Richard didn’t know anything about tennis, but it didn’t stop him from saying the wildest things. He told everyone his little girls-not one, but both of them!-would be champions.
And the laughter would start.
THEY LAUGHED because Venus and Serena were black, and black people, they said, weren’t supposed to play tennis.
THEY LAUGHED because Venus and Serena weren’t rich, and people without money, they said, weren’t supposed to dream so big.
THEY LAUGHED because Venus and Serena came from Compton, and no tennis champions ever came from such a tough neighborhood.
THEY LAUGHED because it was hard enough for one person in a family to become world famous, but two?
But the sister’s mom and dad said differently. They said the sisters were made of special brown skin and wonderful eyes, of big smiles and bigger hearts and-when it came to tennis a kind of magic. “Just wait,” their dad would say. “You’ll see.”
Comprehension Questions
1. What sport did Venus and Serena want to become world champions in?
A. Golf
B. Tennis
C. Softball
A. They did not know how to play.
B. Because they were sisters.
C. Because they were poor and from a tough neighborhood.
Your Thoughts
Vocabulary
4. List any vocabulary words below.