Serena and Venus Williams battle through Wimbledon keeping agony of dad’s stroke secret
Richard Williams was released from hospital last week with 'memory issues', as revealed by third wife Lakeisha
THE dad of tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams has suffered a secret stroke.
Richard Williams, 74, was released from hospital last week with 'memory issues'.
The father and coach of the two American stars is said to be stable now but "not at 100 per cent".
Richard's third wife, Lakeisha Williams, 37, revelealed the shock news to a US website.
She said: “His condition is fair – he’s up and walking around but he’s not at 100 per cent.
“He needs speech therapy, psychological therapy and physical therapy but for now he refused.
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“His mind is thinking that they’re going to put him back in ‘prison,’ which is what he calls the hospital.”
Lakeisha, who married Richard in 2010 and has a three-year-old son, Dylan, with him, says her husband is not aware he has suffered a stroke.
She added: “His mind is telling him that since he was once in charge of his life, after what’s happened he’s not accepting it.
“To him he’s a normal person – nothing happened to him.”
Serena, 34, kept the news private as she stormed to a SEVENTH Wimbledon triumph.
She and sister Venus, 36, also claimed gold in the SW19 ladies' doubles.