Kevin Patrick
Hall of Fame
Tennis superstar Serena Williams testified in a Palm Beach County court Monday that she did not agree to play in a 2001 Battle of the Sexes tennis match that never happened.
"I told him that I would not participate in this event," Williams testified, recalling a surprise call from Keith Rhodes of Palm Beach Gardens, who was organizing the match.
"I told him I don't know anything about this event," Williams told jurors in a breach of contract trial now embroiling her and sister Venus Williams.
Rhodes and his colleague, Carol Clarke, accuse the Williams sisters, their father, Richard Williams, and his company, Richard Williams Tennis & Associates, of backing out of a promise to participate in "Battle of the Sexes II -- The Wow Event."
Venus Williams is expected to testify today in a trial expected to last about a month.
The crux of the case is whether Richard Williams entered into a contract on behalf of his daughters to participate and whether he had the authority to do so, said attorney F. Malcolm Cunningham Jr., who represents the sisters.
Clarke and Rhodes' attorney, John Romano, told jurors the Williams family "tossed aside" his clients after Richard Williams represented himself as his daughters' manager and signed a contract to that effect.
Clarke and Rhodes, principals in a company known as CCKR, maintained the event would raise $45 million, with 80 percent of the profit going to Richard Williams' company.
Richard Williams put possible contract terms in writing but maintains what he signed was a letter and not a contract, his attorney said. Serena Williams testified her father was not her manager.
"My dad has always done things for me as a dad," she said.
The tennis star acknowledged, though, that her father was listed as "father/manager" on a 1999 agreement for a public service announcement. Richard Williams also was listed as her manager on the Women's Tennis Association Web site in 2000 and 2001, Romano said.
Serena Williams also said someone else signed her name on two documents involving a women's tennis company Clarke was setting up. Serena Williams said her father's name, signed on one of those documents, "looks like his signature."
The tennis star said she didn't remember ever discussing the Battle of the Sexes tournament with her father.
Williams did remember a call from Rhodes, whom she said she had met briefly in her father's New York hotel room, urging her to meet him to discuss the tournament.
"First and foremost, I found it odd he was calling my cell phone," Serena Williams said. "I felt scared and pressured to keep talking to him after I [told him] that I did not want to do this event and I never wanted to do this event," she said.
During a break in her testimony, Cunningham told Circuit Judge Jeffrey Winikoff that Rhodes was "making faces" at Serena Williams while she was on the witness stand. Winikoff said he didn't observe Rhodes making such expressions, and Rhodes later brushed aside the accusation.
"I told him that I would not participate in this event," Williams testified, recalling a surprise call from Keith Rhodes of Palm Beach Gardens, who was organizing the match.
"I told him I don't know anything about this event," Williams told jurors in a breach of contract trial now embroiling her and sister Venus Williams.
Rhodes and his colleague, Carol Clarke, accuse the Williams sisters, their father, Richard Williams, and his company, Richard Williams Tennis & Associates, of backing out of a promise to participate in "Battle of the Sexes II -- The Wow Event."
Venus Williams is expected to testify today in a trial expected to last about a month.
The crux of the case is whether Richard Williams entered into a contract on behalf of his daughters to participate and whether he had the authority to do so, said attorney F. Malcolm Cunningham Jr., who represents the sisters.
Clarke and Rhodes' attorney, John Romano, told jurors the Williams family "tossed aside" his clients after Richard Williams represented himself as his daughters' manager and signed a contract to that effect.
Clarke and Rhodes, principals in a company known as CCKR, maintained the event would raise $45 million, with 80 percent of the profit going to Richard Williams' company.
Richard Williams put possible contract terms in writing but maintains what he signed was a letter and not a contract, his attorney said. Serena Williams testified her father was not her manager.
"My dad has always done things for me as a dad," she said.
The tennis star acknowledged, though, that her father was listed as "father/manager" on a 1999 agreement for a public service announcement. Richard Williams also was listed as her manager on the Women's Tennis Association Web site in 2000 and 2001, Romano said.
Serena Williams also said someone else signed her name on two documents involving a women's tennis company Clarke was setting up. Serena Williams said her father's name, signed on one of those documents, "looks like his signature."
The tennis star said she didn't remember ever discussing the Battle of the Sexes tournament with her father.
Williams did remember a call from Rhodes, whom she said she had met briefly in her father's New York hotel room, urging her to meet him to discuss the tournament.
"First and foremost, I found it odd he was calling my cell phone," Serena Williams said. "I felt scared and pressured to keep talking to him after I [told him] that I did not want to do this event and I never wanted to do this event," she said.
During a break in her testimony, Cunningham told Circuit Judge Jeffrey Winikoff that Rhodes was "making faces" at Serena Williams while she was on the witness stand. Winikoff said he didn't observe Rhodes making such expressions, and Rhodes later brushed aside the accusation.
which i must admit i find highly amusing considering they took 2 of the 4 GS this year :mrgreen: makes those who said it look plain stupid. 
