?
What's your favorite?

I like that one.

- RICHARD: Mm-hmm.
- SERENA: Yeah, that one's nice.

If that was my house,

I'd put a pool in the front
and a slide on the roof.

You'd put your pool
in the front?

- (laughing)
- Have a big pool party.

Everybody's gonna want
to come to my house.

Oh, you just gonna be
the crazy lady on the block.

SERENA: No. I'm gonna be

the coolest person
on the block.

(both) That one
has a tennis court.

RICHARD: Oh,
that's the one then.

- That's the one.
- SERENA: Yeah.

You gonna have any one
of these houses you want.

Beverly Hills,
Hollywood Hills,

any of these old hills.

'Cause you got a plan
and you gonna stick to it.

When I was a little boy,
my mom used to say,

"Son, the most strongest,
the most powerful,

the most dangerous creature
on this whole Earth

is a woman
who knows how to think.

Ain't nothing she can't do."

Y'all know how to think?

(both) Yes, Daddy.

Now, these peoples
we about to go see,

you gonna show them
how dangerous you are?

(both) Yes, Daddy.

RICHARD: Lemme see
your dangerous face.

- (girls growl)
- That's your dangerous face?

- (growls loudly)
- There you are. There you go.

That's your dangerous face.

Okay, don't do that
for the peoples.

- Don't do that.
- Don't do that.

(song continues playing
on car stereo)

(horn beeps)

- Hey.
- That's a nice shirt.

SERENA: Top o' the
morning to ya.

(girls laughing)

(tennis ball thudding)

RICHARD: Look at that.
Look at that. Come on.

Do you see who that is?

- (softly) Yes.
- Who's that?

- John McEnroe?
- That's right. Who that?

- That's Pete Sampras.
- RICHARD: Mm-hmm.

One day,
they gonna be bragging

about the time
they met the two of you.

- What are you doing, Johnny?
- What?

You know he's a smoker.
Get off your heels.

- JOHN: Oh, screw you.
- PAUL: Screw me?

Okay, let's take a break.

Why are you guessing early?
Just read the toss.

JOHN: It looked like
it was going outside.

- PAUL: It did not.
- JOHN: You see what he did?

(Paul chuckling)
Yeah, but that's what

you've been working
so hard for...

- Excuse me, Mr. Cohen?
- ...getting that shot...

Yeah?

Uh, Richard Williams.
We spoke on the phone.

Oh, yeah. I remember.

- The brochure.
- Yep, that's right.

I actually brought you
another one

in case you misplaced
the first one.

No, no, no. I got it.
What can I do for ya?

Well, we figured you was busy.
That's why we came to see you.

Yeah.

Everybody says I got these two
great tennis players,

and we're still looking
for a coach.

- Oh, yeah, Mr. Wilson, listen.
- No, it's Williams. Williams.

We're in the middle
of practice here.

This my daughter,
this is Venus.

This is my other daughter,
Serena.

PAUL: Nice to meet you, girls.

It won't take but a minute
to watch them hit a few balls.

Yeah, I'm sorry,
I'm not taking any juniors

right now,
and we're in the middle

- of a very serious practice.
- Well, I don't mean

to interrupt nothing.
Uh, Mac, Pete.

Oh, tough break at Wimbledon.

I see what happened
to you, Mac.

Uh, you...
You gonna win again.

Just keep your head up.

Mr. Williams,

- this is not a good time.
- Wait. Listen. Look...

All right?

- We're in the middle of...
- I just want you to

watch them hit a few.

Look, Mac is gone.
Mac is gone.

The way Pete
whipping up on him,

he may never come back.

Look, Pete, you don't mind

if he just watch 'em
hit a few balls, do you?

It's okay with me.

See? Come on. Mac is gone.
Pete's okay. We ready.

You the only person
got a problem with this.

Come on.
Watch 'em hit a few balls.

You girls
are pretty good, huh?

- Yes, sir.
- Yes, sir.

RICHARD: Oh,
they better than good.

- All right. A few balls.
- A few balls. That's...

- Come on, come on.
- PAUL: Come on, girls.

Show him this magic.
Show him this magic.

Hey, that's
their brochure, Pete.

Now you take a look at that.

I'mma have them sign it
for you later.

- Come on, come on.
- Got it.

So tell me your names again.

- I'm Venus.
- I'm Serena.

Venus and Serena. I'm Paul.

Oh, yeah,
no, no, you not Paul.

You Mr. Cohen.

Mr. Cohen, right.

All right, Serena, why
don't you start at forehand?

Venus, backhand.

We'll hit some down the line,
all right?

That's good, Paul. That's how
I usually start with 'em too.

That's real smart.

Good.
All right, ready?

(girls grunting)

RICHARD: That's right.
Show him the magic.

There you go.
Good power, Venus Williams.

That's it.

What you think, Pete?

PETE: They look good.

They good. I know they good.
I know they good.

Pete Sampras
is looking at you.

Pete Sampras
gonna steal your stuff.

All right, great job, girls.

So, Serena, why don't
you go get some water?

I wanna hit with your sister
for a minute.

Venus, you wanna try something
a little different?

Okay, so start in the middle.

I want you to go after
every single ball, all right?

I'm not gonna tell you
where they're coming.

But don't stop
until we're done.

Oh, she do that.
She'll do that.

There you go.

PAUL: Yeah, I want
you to recover each time.

(uplifting music playing)

RICHARD: Get it.
Show it to him.

You have to
show him that magic.

Yes. There you go.
There you go.

Get it. All right.

Okay.

Girls, come here
and talk to me for a second.

Hustle, hustle, hustle.

PAUL: Lemme ask
you both something.

What do you want out of this?

I know what your dad wants,
but what about you?

Well, I wanna win Wimbledon

as many times
as anyone's ever won it.

You think you can do that?

I know I can.

PAUL: What about you?

Who on the tour
do you wanna play like?

Well, I'd like other people
to want to play like me.

(Richard chuckles)

I bet they will.

All right,
you girls go pick 'em up.

(girls running)

JOHN: Come on, Paul, let's go.

You taught 'em all this?

RICHARD: Oh, yeah,
me and my wife, Brandy.

We both athletes.

So, what you think?

- Is this a bee you're drawing?
- Yes, it is.

You're not working on...

I thought y'all
were doing homework.

(sighs) We got a coach.

(girls squealing)

- (overlapping chatter)
- BRANDY: You little fakers.

You little fakers!

- Pete Sampras's coach?
- RICHARD: Mm-hmm.

Sure as hell.

So he's gonna do it for free?

Um...

He said he can't
do two for free.

What?

He only gonna teach Venus.

SERENA: Okay, okay,
you should have seen Venus.

Pete Sampras was there

and I don't think
he could beat her at all.

TUNDE: Sampras? Okay, Venus!

SERENA: We were so good.

Did you tell Serena?

VENUS: I know.

SERENA: And then, we only
hit the net, like, twice.

Do you want to?

(sighs) Oh, Richard.

(girls chanting) We got
a coach. We got a coach.

We got a coach.

We got a coach.
We got a coach.

It's not fair.
I wanna go with you.

VENUS: I know.
I want you to, too.

Meka, Daddy said he's gonna
record everything,

and then we can
watch it together.

He has a plan, okay?

Yeah, for you.

Okay, Meka, your mom ready.
Y'all gonna practice today.

SERENA: But, Daddy,
I can't practice on her court.

She always hits slices.

That ain't nothing
but a few minor adjustments.

You got to stay prepared

for whatever's unpredictable.
Okay?

Come on now,
give your daddy a kiss.

Don't put no mean on my face.
Come on.

Daddy love you.
Come on, Junior, let's go.

I know you feel left out.
But you're not left out.

You got something great, too.

- What?
- Me!

Come on, we got work to do.

- Right now?
- Yeah, right now.

I ain't raised no poop butts.

- Mom...
- Come on. We got work to do.

- (classical music playing)
- PAUL: Go. That's it.

Back. Centre. And back.

What you're going through

is the Paul Cohen first-strike
strategic tennis system.

It's gonna turn you
into a killer.

You're gonna learn to think
about this tennis court

as a chessboard
made up of 228 shots.

You will learn
to perfect them all.

Did I say stop?
Go, go, go. Again.

- (Venus grunting)
- Centre.

BRANDY: Come on! Up, up, up!
Explode! Side!

Up, up, up! Back!

Side, side, side. I need
you to be faster, Serena.

- (grunting)
- PAUL: 24...

25... Oh, halfway there.
Come on.

26...

Oh! Come on, back to
the middle each time.

Let's get 50.

Make sure you keep
that stance open.

PAUL: Please, Richard...

- (ball drops)
- Oh! Blame your dad.

Wait, wait, wait. Stop, stop.
What are you doing?

This is it. What! That's it.

Trust it, trust it.

- (grunts)
- Better!

Yes!

(both laugh)

PAUL: Yeah.

RICHARD: Lemme see
a little bit more pronation

on that wrist
right at the end.

You just focus right here.

(under breath) You know
exactly what you're doing.

Do you want to be the best?
You can do it. You know why?

Because you're
a killing machine.

You're a goddamn attack dog.
So, bite.

Talk a little louder, Paul.
Can't hear you.

That wasn't for you, Richard.

I'm trying
to record though, Paul.

PAUL: You can
interview me later.

- RICHARD: Yes!
- PAUL: There you go.

Yes! That's what the pronation
gets you right there.

Really?

Yeah! Keep it up. Keep it up.

That's the move.

Now get back to the middle.
Get back to the middle.

You never know
where that ball's gonna go.

You gotta be ready.
Stay low, stay low,

stay low, stay low, stay low.

Yeah, baby! Yes!

PAUL: Go!
You're on it. That's it.

End the point. Recover quick.
You gotta move faster.

Hold on, Junior, Junior.
Junior.

All right, Paul, one second.

Look, you just got
a little closed up that time.

You're doing real good.

You just gotta keep
that stance open.

- You plant that right foot...
- What are you doing, Richard?

...that's how you get
a little closed off...

Richard, what are you doing?

I'm talking to my daughter.
Is something wrong with that?

No, nothing wrong with that.

Except you want me
to fix her stance,

and I can't do that if you
keep telling her to hit open.

Well, Paul, ain't no reason

to fix something
that's not broke. Okay?

You've been hollering
at the girl

all day long
to get back to the middle,

get back to the middle.
That's all I hear you saying.

Yet you instructing her
to close her stance.

That's right.

How's she supposed to get back
to the middle

with her stance all closed up?

Okay, if she stays open,
she can plant that foot.

- More power, more speed.
- PAUL: No!

That's how she get back
to the middle.

That is not how you get power.

You want power in your stroke,
you square your shoulders,

you close your stance,

hold your head right at
contact, and blast through it.

You do not hit open stance.
Okay?

- Yep.
- Can we please get back to it?

But just keep
your mind open, Paul.

You know,
just in case you not...

Richard, it would be
really helpful...

...the smartest person
in the whole world.

PAUL: ...if we could
actually hit a few.

- Okay, yeah, you can hit 'em.
- Because I got about

18 minutes left and I'd like
to finish this practice.

It just don't make no sense
what you saying, Paul.

If she keep her stance closed,

- feet are all jumbled up...
- I'll tell you what, Richard.

RICHARD: She's not gonna
be able to get back.

PAUL: I'll get my lesson from
you when we're done, okay?

But right now,
I'd like to focus on Venus.

Okay, yeah, I keep forgetting
you know everything.

- 17 minutes now.
- I keep forgetting that.

That's it.

Okay, just as long as
she hits some open.

Keep that stance open, Junior.

PAUL: Recover,
recover, recover.

Get around it. Get around it.
I want a forehand.

I want a forehand.
Get back to center.

There you go.

(commentator) Great serve.
You know, Capriati is...

Dang, that's Capriati?

PAUL: Now,
she's a freaking killer.

Won the Junior Orange Bowl
in Miami

in the U.S. 18 and Under
when she was 12.

Just went pro last year.

That's her coach Rick Macci.
He's in Florida.

About as dumb
as the rest, but...

she is the youngest pro ever
to be ranked in the Top 10.

And guess what she just did?

She just beat Steffi Graf.

How do you think
she learned how to do that?

Juniors.
That's where the fight is.

That's where you face
adversity, competition.

It's also where
you get noticed by agents

who can help you pay
for the training

and introduce you to sponsors.

Capriati signed a $2 million
contract with Diadora

before she played
a single pro match.

How do you think
that happened?

Juniors.

So, what do you guys say?
Wanna play Juniors?

["Cruel Summer"
by Bananarama playing]

I think I can add that
to the plan.

(all chuckle)

We play some Juniors.

♫ Hot summer streets
And the pavements are burning ♫

Come on. Come on.
Do you feel good?

- Yes. I'm excited.
- Okay.

(indistinct chatter)

RICHARD: Good morning.
Good morning.

VENUS: Did you see that, Mom?

RICHARD: It's okay.

They're just
not used to seeing

good-looking peoples like us.

You don't worry about them.

Let them worry about you,
Venus.

RICHARD: Oh, this it.
This it right here.

Come on, come on, come on.
Just take a step there.

- Kick their butts.
- All right, y'all.

- Have fun. Bye.
- Thanks. Love you.

All right.

Okay. You just focus
on that ball. Okay?

You are Venus Williams.

You gonna win Wimbledon.

These girls ain't never
gonna wanna see

your name in their draw. Okay?

Okay, Daddy.

You just go on out there
and you have fun.

I know. I got this.

- All right.
- Okay. I love you.

I love you.

(sentimental music playing)

(woman) All right, girls,
meet at the net.

Best of three sets.
Tiebreaks at six-all.

I'm covering three courts.

So, keep your own score
and call your own lines.

Good luck.

STACEY: Okay, up or down?

Up, I guess. Thanks.

(racket clatters)

Down. You can serve.

(Richard sighs)

She knows who she is.
We've done our job.

Yeah, yeah.

- She'll be fine.
- Mm-hmm.

SERENA: Come on, V,
you got this!

TUNDE: Good luck, V!

BRANDY: Come on, Venus.

She's nervous. Take a step up.

RICHARD: You just have some
fun out there, Venus Williams.

That's all this about.
Have some fun.

(bouncing ball)

(light applause)

TUNDE: Good job, V!

Maybe she ought to take
a few more steps up.

You know,
just get someplace safe.

Don't move.

(up-tempo orchestral music
playing)

(grunts)

- You are so freaking stupid.
- (girls cheering)

- BRANDY: All right, Venus!
- TUNDE: Go, Venus!

SERENA: All right, V.

- You watching? You watching?
- Mm-hmm.

- You're so bad!
- (girls cheering)

Damn!

TUNDE: Good job!

I am talking to you.
I am talking to you.

Do you even want to be
out there right now?

Do you?

Because the way
that you just played,

it's hard to believe
that you do.

(light applause)

Thank you.

(cheering)

(girls) Venus!

RICHARD: Get in here,
get in here.

BRANDY: I'm so proud of you.

Get in my picture.
Get in my picture.

BRANDY: Come on, come on.
Come on, Paul!

RICHARD: Say, "Venus!"

- (group) Venus!
- (camera clicking)

RICHARD: That's it. That's it.

Bad sportsmanship.

Yeah!

Can I take a picture
with the winner?

RICHARD: Right here. Hold it.

- Oh, you look so good.
- So proud of you.

(grunts)

- LYNDREA: Let's go, Venus!
- (girls cheering)

Kelly. Kelly. Kelly.
It was out. Call it.

It was out.

- SERENA: What?
- (girls) No.

- (clapping)
- SERENA: No, it wasn't.

- BRANDY: It wasn't out, though.
- SERENA: Can they do that?

- It's all right.
- SERENA: They can't do that.

That's okay, Junior.

Just do what you do.

- BRANDY: Just cheating.
- RICHARD: That's all right.

Just watch this one.

- Come on, Venus.
- TUNDE: You got this, V.

30-40.

(both grunting)

- BRANDY: Yeah! Yeah!
- TUNDE: Yeah, V, good job!

All right. All right.

That's it.

It's all right.

- TUNDE: Come on, y'all.
- BRANDY: What's wrong?

- RICHARD: That's okay.
- BRANDY: What's wrong? You won.

Okay, you can smile.

- You can smile.
- (girls laugh)

That was good.

A little adversity.
That's okay.

(grunting)

BRANDY: You're missin' it.

No, I can hear everything
with that ball.

- TUNDE: Good play.
- SERENA: Come on!

TUNDE: You got this.

- (girls cheering loudly)
- (player grunts)

BRANDY: Did you see any of that?

Yes, I saw some of that.

Come on, y'all, come on.
Whoo. Yay.

Wait, where's Meka? She okay?

Yeah, she's fine.
She's just bored.

- Said she knew you would win.
- (all laugh)

- TUNDE: You were so good.
- VENUS: Thank you.

I told you that girl
was a pusher.

Yeah, Paul calls that
"playing patty-cake."

That's why she got moded.

(both chanting)
Moded. Corroded.

Your booty exploded.

- (umpire over speakers) 40-15.
- (applause)

(loud cheering)

(panting)

Thank you.

Thank you.

(all) Cheese.

RICHARD: There you go.
There you go.

- Thank you so much. Thank you.
- Thank you.

- Nice meeting you.
- Nice to meet you.

RICHARD: You did real good.
You did real good.

(girls) Bye.

You should be very proud
of yourself. You did good.

Well done.

Mommy, wait.

SERENA: The first place
Junior Tennis Tournament

is presented
to Venus Williams!

(all cheering and laughing)

LYNDREA: Go, V!

ISHA: She won!

(girls chanting)
She won. She won.

Moded. Corroded.
Your booty exploded.

TUNDE: That looked
kinda heavy up there.

Let me see.
Let me see that big ol' thing.

Ooh. I'm about to drop it.

SERENA: Were you
nervous at all, V?

Why is she nervous?

That girl looked like
she was 18

and Venus
still whupped her anyway.

- (laughing) Yeah.
- Yes, she did.

Okay, that's enough of that
back there.

No more tennis talk.

And stop all that bragging.

LYNDREA: Daddy,
we're not bragging.

Oh, you're not?
What you doing?

I mean, it's just the truth,
and here's the proof.

- (all laugh)
- BRANDY: That's right.

Right now,
let's hear what I'm saying.

Stop all that bragging.

Richard, they're not bragging.

They bragging.

- I'm listening to 'em.
- They're having fun.

I know what bragging
sounds like.

The girl won.
She's just happy.

Look, Junior won,
the other girl lost.

Everybody did their best.

And I'm not gonna hear
no more about it now.

If that was that girl's best,

then she needs
to practice some more.

- (laughing)
- I'm just saying. Jeez.

(people chattering)

(engine idling)

Okay, you big shots.

Here's five bucks.

Go on and get me
something to drink.

- I wanna get something.
- Stop. Stop. Stop.

Uh, give the money to Tunde.

- Give the money to Tunde.
- Stop arguing. Stop arguing.

Why do they always take
the money from me?

Daddy gave it to me.
Not to you, Tunde.

(indistinct chattering)

Richard...

Where are you going?

They wanna brag, let them brag

about how they walked
three miles home.

Richard, you can't leave
those girls like that.

I done told them I didn't
wanna hear nothing about

- no tennis and no bragging.
- Richard, stop! Stop!

You can't leave them
back there like that.

Leaving 'em
on the streets like that.

You can't do that.

Okay, look at me. Listen here.

I'm listening.
You go back and get my girls.

When these matches is over,

I don't wanna hear
nothing about no tennis.

Okay? They can talk
about Kingdom Hall,

they can talk about dinosaurs,
they can talk about space.

- Space?
- But I don't wanna hear...

Why is it that
you gotta ruin...

- ...nothing about no tennis.
- ...everybody else's day?

You don't wanna be happy...

RICHARD: I don't
wanna hear no bragging.

BRANDY: ...so you don't want
nobody else to be happy.

- This ain't about being happy.
- BRANDY: No...

- It's about bragging.
- BRANDY: ...it is about it.

You don't want
nobody else to be happy...

RICHARD: I told them
I don't want no bragging.

BRANDY: ...so you gotta make
everybody else upset.

I have never in my life...
Never ever met

somebody who just
don't wanna be happy.

I don't want no bragging.

You go back and get my girls.
That's what you do.

They coming now. They coming now.
They right down on the street.

(girls running)

ISHA: I can't believe
he done left us.

Daddy, where were you going?
I thought you were leaving us.

Yeah, I was.
Thank your mother.

She made me come back.

Who got my change?

Family meeting.
We gonna watch something.

(music playing on tv)

We gonna watch.
We gonna learn.

(on TV)
♫ Cinderella ♫

Cinderella?

♫ You're as lovely
As your name ♫

LYNDREA: Ah, finally.

♫ Cinderella ♫

♫ You're a sunset in a frame ♫

♫ Though you're dressed in rags
You wear... ♫

♫ The dream that you wish
Will come true ♫

Okay.

(singers vocalize end note)

Okay, what you learn?

Isha?

- To be polite.
- RICHARD: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

- That's good. Lyn?
- To be brave.

Brave? Explain how you mean.

Well, you gotta be
pretty brave

to take a ride in a pumpkin.

(girls snickering)

- Okay, go to your room.
- Why, Daddy?

No, 'cause
you fooling with me,

and I'm not fooling with you.
Go ahead. Go to your room.

- LYNDREA: Okay.
- RICHARD: Junior?

- Never stop dreaming, I guess.
- Mm-hmm. That's good.

Come on, Meek.

Remember your shoes?

Okay, that's good,
but everybody's wrong.

So we gonna watch
the film again.

We gonna watch
this whole film again.

No, Richard, no.

RICHARD: Lyn,
come on out here.

We watching this film again.

No, ain't nobody listening.

If you're not gonna listen
to the film...

- I answered your question.
- RICHARD: Okay, okay.

They answered your questions.

RICHARD: All right, all right.
Hold on. Hold on.

The point is she was humble.

No matter how
them peoples treated her,

no matter how disrespected,

she stayed calm,
she kept her heart clean.

She was humble.

Now we gonna go out here and
we gonna play these matches

and we gonna compete.

But we gonna stay humble,
else we not gonna do it.

All right, y'all can go ahead
with yourself.

You feel good about yourself?

I mean,
I think they got the point.

Never drive off
on my kids again.

- Ever.
- That's where you still at?

- That's where you still at?
- Yes, it is. Yes, it is.

- (thunder rumbling)
- (girls giggling)

RICHARD: Okay, okay,

now when these balls is wet,
they heavy.

So you can't
let them hit the ground

'cause they not gonna bounce.

If they hit the ground,
they gonna skid.

I need you to take it
right out of the air.

Take it right out the air.

Right out of the air.
There you go.

I like that. I like that.

Don't let it bounce.
Don't let it bounce.

- Don't let it bounce.
- (girls laughing)

Boom! Boom!

Oh, now that shot right there
gonna make me call the police.

That's the shot
I got to call the police.

Well, at least ain't nobody

gonna have to take
no bath tonight.

(girls giggle)

(car approaching)

(engine revving)

- (man) Hey!
- Get back, get moving. Hey.

I see what y'all
are doing out there.

Don't sweat it, we good.

We got you.

Okay, go ahead, I got this.

Go ahead.
Y'all get in the car.

(pensive music playing)

SERENA: Daddy,
why are the police here?

I don't know.

(woman) Do you
sometimes don't get

to have dinner
before you go to sleep?

No, ma'am.

RICHARD: What's going on?
Everybody okay?

They got a call.

Said there was trouble
in the house,

and that we were being rough
with the girls,

and they needed to look.

- A call from who?
- Not at liberty to say.

- Okay, okay.
- BRANDY: Yeah.

You... You all need
to look around?

Go ahead, you can check on
in the cupboards.

Maybe you go check
under their beds,

make sure there's no monsters.

It's a little wet
for practice, don't you think?

Don't the girls have
schoolwork to do?

BRANDY: They do their homework.

Tunde's first in her class.
Lyn and Isha are, too.

RICHARD: That's right.
Girls, spell "civilization."

(girls)
C-I-V-I-L-I-Z-A-T-I-O-N.

- Okay, Mr. Williams...
- RICHARD: Wait, now hold on.

...this is
really not necessary.

RICHARD: Hold on.

You wanna check on the kids?
Let's check on the kids.

We got future doctors
and lawyers,

plus a couple of tennis stars
in this house.

Now, I understand
you got to do your job

even if some
crazy-ass neighbor do call,

talking foolishness.

And I don't even mind you
saying we hard on these kids,

you know why? 'Cause we are!

That's our job,
to keep 'em off these streets.

You wanna arrest us
for that? Fine.

But what you not
gonna never do

is come knock on this door

talking about you have to blow

their damn brains out
in them streets

'cause they running
with hoodlums

and doing drugs and things.

That's what you not never
gonna say in this house.

You wanna arrest us for that?

That's fine.
You need to be arresting

them parents
at them tennis matches.

That's who needs
to be getting arrested.

(somber music playing)

(neighbors chattering)

- Hey, where you going?
- I'll be back.

(banging on door)

(door creaks open)

- Hey, Betty.
- Oracene.

I've never been
over here before.

- You haven't.
- That's a shame.

It is.

I know you know how hard it is
raising a daughter.

I have five of them.

Five.

Don't make me come back
over here again.

(pensive music playing)

(official) All right, Venus,
you're running a little late.

It's about to start.
So you're on court three.

- Good luck out there.
- Thank you.

Okay, come on.
Come on. Come on.

Can't be the only Black
peoples here and be late.

(Venus chuckles)

Um, Serena Williams.
10 and under.

- I'm signing in, too.
- Oh, okay.

Let me find you here.
You are on court nine.

I'll send your opponent
right over.

- Good luck.
- Thank you.

(grunting)

- There you go.
- (girls cheering)

Great shot, Venus Williams.
Good decision.

Your daughter
looks good out there.

Yeah, thank you.
She a little tight today.

No, I mean the little one.
She looks like a champ, too.

Could have warned us, man.
I didn't know you had two.

(light music playing)

(Serena grunting)

May as well let her finish.

- (ball thuds)
- SERENA: Come on!

- BRANDY: Whoo!
- (light applause)

What you doing?

You done started,
now you might as well finish.

Go on.
Just make sure you have fun.

That's all we here to do.
Go ahead. Have fun.

BRANDY: Serena Williams!
(laughing)

- You knew about this?
- No. Mm-mm.

SERENA: That's real.

Hey, you want it? We can swap.

I like silver better anyway.

Good. I like gold.

(all laugh)

VENUS: "At a time
when tennis prodigies

seem to be surfacing
every week,

the latest hot prospect is
Californian Venus Williams."

(all cheer)

There she go.

"Last weekend,

Williams captured
her 17th Singles title

in less than a year by
winning the age 12 and under

Southern California Junior
Sectional Championship."

TUNDE: Listen to this, y'all.

"In the first place,

she played like she was
16 years old..."

...incident of police
brutality in Los Angeles.

CNN's Robert Vito
has the story,

but first,
this word of caution.

Some of you may be disturbed

by the violent nature
of the pictures contained...

"Her concentration
was excellent.

Boy, did she wax me."

That's from
Dorothy Cheney, y'all.

- Dang, Venus, you're famous.
- (all chuckle)

BRANDY: One step at a time.

VITO: ...what appears
to be a group

of Los Angeles police officers

beating a suspect
with nightsticks

and kicking him
as other officers look on.

George Holliday,

who works for
a drain cleaning company,

- taped the incident...
- (phone rings)

- Tunde?
- I'll get it.

VITO: The incident
followed a car chase

where police say the suspect,
who is Black,

was driving more
than 100 miles an hour.

At least they got them
on tape this time.

VITO: They also say
he was wanted

on suspicion
of parole violation...

SERENA: Hello.
Samson Security Service.

...on a robbery conviction.
The suspect,

identified as 25-year-old
Rodney Glen King...

SERENA: Daddy,
the phone's for you.

The guy's an agent

and wants to talk to you
about representation.

NANCY REAGAN: I was
at a clinic in Oakland

when a young girl came up
and asked me,

"What do we do if our friends
pressure us to do drugs?"

And without thinking,
I said, "Just say no."

Pretty incredible.

Your girls are standing

with the former First Lady
of the United States.

You did that.

REAGAN: Enjoy the tennis,
everyone.

PAUL: There's the man.

Richard. I want you to meet

George MacArthur
and Laird Stabler.

- George. Laird.
- Hey, Richard,

nice to meet you.
We spoke on the phone.

Oh, that's right.
Good to meet you.

George is the head
of their agency.

Oh, that the big boss.

LAIRD: That's the big boss
right there.

RICHARD: Yeah,
I can tell by the cigar.

- Sit down, guys.
- Oh, thank you, yes.

Heck of a girl you got there.
Just incredible.

Love to help you take her
to the next level. Yeah.

(waitress)
Can I get you anything?

Usual.

- Fine, thank you.
- I'll have an Arnold Palmer,

- please.
- I'm good.

Well, thanks for coming,
Richard.

What do you think of the club?

RICHARD: Oh, it's...
It's really great.

We appreciate everybody
taking off their hoods

before we came in.

- PAUL: (chuckles) Richard.
- RICHARD: We like that.

You know, I'm just kidding.
I'm just kidding.

It's, uh... We've been here
a couple of times.

Well, Richard, first off,

we would just like
to congratulate you

on a great job
you've done so far.

Quite honestly,
it's incredible.

- RICHARD: It's incredible?
- Yes.

(crowd applauding)

I'm sure you know,
but Laird here is the best.

RICHARD: Mm-hmm.

He discovered Capriati
when she was 10.

Mary Pierce, too.

And we believe that Venus
can be bigger than both.

I'm sorry, you, um...

You said two times already.
You said it's incredible.

- Yeah.
- And, uh,

why is what we did
so incredible?

Well, I just meant
with your resources,

and your experiences.

Richard, I think
all that Laird is saying is

that you've done an incredible
job with the girls.

RICHARD: Hold on.
Hold on, Paul.

That is a full-grown adult man
sitting right there.

He don't need you to say
what he said.

If you was gonna say
what he said,

you could have said it
back at the house.

We could have saved everybody

the trouble of coming
to this meeting.

Now, I asked this man
a simplified question.

He over-emphasizing
how incredible it is,

"it's so incredible"
what we did.

I see all these White kids
around here.

He ain't saying
how incredible that is.

(bangs table)
Let him answer the question.

Okay. Let's answer...
That's why we're here.

Why it's so incredible
what we did?

- LAIRD: Sir, I'm sorry.
- We're here to ask questions.

I certainly did not mean

to make any offence there,
Mr. Williams.

I'm very sorry. I just meant
with your background and...

RICHARD: Our background.

Now, of course,
what you mean is our race.

No, it's okay.
It's okay. I get it.

You know, little Black girl,
all-White sport.

That's why we picked tennis.

Your little, uh,
ghetto Cinderella.

Your Ghetto-rella.

Well, that's exactly what
we're talking about, Richard.

We think Venus could be
very inspirational

to a whole group of people

who quite honestly,
as an industry,

we have not done enough
to reach.

Venus can open a lot of doors.

And we'd like
to help her do it.

Okay, okay.
So, uh, what're you offering?

Whatever you need.
Shoes, coaches, rackets.

RICHARD: Rackets?

They offering rackets?
(scoffs)

We wouldn't even be sitting
here if you hadn't seen

what they had done
with their rackets.

That's true. Fair enough. Yes.

Come on.
You sure you the best?

(chuckles) Well, I don't know.
He said it.

Richard, can I be frank?

I think you should be
whoever the hell you wanna be.

What Venus needs now is
more court time and training.

The right tournaments
and exposure.

That's a hundred grand
a year, easy.

You sign with us

and we'll help you
carry that burden.

Let us take it from here.

Let us make this a sure thing.

You don't wanna risk all that,
do you, Richard?

(farts, grunts)

(George sighs)

RICHARD: I think I'mma go
get in the pool.

We'll talk later.

Lovely to meet you.

What the hell was that?

(pop rock music playing
on speaker)

(waitress) Okay, here you go.

- Thank you.
- RICHARD: What you all doing?

- Hey, Daddy. You hungry?
- You want something to eat?

Where the food
I packed for you?

Don't worry.
It's all on our tab.

VENUS: Mm-hmm.

It's on your tab?

It's no big deal, Mr. Williams.

All the food here is for free.

Nothing's for free.
Somebody's paying for it.

Put it down.

Don't you bite that cookie
one more time.

Put it down.

Let's go. Get your little tabs
out in the bus.

- Bye.
- Bye, guys.

- VENUS: Daddy, what's wrong?
- What's wrong?

You sitting
at some country club

with your legs all crossed

like you Queens of Sheba
from somewhere.

Never take anything
from anybody for free.

Everything in this place
got hooks in it.

LYNDREA: No, don't touch us,
Panty-Man!

(girls screaming playfully)

- BRANDY: Y'all be careful.
- PAUL: Hey, girls.

- VENUS: Hi, Mr. Cohen.
- Hiya.

- BRANDY: Hey, Paul.
- Hey, Oracene. How you doing?

All right. I'll get you
something to drink.

Yeah, sure. That'd be great.

So what are we doing here,
Richard?

What the hell was that
back there?

- Yeah, we not doing this.
- Not doing what?

We not signing
with none of them agents.

We not playing
no more Juniors.

Have you lost your mind?

Venus is 63-0, okay?

You pull her out of Juniors
now, you're gonna ruin it.

Those girls need
to play matches

or they're gonna die
on the vine.

Yeah, I done heard the risk,

but this Junior circuit
is worse than the ghetto.

(scoffs)

Kids out there cracking up,
burning out.

Their parents
ought to be shot.

What are you talking about?
Your daughters are fine.

RICHARD: Oh, yeah,
they fine now.

But you heard them agents,

they talking about
pushing them up the ladder.

Nationals and Internationals.

They don't need
all that pressure. Okay?

They will play matches
when they turn pro.

And right now, they need
to just do what they're doing.

They need to just be kids.

No, there will be no pros,
Richard.

And even if there were,

you don't sign with an agent,
how're you guys going

to afford all their training
till then?

Yeah. Let me worry about that.

Did you know about this?

Richard, don't do this.

Every American player
who's ever done anything

got good following this path.

Mac, Tracy, Agassi, Pete.

Yep.

This window you guys have
is so freaking small.

- And it will close.
- Yep.

I know you don't wanna
believe me, but it will.

Everybody talking
about this window,

this... this window
they got to get through.

But peoples like us,

we... we get shot
when we go through those.

So I'm thinking we just gonna
pause right here,

and then
when the time is right,

we just gonna walk
through the front door.

(sighs)

Man, I don't understand.
(scoffs)

You do not have a clue.

You are pissed off because
some guy insulted you today,

- so now you wanna walk away.
- Mm-mm.

You are the most
stubborn person

I have ever met in my life.

And I coach McEnroe.

We appreciate everything
you've done, Paul.

But this part
of our relationship is done.

And we will no longer

be requiring your services
any more.

PAUL: Richard, no good coach
is gonna take them for free

if they're
not playing Juniors.

Yeah, you did. Remember?

And I think
you're a pretty good coach.

(scoffs)

(sighs)

PAUL: All right.

I just pray
you don't screw this up.

Yeah, we appreciate
your prayers, Paul.

PAUL: Mm-hmm.

TUNDE: Okay, Panty-Man,
we gonna get her!

Oracene.

(girls laughing
and chattering)

TUNDE: Come on,
before Panty-Man gets you.

- Hey.
- Hey.

I'll see you
at Wimbledon, kid.

Are we a team?

Are we a team? We a...
We a family.

So we're a team?

We a family. The best kind
of team there is.

And you don't think that
that was a decision

that you should have
discussed with me?

Discussed with Venus?

- What do you...
- Richard,

my faith dictates
that I stand by your side.

RICHARD: All right,
well, just do that then.

But don't mistake my silence
for agreement.

You do that again,
and I won't be quiet.

Now, don't do that.
Don't do that to me.

You don't make a fool
outta me.

- Who made a fool outta you?
- You made a fool outta me.

- What are you talking about?
- Don't make a fool out of me.

Ain't nobody making
no fool outta you.

RICK: Good feet. Excellent.
Get there. Work!

Excellent.
I like it. I like it.

Hey, who's aggressive?
Who wants this point?

(man) Hey! Rick.

This guy, Richard Williams,
keeps calling.

It's like the tenth time
in a row.

Told me to tell you
it's urgent.

Urgent? What's so urgent?
His backhand?

You gotta get that ball.

No, some, uh,
father in California.

Says he's got two daughters,

that they're the best
in the state.

RICK: Yeah, let me guess,
next Jennifer Capriati?

These girls so great, how come
I've never heard of 'em?

They're from Compton.

Compton?

All right, keep working.
Cuz, it's on you.

Let's go, guys.

You guys are late. Let's go.
Move, move, move.

I like that. I like the visor.

Are you eating that?

You put crap like that
in your mouth,

your game's gonna go south.

- Hey, Barry, which line?
- BARRY: Line two.

Line two. Okay.

This is Rick Macci.

- (car approaching)
- (music thumping on stereo)

He's here! He's here!
He's here! He's here!

RICHARD: Okay, okay.
Relax, relax.

Everybody, come on,
get in your position.

Let's go.

RICHARD: Mr. Macci.
Welcome, welcome.

Hello, everybody.

- BRANDY: Hello.
- (girls) Hi.

- I'm Richard Williams.
- Mr. Williams.

- This my wife. This Brandy.
- Hi, it's an honor.

- We glad to see you.
- It's great to be here.

This is all our kids.
This our family.

That's Venus, Serena,
Tunde, Lyn, Isha.

- RICK: Hello.
- (girls) Hi.

Thank you for coming.

We know you came a long way,
so we won't waste your time.

You wanna get on
over to the club?

Let's get it started.

Let's get it.
Come on, girls, let's go.

Mr. Macci a busy man.

- All right.
- Be great, be great.

RICHARD: Come on, y'all,
let's go. Get on in there.

RICK: Grab the door here.

Wow. (grunts)

So, uh, tell me one more time,
which one of you is, uh...

Big one, Venus.
Little one, Serena.

Okay.
I think I can handle that.

(chuckles)

Oh, don't worry about that.
You don't need that.

BRANDY: Bye, guys!

(horn beeps)

RICHARD: We got Rick Macci
in Compton!

(all laugh)

Good. There you go, Meka.

Take that. And that.

RICK: Close her down, Richard?

Uh, yeah,
you can just close it up.

(rap music playing
on car stereo)

(tires squeal)

Hey, hey, hey!

Slow down, haircut.
Hell you think you going?

Oh. Just gonna
play some tennis.

(man) Hey, yo, Richard,

this Jimmy Connors-looking
cracker with you?

RICHARD: Uh, yeah, yeah.
White boy with us.

All right, it's spoke.

- Yeah, he just White.
- (man) It's spoke.

Amen.

(man) Get up out of here.

I ain't gonna
let you get shot, Rick.

RICK: Appreciate it.

- This is it, huh?
- RICHARD: This it.

Compton Country Club.

Really good,
really good, really good.

They ain't gonna hit you.
They ain't gonna hit you.

RICK: Go get it. Forehand.

- (grunting)
- Pop. Excellent. Backhand.

Attagirl, go!

Move. Fast feet.
Good recovery.

Excellent. Recover.

Wheels, wheels, recover. Go!

Good! Again!

Hey, I like it.
Find the slot, rip the shot.

- That's Rick Macci.
- RICK: Again.

Where you get that power from?

Macci rhyme with crazy.

RICK: I'm sorry,
was it something I said?

I think it's the 'stache.
I think she doesn't like

the guy with the 'stache.
Get there.

I love it. Come on in
for the approach.

Yes! Come on. Get there.

What do you say?
Fight it like you're angry.

Oh, I like it! Excellent work.

Hey, girls. Hey.
I love what you're doing.

- Excellent job.
- RICHARD: There you go.

Put it right there.
Did you guys have fun?

- (girls) Yeah.
- Good. Good, good. I like it.

That father of yours,
he's done a heck of a job,

so, uh, this was a lot of fun
for me too.

So, thank you, girls.
Thank you.

Richard, I'm, uh...
I'm impressed.

RICHARD: Y'all go get
some water. Get some water.

They're, uh...
They're terrific, I think.

I think you might just have

the next Michael Jordan
on your hands.

Oh, no, brother-man,

- I gots me the next two.
- (laughs)

I like the way you think.

This here,
this is my standard agreement.

Same one I used with Jennifer.
All right.

Instruction, housing,
food, education.

You don't pay for a thing.

Even trips to Disney World,
which is right down the road.

But mostly, it's...
It's my personal time.

Now, that I promise
you will get.

You train at Rick Macci,
hey, you're...

you're gonna train with Rick.

Sounds expensive.
What's in it for you?

My fee is 15%
of their future earnings.

If you make nothing,
I make nothing.

But, uh,
I can tell you one thing,

we are not gonna make nothing.

(chuckles)

What you know
about Nick Bollettieri?

He a real famous, uh,
tennis coach.

Sure. (hesitates)

The boy keep calling here.
Can't get him off the phone.

Yeah, Nick is a...
He's a good coach.

You know, he's had
a lot of success, but, uh...

I can tell you now,
you go down to Bradenton

to train with Nick,
you're not gonna get Nick.

You're gonna get
whatever hitting coach

he's got available.

You're gonna get a factory.

Now, you train with me,
I'm your coach. It's me.

A lot of people say
Nick the best.

- BRANDY: Mm-hmm.
- RICK: Yeah.

Remember that man
who said that?

- Mm-hmm.
- RICK: Mr. and Mrs. Williams,

whether it's Nick or Rick...

Tom, Dick, or Harry,
it doesn't matter.

If it's their dream
to be a champion,

well, then you got a chance.

But, you know,
if it's yours, mine, no.

Crash and burn.
It's not gonna happen.

So, you wanna go with Nick,

you know,
you gotta go with Nick.

That's your prerogative.

No, we wanna go with you.

- RICK: Oh.
- (all laugh)

Thank heavens.
(laughs) I was...

We just wanted to hear you say
what you had said.

RICK: Well, well done.

- (all laugh)
- RICK: Whew!

- Hey, Tunde. Uh...
- RICK: Wow.

Now, this here
is our standard agreement.

I'm sorry, your...

RICHARD: You know,
you take these girls,

you take us all,
the whole family.

I'm sorry, you...
You all wanna come to Florida?

BRANDY: Not Tunde.

She just graduated
valedictorian.

So, her life is here.

- Congratulations.
- Thank you, sir.

Yeah, but all that other stuff
that's in that contract,

we need that.

Uh, we need a house,
we need the best school,

and, uh, a job for me
on your staff.

It says here, a...
a mobile home?

Yeah, I mean, we got
to get there, don't we?

(Rick chuckles)

You believe in these kids
or what?

You bet I do. (chuckles)

I swear to you two.
You bet I do.

Okay, then why are we
still sitting here?

- We supposed to be in Florida.
- RICK: What are we doing?

Let's go to Florida.

["The Gambler"
by Kenny Rogers playing]

♫ On a warm summer's evening ♫

♫ On a train
Bound for nowhere ♫

♫ I met up with a gambler ♫

(girls chattering
and laughing)

♫ We were both too tired
To sleep ♫

♫ So we took turns a-starin' ♫

SERENA: No, 'cause you always
take the longest.

Oh, thank you.

BRANDY: Y'all,
can you get me one?

Here you go.
No, we can share that.

- We can share now.
- ISHA: Give me one.

SERENA: No. 'Cause y'all
wouldn't let me sit with you.

BRANDY: Keep your hands...

You keep your hand
on that wheel.

She got it.
Do you need me, Junior?

- VENUS: No, I got it.
- Put one hand,

at least one hand
on that wheel. Something.

RICHARD: What's up?
Hey, police.

- (girls) Hi, police!
- RICHARD: We were just

- breaking the law. Sorry.
- (all laugh)

- Okay, spell "Albuquerque."
- Albuquerque.

(girls) A-L-B-U-Q...

- VENUS: No.
- RICHARD: Yeah.

- (laughs)
- Can't be L-R.

- RICHARD: It started...
- (girls) A-L...

- The word got, like...
- A-L-B-U-Q...

...it got, like, three Q's.

No, don't tell 'em.
Let 'em do it.

(song continues)

♫ Then he bummed a cigarette ♫

♫ And asked me for a light ♫

♫ And the night got
Deathly quiet ♫

♫ And his face lost
All expression ♫

♫ Said, "If you're gonna
Play the game, boy ♫

♫ You gotta learn To play
it right You got to ♫

RICHARD: (singing along)
♫ ...know when to hold 'em ♫

♫ Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away ♫

♫ And know when to run ♫

♫ You never count your money ♫

♫ When you're sittin'
At the table ♫

♫ There'll be time enough
For counting ♫

♫ When the dealing's done ♫

RICHARD: Look at that.
We in Florida.

VENUS: So pretty!

RICHARD: There you go.
Welcome to Florida.

(girls yell excitedly)

VENUS: Rick Macci,
here we come.

RICHARD: Rick Macci,
there we go.

["Only The Young"
by Journey playing]

RICK: There they are.

- (group) Hi.
- Wow, look at that.

Hello, everybody.
Welcome to the Sunshine State.

Gosh, it's great
to see you guys.

How was the trip? Was it good?

Yeah. It was long.

RICK: Long?
Yeah, I bet it was.

It wasn't long.
It was not long.

RICK: Richard, do you see
that blue bad boy right there?

- RICHARD: Mm-hmm.
- I call it the Comet.

I like to ride around,

makes me feel like
I own the place.

Which is crazy 'cause,
you know, I kinda do.

That gonna be mine.

- That gonna be mine.
- RICK: Now, girls,

these are the drilling courts.
That's Tommy Ho.

He won the U.S.
Junior Nationals at 15.

He's top 50 in the country.

That's Eric Taino.
That's John Roddick.

They're both top five
in the country

right now for their age group.

Now, John, he's got

- a little brother.
- Yeah, he's good.

RICK: His name's Andy.
That kid is a savage.

He breathes fire. He's good.

Wait till I get
my hands on him.

This is it right here.
Let's go.

- Dig, dig, dig, dig. Feet.
- (player grunts)

You hear that sound?

That sound is effort.
I love effort.

That's my happy place.
Come with me.

This is where we eat.

Hey, guys, don't eat too many
of these things, all right?

This will give you horns.

Best French fries in Florida.

Now, look, this place
will always be open

and available to you guys.

You help yourselves
whenever you want.

All right, good,
'cause I'm hungry.

For real? We just ate.

You got some place here, Rick.

And it just got
a lot better today.

- (chuckles)
- Come on, Richard, let's go.

Over here.
Look at 'em walking off.

Try the cinnamon rolls.
They're first class.

RICHARD: What you got
over there?

- That's the chum?
- (Rick laughs)

Yeah, you know,
you got a good eye, Richard.

- Mm-hmm.
- You know how that works.

You need a few cheeseburgers
to pay for the sirloin.

You sell enough sirloin,

you can get
to the filet mignon.

- Oh, there you go.
- (chuckles)

Here we are, girls.
This is Mecca.

These two courts here,
they're yours.

Just you and me
and the best pros we got.

This is where we hit the horn,
we pop the corn,

and when we pop it, we pop
with extra butter, right?

- Right.
- Huh? You feel me?

- Yep.
- RICK: Yeah? Bang.

- Bang.
- RICK: Right? Bang.

Bang. (chuckles)

Now, look, I got
a little surprise for you.

This won't happen every day,
but since she's here,

I thought maybe
you'd wanna hit a little bit.

Jennifer!

RICHARD: Oh, look.

- That Jennifer Capriati.
- JENNIFER: Hey.

I hear you guys can play.
You wanna hit?

- VENUS: Yeah.
- SERENA: Yeah.

- Can we?
- RICHARD: Oh, yeah.

You girls just take it easy
on her though.

(all chuckle)

- VENUS: Let's go, Meka.
- Have fun, girls.

RICHARD: This is
really special. Have fun.

RICK: This is special
for her, too.

I told her
all about the girls,

and she wanted to meet Venus,
so, yeah.

Yeah, you know
how to throw a party.

(laughs)

Well, it's good
you guys are here.

- (girls) Nice to meet you.
- Hey, girls.

RICK: All right, girls,
let's go. Warm up slow.

RICHARD: Just have fun.

RICK: Look at that.
That's gotta be

- special for her, huh?
- RICHARD: Yeah.

- She looks strong.
- She is. She is.

- A lot of work she's put in.
- Mm-hmm.

RICK: So, she's gonna
get there.

V's gonna get there.

That's it. Attagirl.
Good. I like it.

I mean, look at that.
That's the model right there.

Now, I figure we mold her
in Jennifer's path.

We start with the Easter Bowl,
then the Orange Bowl,

just like how Jennifer did it,

- right?
- Yeah.

They're good tournaments,
they're challenging.

I'm thinking we not gonna play
the Easter Bowl though, Rick.

Okay, well, you got
another tournament in mind?

No, uh,

I meant to tell you, uh,

we not playing
no more Juniors.

Yeah, they'll play matches
again when they turn pro.

(scoffs) Okay.

And when exactly is that
gonna be, Richard?

When I say they ready.

We're not gonna
rush this, Rick.

Everything going good.

We not gonna
start rushing now.

What are they gonna do,
Richard?

They gonna play ping-pong?

No, no.
They gonna practice with you.

They gonna go to school,
they gonna go to the Hall,

and pretty much,
they gonna be kids.

That's what I want.

They're gonna be kids?

But, Richard, that's...
That is not how it works.

I... I... I can't do that.

I can't mold her like that.

You need to play Juniors.

Look, there's not
a single player,

not one on the pro tour,
that didn't play Juniors.

Without Juniors,
it's impossible.

Well, not for you.
Not for you. You Rick Macci.

That's why we drove
all this way.

Nothing is impossible
for Rick Macci.

But if you think
you can't do it,

we... we can go talk to Nick.

You know, you might have
mentioned this in Compton.

I probably could have,

but then
you wouldn't have made

the best decision
you ever made in your life.

This is great, Rick.

Oh, and I need 'em hitting
open-stance strokes.

That's one of the things.
That's the most important.

They got to hit
them open-stance strokes.

We gonna make it go "boom"
like you said.

- Remember?
- Right.

- Make it go boom.
- Yeah, I said "bang,"

- but, yeah.
- You said, "bang," "boom,"

we gonna make 'em
make some noise.

I got to get the family.
They need to see this.

I'mma grab a burger.
You want something?

Nah. I don't want a burger.

Don't be scared, Rick.
I wrote the plan.

Oh, God, the plan.

All right, Venus, serve it up.

RICK: Good! Hey, look at that.

Boom! I like it.
How about that?

Bang!

Come on, get in there and dig!

Kill it. I like it. Good.

Good, good. Hey, listen.

That wasn't a good shot
at the end. You know why?

- It was excellent.
- 'Cause it was excellent.

Good. Hey, I'm proud of ya.
Excellent work.

Let's go.
I'll race you to the water.

You've faced
a lot of criticism

in the last three years since
you pulled your daughters

out of
Junior tournament tennis.

- Mm-hmm.
- You've been called

controversial, overbearing,

- a self-promoting distraction.
- Mm-hmm.

How do you respond
to all that?

Well, look, peoples gonna say

what peoples gonna say,
you know.

When somebody come to me,

telling me my daughter so good

and she, you know, she need
to be playing matches,

I know the only reason
they see good

is 'cause they see money.

And most of the time,

they see money that can be
going into they pocket.

But you've certainly said
a lot of provocative things.

- Mm-hmm.
- You've said "tennis parents

- "should be shot."
- Mm-hmm, yeah.

You said you're brokering
a deal to purchase

- Rockefeller Center.
- Yep.

Well, truth is, I got
so many businesses now,

I hardly even think
about tennis.

And you're not concerned
all that's holding them back?

Most top prospects their age,

like Martina Hingis,
for example,

- are about to turn pro.
- Yeah.

But your daughters haven't
played a match since 1991.

Well, we still
pushing 'em forward.

Venus speaking four languages.

Most of 'em fluently, almost.

How many languages you speak?

Exactly. Not even
really good at this one.

Look, I've been broke
all my life,

and Venus don't wanna be poor,
you know.

But we not gonna let
nobody push our daughter

into nothing
she ain't ready for.

Okay, all right,

- so, I'mma get Venus.
- Thank you.

Uh, y'all can go ahead
and move and set up up top.

- Okay.
- RICK: Fast feet. Fast feet.

Fast feet.
Good. Here they come.

Here's it come. You don't know
when it's coming.

Let's go. You don't know.
Go! React.

Good! I like it.
Let's go. Move.

Yes, like a bullet.
Yes, I like it!

Boom, that's major league.
Let's go. Fast feet.

- Fast feet. Keep 'em moving.
- Junior!

RICK: When you're moving,
I'm grooving.

- Good. Get there.
- Junior!

You got an interview.
Come on, let's go.

Come on.
Hey, V, we got two more hours.

Hey, look,
I'm telling you now,

you leave this court,
your sister's taking over.

Sorry, Rick, it's showtime.

Yeah, it's always showtime,
isn't it, Richard?

Hey, Meek, let's go.

I know someone
wants to be here.

(reporter)
Do you wanna turn pro?

Yes.

A lot of people
are excited to see

how you'd do
against players like Seles.

Do you think you can beat her?

I know I could beat her.

You know you can beat her?
Very confident.

I'm very confident.

You say it so easily. Why?

Because I believe it.

But you haven't played a match
in almost three years.

All right,
hold it right there.

If you don't mind,
lemme tell you why.

Richard,
we're doing an interview.

Well, what she had said,

she said it with so much
confidence the first time,

but you keep going on and on.

But you can't
just keep interrupting.

What you gots to understand
is you're dealing

with the image
of a 14-year-old child.

And this child
gonna be playing

when your old ass and me
gonna be in the grave.

When she had said something,

we done told you
what's happening.

You are dealing
with a little Black kid.

Let her be a kid.

Now, she done answered it
with a lot of confidence.

Leave that alone!

RICK: Focus. That's it.
It's all about your eyes.

Focus. Right there.
Good. Turn it over.

Good. Sharp. Again.

Again. Sharp. Let's go.
One, two, right there.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Let's go. Let's go. Let's go.

Let's go. Keep moving.
Keep moving. Fast feet.

What's going on, Shakespeare?

Good.

- Did you get the part?
- Yeah, it was good.

Rick, what's going on
over there?

Eh, big Junior tournament's
coming up.

The Continental Cup.
Hoopla's for Kournikova.

She's getting
some practice in.

Again. Go take a break.

I heard she's going pro
next month in Russia.

- Hingis announced, too.
- Yeah, they, uh...

They are.

But look, Russia's overrated.

The weather's lousy,
the food's terrible...

- But, Rick, I wanna play.
- (sighs)

Sweetheart, you're preaching
to the choir, okay?

- Do you think I'm ready?
- No, I know you're ready.

Okay, will you talk to my dad?

- (sighs) Sweetheart, look...
- Come on, Rick, please.

You're trying to feed me
to the wolves here.

I'm ready. You know I'm ready.

Look, I've been
down this road...

Rick, just talk to him.
Please.

Eh...

Please?

All right, all right,
all right, all right.

Is that a yes?

It's that face.
It's your face.

It's like I can't...

- So, yes?
- You give me the face...

- Yes, yes.
- Yes!

All right,
all right, all right.

- Yes!
- Oh, boy. Here we go.

- Let's just...
- It's a yes.

...hope he doesn't actually
kill the messenger.

- SERENA: He said yeah?
- He said yes.

RICK: Jesus.

Think fast. Put those on,
train your sister.

I need a break to figure out

how I'm gonna talk
to this maniac.

- Let's go. Put your gloves on.
- Let's go.

(Rick sighs)

RICHARD: The main reason
we not rushing,

'cause without an education,
no matter how good you are,

by the time they 18,
they gonna be broke,

then have 50 more years
to live like a fool.

We not doing that.

- Oh, look at that.
- What's going on, everybody?

- RICHARD: There's Rick Macci.
- RICK: Kids, where...

Rick own everything you see
as far as you can see.

RICK: True. Hey, Richard,

do you think I could, um,
bend your ear for a minute?

RICHARD: Oh, yeah, yeah,
sure thing.

Uh, girls, take the kids on
down to the court.

I'll meet you down there.

You can go on with them.
I'll talk to you in a second.

Okay. Thank you.

Rick got that look on his face

like he need
to say something to me

that I'm not gonna wanna hear.

Have fun. Have fun, kids.
You got great teachers.

Yeah, come on, lemme give you
a ride in your cart.

She got the fire in her eye,
that one.

Thank you. I miss this sucker.

Richard, there's, uh...

There's a tournament
in Oakland coming up.

It's called
the Bank of the West.

Now, I called the director.

He said they'd, uh,

give Venus a wild card
if we committed now.

Also, my friend Patrick,
he's from Nike,

he's gonna be there, and
he's available for a sit-down.

I don't like that.
I don't like that, Rick.

You don't like what, Richard?
Wait a second.

Don't talk to peoples
behind my back like that.

I'm not talking
to anybody behind...

Don't do that.
You know I don't like that.

- Don't do that.
- Wait, wait, wait, Richard,

hang on a second. Will you
just hear me out, please?

Look, she's...
she's 14 years old.

Hingis just turned pro.
Kournikova, she's going soon.

I don't understand why we
would give them a head start.

Jennifer,
she'd been on the cover

of a freaking
Wheaties box by now.

And I know
I'm not supposed to say this,

but Venus is twice as good
as Jennifer ever was.

Jennifer just dropped
off the tour.

Nah, she... (scoffs)

She didn't drop off the tour.
She's taking a break, okay?

- Rick, tell me the truth.
- It's a vacation.

- I am telling you the truth.
- Peoples are saying

- that she burnt out.
- She's not burnt out.

Richard, Jennifer is fine,
but you know what?

So is Venus.

Come on, man.
Look, she's ready.

VENUS: Hold your racket
like this.

RICK: Let's get this show
on the road.

I can see it in her eyes.

She's hungry.
She's got the fire.

Come on, Richard.
What do you say?

Did she send you up here
to talk to me?

- You're gonna beat me?
- I'm gonna hit it now.

RICK: Look,
it's not just my idea.

Rick, I don't say this
to you too often...

- Okay.
- ...but you are not wrong.

So, does that...

But that's all you're getting
from me today.

- Okay?
- Okay.

Just let me think about it.

- I'll take it. (chuckles)
- All right.

Thank you for your time,
Richard.

RICHARD: Mm.

Uh, you can borrow
your cart if you want.

No, that's okay, Richard,
you hang onto it.

It looks great on you.

No, just have it back
in 40 minutes.

RICK: Okay.

- (girls chuckle)
- VENUS: Oh, my gosh.

(man on TV)
...far more than expected.

It doesn't look like
the tide will turn back

in the favor of drivers
in the near future...

- Thank you.
- Here you go, sir.

My wife think I got
a girlfriend down here,

I be coming to get
your burgers so much.

She don't know
I'm cheating on her cooking.

(reporter) Michael Williams
has that story from Miami.

WILLIAMS: Jennifer
Capriati now faces

her most serious court battle.

The 18-year-old was arrested

after police showed up
at her Coral Gables hotel room

to check a tip
about a runaway.

They say that they found
a small amount of marijuana.

Police say a runaway girl
and a 19-year-old man

did show up
at Capriati's room.

They were arrested
on charges of heroin

and suspected
crack cocaine possession.

Let's go!

What do you say?
What do you say?

Time to get sharp for the Bay.

Little steps, big results.

What's going on?
Where is everybody?

Come on, guys, somebody say
something. What's going on?

- They're at Disney World.
- They're what?

They're at Disney World.

Richard said practice
is cancelled for today.

Ah, you gotta be...

(music playing on stereo)

RICHARD: There go Rick.
There go Rick.

- BRANDY: Hey, Richard.
- RICHARD: Hey, Rick.

- Okay, let's go.
- BRANDY: Come on.

Homework, homework.
You got homework.

- RICK: Hello, everybody.
- Hey!

- You guys have a good time?
- I rode on Space Mountain.

- Did ya? Were you scared?
- I was not scared.

- They were crying like babies.
- (Rick chuckles)

- I like those ears.
- Don't drop that.

Richard, Richard, maybe
if I could just get a minute?

Thank you.

There was, uh...

- We had a practice scheduled.
- Uh-huh.

Tournament's just
a few weeks away, so,

you know, we gotta practice.

Yeah, well, I decided we not
playing that tournament.

Daddy, what?
Why? What happened?

It's okay, Junior.

I'm not gonna let him burn
you out like he did Capriati.

- What?
- RICK: I'm... I'm sorry,

like I did with what?

RICHARD: Well,
you was her coach, right?

- Mommy...
- It's all right.

RICHARD: That's all
you been saying is,

"Look at Jennifer.
Look at Jennifer."

Well, we looking. She on TV,
her mugshot. Arrested.

Venus is not gonna
be cracked out

in some alley
'cause you pushed her there.

- BRANDY: Come on.
- VENUS: It's not fair.

BRANDY: Venus,
don't you get upset.

Don't you let him
see you upset. Come on.

RICK: You proud of yourself?
Just broke her heart.

(scoffs)

I tell you what, man...

I'm getting pretty tired
of your games.

My games? What games?

These games.

You showed up here,
first thing you did,

you pulled 'em out of Juniors.

Now you pull 'em
out of practice.

You do it constantly.

For... For music lessons,
or homework, or church.

Look, they got to get
straight A's,

else they can't play tennis.
You knew that.

I told you that.
That's my rules.

Well, you pull 'em
out to train

with other coaches
behind my back?

I'm trying to round out
they games.

(scoffs)

They not gonna get great
doing the same drills...

- Thank you.
- ...that every other Junior

in America is doing.

I'm trying to look out
for my kids.

No, you're looking out
for yourself.

You know, all I hear from you
is pressure.

Pressure, pressure, pressure.

But you know what I see?
On TV, I see it every day.

I see
the Richard Williams Show.

A million dollars. Number one.
The greatest of all time.

You don't think
that adds pressure?

It add confidence.

Nah, that's bullshit.
It's about you.

Now, look, you wanna jerk
my chain, go on and jerk it.

But do not do it
to those girls.

Rick, all respects due,
we love you.

You... You like a member
of our family.

But you work for us.

- I wrote this plan.
- Plan.

And when I say
she's not playing,

she is not playing.

I call the shots.

And I'm sorry
if you don't like that.

Richard,
screw your freaking plan.

You don't know
what you're doing.

You don't.

(somber music playing)

That is a nice house,
by the way.

Remind me, who pays for that?

Don't do that. Don't do that.
You're a better man than that.

(car engine starts)

BRANDY: Are you going
after her?

- Uh, she'll be fine.
- No, she won't.

Go fix this.

I puts
this whole thing together,

and now everybody seem to know
better than me.

Richard,

do you think
you did this by yourself?

From the first day we met.

Remember that?
Out on that bus stop?

You didn't even tell me
your real name.

'Cause you thought I was just
another dumb nigga.

You just like them White boys.

You never believed
in none of this.

When did I not believe?

I want you to tell me,
when did I not believe?

You not the only dreamer
in this family.

Wouldn't be no dream
if it wasn't for me.

I carried them
inside me and on my back.

And I carried you, too.

Working two shifts so I could
put food on your table.

That open stance,
you got that from me.

Oh, you did that? Oh, okay.

And I fixed Serena's serve
because you messed that up.

You did what?

Yes, I fixed that toss
because you messed it up.

- Mm-hmm.
- I'm here. I've been here

dreaming and believing
just like you.

- Mm-hmm.
- You just don't wanna see me.

So, uh, what you want?

What you want?
You want a thank you?

(Brandy scoffs)

That's all right, Richard.
That's all right.

I don't need your thank you.

Unlike you,

I don't need the world
to tell me I'm great.

See how you do?

- You see what you just did?
- Come on.

How you walk away
when something's not finished.

- Did you just see that?
- Come on. Come on.

You see that?
That's what you do...

That's what you do with...
with all your businesses.

Remember the cement
company business...

RICHARD: Mm-hmm.

...the cleaning company
business.

All your other kids.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

You sound like
you got something

you need
to get off your chest.

Don't let God stop you.
Say what you need to say.

Oh, I said it.

Your son showing up
in that red Nissan truck,

knocking on my door,

and all you had to say was,

"Oh, look, it's my son.
He found me."

And then all your other kids
showing up after that.

RICHARD: Okay.

BRANDY: See, another woman
would have left.

But I stay
because I don't quit. You...

(slaps table)
You're the one who leaves.

Well, go ahead, then.
Go ahead. Don't...

I will stay right here
until the job is done.

Don't stay here
doing me no favors.

Richard, you think I'm staying
here because of you?

I stay here
because of my girls.

I stay here because I answer

to something higher
than Richard Williams.

And you better be glad

because if I was
staying here for you,

I would have been gone
a long time ago.

- Look at this house.
- I'm looking.

Look where you live.

I'm looking.
I'm looking. I'm looking.

Where would you live
if it wasn't for me?

Where would you be?

Stuck in some apartment
with three kids and no daddy.

That's where you would be.

Listen to you. That's your ego
and your bragging.

You just scared.

You just scared.

Scared you will fail.

Scared that the world
will look at you and see

another dumb nigga.

And you know what?
You think they might be right.

I have never,

never thought that about you.

(gulps)

You've done your job.

And whether you wanna see it
or not, I've done mine.

But this is Venus's life.
You gotta let her decide.

Because if you don't
trust her to do that,

she's gonna be
the one leaving you.

(grabs arm)

(soft music playing)

(Venus grunting)

(trolley rattles)

So you wanna play?

I don't know
why you won't let me.

Unless you think
I'm not ready.

When I was a little boy,
I grew up in Shreveport.

One day, my father
took me to town.

He give me this money to pay
this White man for something.

Back in them days,

Black folks weren't allowed
to touch White peoples.

So I went to give
the man this money,

and I accidently touched
his hand.

And he start beating on me.

He knocked me down,
his friends come over,

they all start stomping on me
and beating on me.

And I look up and I see
my father in the crowd,

and he took off running.

Left me there with these
grown men beating on me.

Now, I haven't been
no great daddy...

but I've never done nothing
but try to protect you.

This next step
you about to take,

it would...
It would be hard for anybody.

But for you,

you not gonna
just be representing you,

you gonna be representing

every little Black girl
on Earth.

And you gonna be the one
gotta through that gate.

(choking up) And I just never
wanted you to look up...

and see your daddy
running away.

Daddy, you always said

I'd be number one
in the world, right?

Let's go out there
and show all of those people

that I can handle
what's coming.

And I'm not gonna
let you down.

How could you, Junior?

Come here.

(up-tempo orchestral music
playing)

(announcer) Welcome
to Oakland, California,

for the Bank
of the West Classic

where tomorrow, World No. 1

and reigning
U.S. Open champion,

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario,

will face a tough draw
of challengers,

all hoping to take home
the $400,000 purse.

Among them,
14-year-old Venus Williams,

who takes the court in her
first-ever professional match.

In fact,
it will be the first match

Williams has played
at any level

in more than three years,

since her father made
the controversial decision

to pull her out of
Junior tournament tennis,

which is the normal conduit
to tennis superstardom.

Many questions remain about
how this talented youngster

will now fare
under the pressure

and spotlight
of the professional tour

against veteran players after
so long away from competition.

A worry even
her outspoken father...

- There you go.
- ...cannot hide.

We been working for this day
for nine long, hard years.

Uh, you be saying,

"We gonna get there,
we gonna get there."

And, uh, finally you get there
like today and you find out,

"Wow.

(theatrically)
"We don't belongs here.

We belong someplace else.

We belong
back in the ghetto."

A genius? A huckster?
Tomorrow, we will finally see.

Is his dream only hype

or is his daughter, in fact,

what the tennis world
has been waiting for?

(hip-hop music plays on TV)

RICK: You did it, Richard.

Last year, there was
24 media credentials

for this tournament.

- This year, you got 200, so...
- (knock on door)

- You know what? That's him.
- Okay. That's him.

- We should get Venus, right?
- RICHARD: Okay. I got...

RICK: Guys, it's go time.
Look alive.

Come on. The man is here.
The man is here.

The Nike man here.
Y'all, close that. Close that.

This is it. This is it.
You guys are gonna go there.

- Yep. Go get in your position.
- RICK: Okay. You ready?

Get in your positions.

- RICK: Okay. You ready?
- (door opens)

Hey, Patrick, how you doing?

PATRICK: Very well.
Good to see you, Rick.

RICK: How's Terri
and the kids? They good?

- They're good, thank you.
- Yeah? That little Billy

- still playing baseball?
- PATRICK: That's right.

- Yeah, he's swingin' away.
- RICK: I like that.

- PATRICK: Hello.
- RICK: Richard Williams.

- Welcome.
- Hi. Patrick.

- Nice to meet you.
- RICK: This is Oracene.

- Hi, nice to meet you.
- That's my wife,

- that's Brandy.
- Nice to meet you.

- You know who that is.
- Honor to meet you. Honored.

That's who you brought
that briefcase for.

- (laughter)
- PATRICK: That's right. Yeah.

(briefcase clicks open)

Well, you had a long trip...

- RICHARD: Mm-hmm.
- ...and a big day tomorrow,

so I am not gonna take up
too much of your time.

RICHARD: Mm-hmm.

Now, I hope it is clear

how highly
we regard your daughter.

We'd like to take her
off the table right now.

- That is $3 million.
- Whoo.

PATRICK: Signature shoe.
Signature line.

We wanna build our women's
brand around Venus.

Make her a marquee player.
How's that sound?

RICHARD: Well, I think, uh...

Well, actually,

you need to be pitching her.

(soft laughter)

(chuckles)

Well, Venus,
what do you think?

I mean,
that is a generous deal.

It's a million more
than Capriati got

- before she went pro.
- RICK: It's great.

Plus, a real commitment
to invest

in the charity
and outreach programs

- you and your family support.
- RICK: That's great.

We think you're gonna have
a tremendous career

and we wanna help you
build it, starting today.

- VENUS: Uh...
- (all laughing)

- It's, uh...
- Yeah.

- Um...
- (Rick mumbles)

(quiet laughter)

Yeah, maybe...
Maybe just have a minute.

You know,
just let the family...

- Absolutely.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

- No problem, just for...
- Of course, of course.

But, uh, just to be clear,
this deal is for tonight only.

It's off the table
as soon as you step

on that court tomorrow, okay?
Take your time. Talk about it.

RICK: Patrick,
listen, thank you.

Yeah, we'll just
take a second.

There is a heck
of a seafood buffet.

PATRICK: Okay.

RICK: Now, it's
on the mezzanine level, right?

You don't wanna hit
one or two.

A lot of people
get that wrong.

RICHARD: Just fix your face
till the man get out the door.

What does he mean by that?

Let the man
get out the door first.

(door closes)

BRANDY: No, I wanna know
what he means though.

We gonna talk about it
when the man leaves.

Just let him get out the door.

What is going on?

I... What did he mean by,

it's one night only?
Tonight only?

RICHARD: Don't you
worry about that.

- Don't worry.
- But I wanna understand.

He's just trying to scare us.
He's just trying to scare us.

RICK: That's right.
He's trying to scare us,

and guess what? I'm scared.

(chuckles)
I'm freaking terrified.

Guys, what...
What is going on?

$3 million.
What's the problem here?

- RICHARD: Rick, look...
- Let me see.

They haven't even seen
the girl play yet.

(chuckles) Yeah, no, that...
I mean, that's the point.

They don't have to.
Richard, you did it.

Hey, you did it, Richard.

Look, I thought you were nuts.

All the talking
and the interviews

and the nonsense.

But look, you were right,
she's a star.

Look at what it...

We won, this is it.

Why is everybody so glum?
Please, guys.

Oracene, please,
can you help me out here?

BRANDY: You need
to be talking to Venus.

V, what's going on?

(Venus sighs)

I just wanna show them

- what I can do.
- RICK: Okay.

I understand
it's a good offer but...

RICK: This is
not a good offer.

This is an unbelievable offer.

Guys, this is money
that changes your lives.

That changes your
family's lives. What do we...

RICHARD: Rick,

you asking this girl

to take all the hard work
she done did for the last...

(scoffs)
Richard, stop it. Stop it.

RICHARD: Listen to me.
Listen to me.

All the hard work she done did
for the last 10 years

and accept the first offer
that come through the door.

You know
that's not right, Rick.

RICK: Richard,
the draw's not even out yet.

- Rick.
- RICK: We don't know...

RICHARD: The girl is asking
for a opportunity to compete.

We don't even know
who she's playing.

RICHARD: She don't care
nothing about that.

Venus Williams,
do you care who you play?

No, Daddy.

Venus Williams,
are you gonna beat

whoever on the other side
of that net?

Yes, Daddy.

Venus Williams,
do you wanna take this deal?

No.

Well, there it is.

We're not taking the deal.
Let's go get something to eat.

- Rick, you hungry?
- No.

RICHARD: Come on,
everybody, let's go.

- (knock on door)
- It's a...

RICHARD: Come on, Rick,
you got to pay for this food.

- TUNDE: Hey, y'all.
- (girls exclaim)

- Hey, everybody.
- ISHA: Tunde!

- (all laughing)
- RICHARD: There you go.

- Look at that. Look at that.
- Hey. Whoa.

(excited chatter)

- TUNDE: Hi! How are you?
- RICHARD: Yeah.

Mister Rick is paying for us
to go to the seafood buffet.

- (girls) Ooh.
- RICHARD: Yeah. Yes, come on.

- TUNDE: Hi.
- (laughter)

BRANDY: You knew about this?

- (woman) Yes.
- (player) Yeah! Come on!

(umpire) Game, Stafford.

Stafford leads
two games to love.

(line judge) Fault.

(sighs)

Fault.

(umpire) Love-15.

Come on, V.

(line judge) Fault.

- (game resumes)
- (Venus grunting)

- (applause)
- (umpire) Love-30.

Fight back now.

Come on, Junior.

(applause)

(umpire) Love-40.

- (man) Oh!
- (applause)

(umpire) Game, Stafford.

Stafford leads
three games to love.

PATRICK: She's looking
a little tight out there.

But she's gonna loosen up.

It's gonna be good. I'm gonna
check out another match.

I'll talk to you later, okay?

(orchestral music playing)

- (umpire) 30-40.
- BRANDY: All right.

That's all right.

(crowd exclaims)

(umpire) Game, Stafford.

Stafford leads
four games to love.

Hey, let it go now.
Next game. Let that go.

(panting)

(tense music playing)

(breathes deeply)

(rousing orchestral music
playing)

- BRANDY: Yeah!
- (umpire) Love-15.

Attagirl, V.

There you go.

That's a great ball!
That's a great ball!

(umpire) Game, Williams.

Stafford leads
four games to two.

- Let's go!
- (umpire) Game, Williams.

- There it is. There you go.
- Four games all.

(bouncing ball)

(dramatic music rising)

(reporter) You were great
tonight, Venus.

Were you surprised
how you handled your nerves?

I was somewhat surprised
but somewhat not surprised.

I guess since I haven't played
a tournament in a while,

I was surprised that I wasn't
nervous or jumpy.

(reporter) Tomorrow, you play
the top seed, Vicario.

She's number one in the world,
a three-time Grand Slam champ.

How do you think
you'll hold up?

I think I have the game
to beat anyone.

I just have to play it.

- Also, I was wondering...
- That's enough though.

Real good questions.

- Let's go! Huh?
- (laughs)

What did you do out there?
I... I couldn't believe it.

- It's like...
- Okay, Rick, I gotta go.

It's like she's a...
a hired assassin.

I mean,
it's, like, unbelievable.

Richard,
I talked to Dougherty.

He's upping the offer.

$4 million, Richard.

$4 million.
We did it. We did it, Richard.

I think we just gonna
keep our chips

on the table though, Rick.

Wait, wait. Hey, Richard, no.

She's playing Vicario.

She's the best player
on the planet, Richard.

She's the best player
in the whole wide world.

She... She can't beat her.

But what if she do?

Richard,
it doesn't work like that.

Oh, hey, Bud. Bud.
Good to see you.

Still got
them pretty pants on.

You missed out on this money
though. I tried to tell ya.

- (laughs)
- You know him?

Rick, if she beats Vicario,

a 14-year-old
who's never played a match,

walks off the street and beats
the best player on the planet,

forget Ali-Frazier,

it'll be the greatest upset
in the history of sports!

(indistinct chatter)

Yes! (laughing)

(squealing and laughing)

- Oh.
- (Venus gasps)

(resumes laughing)

- (gentle music playing)
- (birds chirping)

Meek, come on.

I know you love Venus,

and all this is exciting,

but it's a little hard
for you, too, huh?

Can I tell you a secret?

Your sister is gonna be
number one in the whole world,

no doubt about it.

I know that.

But you,

you gonna be
the best there ever was.

You gonna be
the greatest of all time.

You know how I know?
'Cause I planned for it.

I knew you was having
a hard time in Venus's shadow,

but I kept you there
'cause I knew you was rough.

I knew you was tough,
I knew you was a fighter.

That's why I did
this whole thing like this.

Go on, take that in.

You're up next.

Come on now. Move your feets.

(Venus and Serena)
One, two, three, four, five.

One, two, three, four, five.

One, two, three, four, five.

One, two, three,
four, five, six.

VENUS: One, two, three,
four, five, six.

Now, whatever
happens tonight...

- VENUS: Close, close.
- SERENA: Next time, 10.

...I want you guys to remember

that you come
from a rich history of people.

Right?

Like Sojourner Truth.

- Remember her?
- VENUS & SERENA: Yes.

What did she say
at Seneca Falls?

What she say? What she say?

- (both) "Ain't I a woman?"
- That's right, that's right.

And what does
that mean to you?

- What does that mean to you?
- Um...

That she's strong
and that she can do anything.

BRANDY: Exactly.

That she was
a young Black woman,

just like you guys,

and that she deserves
to be seen,

and that she deserves
to be heard.

So, tonight, I want you
to remember who you are,

remember where you came from.

Stand tall
and be proud in that.

All right?

Yeah.
You gonna look beautiful.

You are beautiful, Venus.

- You too, Serena.
- (Serena chuckles)

(rousing orchestral music
playing)

(announcer) Hello, everybody,

and welcome back to Oakland
on a beautiful night

for our second-round match

between the reigning French
and U.S. Open champion,

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario,

and Venus Williams,

the heralded 14-year-old
from Compton, California,

who makes
her center court debut here

before a sold-out crowd
tonight.

Waiting for my daughter
to come out.

She playing the next match.

(rousing orchestral music
continues)

- Love you, Junior.
- Love you, too, Daddy.

(announcer) Welcome, ladies
and gentlemen, to the Bank

of the West Classic
in Oakland, California...

- Good luck to you.
- Oh, thank you.

(announcer) ...for tonight's
second-round match.

Making her center court
debut here tonight,

and just her second
professional match,

please give a warm
Bay Area welcome

to the 14-year-old phenom
from Compton, California,

Venus Williams!

(crowd cheering)

(soft music playing)

Now, please join me
in welcoming to the court,

hailing from Spain,

a three-time
Grand Slam champion,

and the number-one seed,

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario!

(crowd cheering)

(soft music continues)

(tense music playing)

(applause)

(umpire) 15-love.

(grunting)

Venus!

- (umpire) 30-love.
- There you go.

Y'all gonna miss it.

(cheers and applause)

(umpire) 40-love.

(ball bouncing)

Game, Williams.

Williams leads one-love.

That's how she do that.

- (man) Impressive.
- RICHARD: Yep. Yep.

(applause)

(umpire) 15-40.

(applause)

Game, Williams.

Williams leads two-love.

Game, Williams.

Williams leads
three games to love.

- (guard) Ooh!
- (umpire) First set.

See that?
Flames come off that ball.

- (umpire) 40-15.
- That's it. That's it.

You like that?

My wife taught her that.

That's Venus Williams.
Remember that name.

Okay, that's a can of corn.
That's a can of corn!

(exclaims)

(cheers and applause)

(umpire) Game, Williams.

Williams leads
five games to two.

First set.

See how she do
that open stance?

- That's what we worked on.
- Yeah.

RICHARD: That's right.

Looking good, Venus Williams.

- Whoa.
- There you go.

(umpire) Game. First set.
Venus Williams.

- Come on, Venus!
- That's it, kid! That's it!

(up-tempo orchestral music
playing)

RICHARD: There you go.

That's all that hard work,
right there.

(umpire) Game, Williams.

- (Arantxa shouts angrily)
- She leads the set 3-1.

She's scared of you.
She's scared of you, Venus.

(racket clatters)

(uneasy music playing)

¡Esto es una locura!

(uneasy music continues)

(imperceptible)

Just stay loose, Junior.

She's gone to the toilet.

Okay.

(uneasy music continues)

We're right here
with you, Venus.

- Stay in your game.
- RICK: Let it go.

- BRANDY: Stay in your game.
- You stay right there.

- Stay in your game.
- You got it, V.

TUNDE: We love you.

RICHARD: Don't let it
get in your head, Junior.

(indistinct chatter)

Oh, come on.

What's... What's happening?

She's icing her.

- They don't have a rule...
- There's nothing we can do.

...for how long
you can stay in the...

They can't... There's...

She can just say she's
in there using the toilet.

It's a dirty, old trick.

That's eight minutes already.

That's eight minutes.

That's nine minutes.

(crowd murmuring)

(woman 1) You got her
on the ropes!

(man) Let's go!

(woman 2) This is ridiculous!

(crowd chattering)

TUNDE: Why won't she stand up?

RICHARD: Stand up, Junior.

(door opens)

(sighs)

(breathes deeply)

(crowd cheering
and applauding)

(cheers and applause continue)

That's all right,
just stay in it, V.

- SERENA: Let's go, Venus.
- RICK: Hey, V, your game.

Your game, Venus. Let's go.

- (umpire) Time.
- RICK: That's right. Let's go.

BRANDY: Yeah! Feel your game!

- (line judge) Out.
- (umpire) Love-15.

- You got the next one, Venus.
- Hey, fight it.

You got the next one, Venus.

(soft music playing)

- Let!
- (umpire) Fault.

RICK: Let it go. Let's go.
Next one.

(tense music playing)

(ball bouncing)

ARANTXA: Yes!

Come on, Venus Williams.

¡Esta si!

(umpire) Game, Vicario.
Three games all.

(tense music continues)

(Arantxa exclaims)

(umpire) 15-40.

Okay, Junior.

(crowd cheering)

(umpire) Game, Vicario.

- (crowd exclaims)
- Game, Vicario.

(grunting)

- (applause)
- Game. Second set,

Vicario, six-three.
One set all.

(tense music continues)

- (grunts)
- (crowd exclaims)

Oh, my God.

(somber music playing)

(cheers and applause)

(crowd exclaims)

(somber music continues)

(umpire) Five-love. Final set.

- (Venus grunts)
- (exclaims)

Love-40.

BRANDY: It's all right, Venus.

(somber music continues)

- (Arantxa cheers)
- (crowd cheering)

(umpire) Game, set, and match.
Vicario, two sets to one.

Two-six, six-three, six-love.

(cheers and applause)

Good job, Venus.

She did good out there.
She did great. She did great.

(door opens)

- (door closes)
- (footsteps approaching)

Hey, V.

(Brandy grunts softly)

Okay.

(sniffles)

I should have won tonight.

(Venus sniffling)

Now all our deals,
no respects...

BRANDY: Uh-uh. No. No, no, no.

- Don't do that.
- BRANDY: Mm-mm.

You were counting on me.

RICHARD: Okay, okay,
you listen to me.

Look here.

You just went toe-to-toe

for two hours

with the number-one player
in the whole world.

Had her shook.

- Had her knees shaking.
- Yes.

Yes.

And you did it with grace.

If you don't have no respect
for yourself right now,

you will never have none.

At all.

You are a champion,
Venus Williams.

And the whole world know it.

You gonna walk out there
with your head up.

I have never been more proud
of a person

in my whole life.

Come on, your sisters outside
waiting for you. It's cold.

Daddy, I'll take my bag.

- No, I'll carry it, Junior.
- I got it.

(somber music playing)

TUNDE: Hey, champion.

RICHARD: There she go.

(light switch clicks)

TUNDE: We're proud of you.

- (switch clicks)
- LYNDREA: You did it, V.

(somber music continues)

We're proud of you.
You did good.

You're the second of
all the players in the world.

(guard) This is the exit.
I can let you all out here.

RICHARD: Thank you, sir.
Y'all go ahead.

(fans screaming and cheering)

(up-tempo orchestral music
playing)

(both laughing)

BRANDY: Richard.

(fans chanting)
Venus! Venus! Venus!

- (Rick laughing)
- Venus! Venus! Venus! Venus!

Venus! Venus! Venus!
Venus! Venus! Venus!

Venus! Venus!
Venus! Venus! Venus!

They look like they know.

Go on. Don't keep 'em waiting.
Go ahead. Go ahead.

That's your fans. Go ahead.

- Come on, Serena, come.
- Okay!

BRANDY: You next!

(fans) Venus! Venus! Venus!

RICK: Richard. Richard.

How about that, huh?

Hey, Nike's back on the line.

I mean, they're... They're
coming out of the woodwork.

Puma. Fila. Reebok.

They all wanna meet.
They all wanna meet first.

I'mma tell 'em
they can kiss my backside.

No, I think
we'll talk to the peoples.

I think we gonna talk to them.

Hey, Richard, she did it.

RICHARD: Oh, yeah, she did it.

(fans) Venus! Venus! Venus!

Venus! Venus! Venus! Venus!
Venus! Venus! Venus! Venus!

(fans cheering)

Venus! Venus! Venus!
Venus! Venus! Venus!

RICHARD: Venus! Venus!
Venus! Venus! Venus!

["Be Alive" by Beyonce playing]

♫ It feels so good
To be alive ♫

♫ Got all my family
By my side ♫

♫ Couldn't wipe this black off
If I tried ♫

♫ That's why I lift my head
With pride ♫

♫ I got a billion miles on me ♫

♫ They want to see
How far I'll go ♫

♫ The path was never
Paved with gold ♫

We had the kids' future
planned before they were born,

and the first day that I took
Venus and Serena

to the tennis court,
I knew I had champions.

Sometimes I feel like
it was just...

destiny, for the both of 'em.

(reporter)
If you were a tennis player,

who would you want to be like?

I'd like other people
to be like me.

RICK: If she plays the way
that she's capable of,

this kid's gonna be great.

ANN CURRY: Venus
and Serena Williams

have made tennis history.

(reporter)
They're the first sisters

and the first
African Americans

ever to claim the top two
spots in the world rankings.

(song continues) ♫ I got
all my sisters By my side ♫

♫ Couldn't wipe this black off
If I tried... ♫

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: People
are so captivated

by the story of sisters
having to play each other.

This is how we've always
dreamed it would be.

(crowd cheering)

Young African-American kids,

they're seeing a reflection
of themselves.

No matter which one win,
we still win.

RICHARD: Raise your hand,
Serena. Venus.

(song continues) ♫ We fought
and built this On our own... ♫

VENUS: My dad,
he always thought

it was important for me
to give back to the community.

SERENA: Being number one
is great, but fighting for

the generation to come
is even better.

(song continues) ♫ Look how we've
been fighting To stay alive... ♫

(applause)

VENUS: I'll never forget
my dad said,

"This is the moment we've been
working for all our lives.

"Stay focused
and don't be afraid."

RICHARD: Open the stance.
That's... There you go.

They will remember
Venus and Serena.

They will say, "Boy,
they did it. I can do it."

We'll win,
and we'll share our victory

with every person
in the world.