Williams to encourage Nigeria kids
Serena and Venus Williams were ready to inspire local kids to set their goals high.
We were really able to break the mold and win a lot of Grand Slams and a lot of tournaments and not only that, but kind of change the face of tennis, Serena said Wednesday.We were able to break the mold in a sport that was really dominated by white people and to have a face of color that could come in and do the same and dominate, (it lets) people know that it doesnt matter what your background is and where you come from. If you have dreams, if you have goals, thats all that really matters.The sisters, accompanied by their mother Oracene Price, are in Nigerias largest city for the week as part of a promotional tour culminating with an exhibition match between them on Friday.After a news conference in which a journalist suggested they actually came from Nigeria, the sisters swatted tennis balls with local children at an exclusive private club on Ikoyi Island, home to diplomats and many of the nations wealthy.If they have their way, the sisters will be hitting tennis balls for at least another four years, all the way to the 2016 Rio Olympics.Its our main goal, said the 31-year-old Serena, a three-time Olympic doubles gold medalist with Venus. We were talking ... about how we cant wait to get to Rio. And obviously, bearing that were both healthy, thats our goal to be there.Venus, who is 32, agreed: Thats what weve begun preparing for.Venus and Serena have teamed to win 13 Grand Slam doubles titles and won Olympic gold in doubles in 2000, 2008 and 2012. Serena also won the singles gold this year, while Venus won it in 2000.Serena, who beat Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-4 to win the WTA Championships final in Istanbul last week, is ranked No. 3 in the world.Venus, diagnosed last year with an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue, has struggled with illnesses and injuries in recent months and is ranked No. 24.
