It’s a subplot almost worthy of a Hollywood treatment – adding to the drama of Will Smith slapping Chris Rock for insulting his wife, and moments later winning the Oscar for his portrayal of Serena and Venus’ father Williams wins.
Now the tennis superstars’ stepmother is trying to prevent her divorce from her father, 80-year-old Richard Williams.
And Lakeisha Williams, 43, even insists she and father-of-nine Richard – who has suffered multiple strokes over the past six years – enjoy a torrid sex life.
“The woman believes the parties have reconciled and have had an active married life, including regular weekly sexual relations, including but not limited to the night prior to January 9, 2022, prior to the filing of this application,” Lakeisha’s attorney Sara Lawrence wrote in court filings .
Lakeisha has asked a Palm Beach, Fla., judge to stop the divorce, saying she doesn’t believe her marriage is irretrievably broken.
Lakeisha Williams, 43, has asked a Palm Beach, Fla. judge to stop the divorce of Venus and Serena’s father, Richard Williams, 80. Pictured together at the 2010 US Open
Lakeisha – who is just a year older than Venus – now wants the divorce to be annulled so she can continue her lovemaking with the ailing octogenarian. Richard is pictured with his daughter’s Venus and Serena in 2012
“King Richard” married his third wife, 37 years his junior, in 2009, seven years after he divorced Venus and Serena’s mother, Oracene Price. They had one son, Dylan, now nine, and split in 2017.
But Lakeisha – who is just a year older than Venus – now wants the divorce annulled so she can continue her lovemaking with the ailing octogenarian.
Money is also an issue, the former grocer admits in her file.
“The husband is the father of Venus and Serena Williams and the parties’ financial situation is quite complicated with respect to income earned and/or receipt/payment of regular alimony by Serena and/or Venus Williams for their father,” Attorney said Lawrence wrote.
“In December 2021, a film titled King Richard was released, which is the biographical rendering of … Richard Williams’ efforts to encourage and develop his daughters into professional tennis superstars.
“No financial information has been released.”
Lakeisha says the couple got back together in August 2019 and since then there has been “no discovery, no mediation and no real activity” in the divorce proceedings.
She added that they are raising their son together.
“The case is not yet ready for a final hearing and during the period of dormancy the parties have been raising their son who is now 9 years old and his needs have changed since the filing of this matter in 2017 when the child was 5 years old was old, changed drastically. ‘
The divorce was supposed to be finalized on January 12, but Judge James Martz agreed it’s not final and has now set a June decision date.
“The parties have not complied with any of the requirements, including but not limited to not participating in pre-trial mediation or any type of mediation,” he wrote.
“The parties have failed to meet the time requirements for naming witnesses or exhibits.”
Lakeisha claims in a court filing obtained by that she doesn’t believe her marriage is irretrievably broken. Lakeisha even insists she and father-of-nine Richard – who has suffered multiple strokes over the past six years – enjoy a torrid sex life
Richard Williams is widely regarded as the driving force in the early days of his tennis prodigies.
Will Smith won his Oscar on Sunday for his portrayal of Richard in the biodrama King Richard, which was also nominated in five other categories. He received the award shortly after slapping comedian Chris Rock in the face after Rock commented on his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.
The film followed Richard’s determination to make his daughters – who have won a total of 33 Grand Slam titles – successful in the predominantly white world of elite tennis
His vision included buying a $355,000 10-acre property in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida in 1995 to use as a tennis training camp for his one-man mission.
Lakeisha moved in there with him after they got married. William’s name was removed from asset records in 2017 when he accused his wife of forging his signature. It is now in foreclosure, with the owners owing $544,000 on the property.
The property is now said to be worth around $1.2 million, but the Miami Herald reported last month that the facade has fallen off and the paint has faded on the four white pillars and tall grass surrounding the tennis courts Richard built there.
“In other words, although Lakeisha received Homestead’s deliverance, the home appears to be deserted,” the Herald said.
Despite Lakeisha’s call to stop the divorce, she’s fighting to get Williams to pay her legal fees for his superstar daughters.
She has asked that he pay her lawyer’s fees, who wrote: “The wife would like the husband to pay these fees as he has a better ability to pay through the regular and steady reimbursement of his expenses from his famous and very wealthy daughters Serena and Venus Williams.’
Lakeisha’s shock move and revelations come after acrimonious arguments between the pair through 2019.
This is the Palm Beach Gardens estate where Venus and Serena grew up and was at the center of the court battle between Richard and Lakeisha Williams
“King Richard” married his third wife, 37 years his junior, in 2009. They separated in 2017 and have a nine-year-old son, Dylan. Pictured in 2014
Lakeisha says the couple got back together in August 2019 and since then there has been “no discovery, no mediation and no real activity” in the divorce proceedings
She admitted to mimicking Williams’ writing when she was accused of forging his signature to transfer the colonial-style Palm Beach Gardens estate to her only name.
But she said in the earlier court documents that Williams had asked her to do anything for him due to his deteriorating health, which now includes at least two strokes as well as dementia that makes it difficult to speak.
She also admitted to forging William’s signature so she could sell his 1999 Bluebird Wanderlodge Motor Coach for $45,000, claiming to use it to buy food for herself and her son.
“Mainly I was broke from my husband (who) didn’t help me. It was my son and I wasn’t getting any money, so I had to sell it so I could eat and my son could eat…we didn’t have anything,” she said.
The statement was then ridiculed by Richard Williams’ legal department.
Lakeisha also hit back in previous court filings, claiming Williams used to ride her around slums so he could enjoy looking at women.
Richard Williams is widely regarded as the driving force in the early days of his tennis prodigies. Pictured with his daughters in 2001
The biopic King Richard followed Richard’s determination to make his daughters – who have won 33 Grand Slam titles combined – successful in the predominantly white world of elite tennis
Will Smith won his Oscar on Sunday for his portrayal of Richard in the biodrama King Richard, which was also nominated in five other categories. He received the award shortly after slapping comedian Chris Rock in the face after Rock commented on his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head
She said, “Mr. Williams loved – he loves poor neighborhoods. He liked driving. He likes to take me downtown Los Angeles.
“He always likes to take me to neighborhoods where there were black women because he likes women.”
Williams lives with his son, music producer Chavoita LeSane, 49. LeSane told NBC News Monday Williams convicted Smith of hitting Rock.
“We don’t condone anyone hitting anyone unless it’s in self-defense,” said LeSane, who described himself as his father’s spokesman.
LeSane posted Instagram photos of herself with Williams in November last year, but nothing since. According to one report, his father had returned to “live with his family” in a gated community in West Palm Beach.