The video, which was posted on Olympia’s official Instagram handle, has garnered more than 340,000 views and even caught the eye of Serena’s older sister Venus Williams.
The 41-year-old commented that watching Olympia play at such a young age reminded her of her own childhood, when the Williams sisters’ mother, Oracene Price, served as their coach.
The clip was also shared on Twitter by Olympia’s father, Alexis Ohanian. Several users retweeted the video, echoing Venus’ comments.
Serena Williams also started playing tennis at the age of four
Serena Williams, just like her daughter, was introduced to tennis at the ripe young age of four. She tagged along with her sister Venus Williams for the latter’s practice sessions in California, eventually picking up the sport herself.
The Williams sisters were initially coached by their father Richard Williams and mother Oracene Price during their formative years. It was only later that they trained under the supervision of Rick Macci, after the family moved to Florida.
In an interview with ESPN a few years ago, Oracene revealed that she would have preferred for her kids to start playing tennis at the age of eight or nine because of the physical demands it entailed early on.
But that did not mean the 23-time Grand Slam champion played every week from the age of four. Richard was adamant that the girls did not prioritize their tennis over other aspects of their lives, like education.
Serena Williams said it ensured she had a normal childhood and did not get bogged down by tennis too soon.
Also check out: Complete 2022 Australian Open Schedule of Play
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