Serena Williams admits I made mistakes as she opens up about the King Richard movie and Will Smith’s Oscar slap

DURING an appearance on CBS Mornings, tennis legend Serena Williams shared her take on the controversy that arose when Will Smith punched Chris Rock during the Oscars.

Although she never directly mentioned the incident, Williams touched on the subject while discussing her father, Richard Williams, aka King Richard, with Gayle King.

4

4

4

When asked about the King Richard film based on her father’s life, Williams shared her thoughts on the film and the events that followed.

“I thought the film was remarkable and it was unfortunate that the aftermath was overshadowed,” Williams said, alluding to the dispute between Rock and Smith.

“I’ve been in high-pressure situations and made mistakes, just like everyone else. We are all human and imperfect, and we should show kindness and understanding to one another.”

“I was there, I made a mistake. It’s not the end of the world. This is often forgotten in today’s society and I believe we need to be more compassionate towards each other.”

Williams’ father Richard recently sat down with The US Sun for a world exclusive talk about the incident.

Richard and his family say they don’t condone violence, but the 80-year-old insists he won’t judge Will for his mistake and was delighted with his performance in the film, which earned the star a gold statue for best actor.

When asked if he was at all upset with the star given the scandal overshadowed the film’s success, Richard said: “No, he’s done a lot for me and my family. I think he did very well, it was very wonderful.”

Will stunned the world when he walked up to Chris Rock and slapped him in the face after Rock made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.

Will then sat back down and yelled, “Keep my wife’s name out of your damn mouth,” as the audience fell silent and Rock looked stunned.

The real King Richard, who has suffered multiple strokes and has some communication problems, did not attend or watch the ceremony live but the clip was shown on YouTube the next day by his son Chavoita LeSane.

“I think it doesn’t matter [Will] wants to do, he should do that,” chuckled Richard, “people will think what they want to think.

“If he apologizes [that’s good], but he wants to deal with the situation. I wouldn’t judge anyone.”

In a video interview with The US Sun, he also said: “You should let him keep his Oscar too. If a person [has] worked for [it] so much, then let it be.

“I really appreciate that he’s doing that, so I could never criticize him,” adding that a 10-year ban from the academy was too harsh, and quipped “just two days, that’s enough, that its very much.”

For her part, Serena Williams was quick to clear up any confusion over her official retirement status.

“I haven’t retired,” she stressed. “My chances of returning are very high.”

When asked if the door was still open for her return, she resolutely replied, “No.”

“I’ve dedicated my whole life to tennis and it’s time for me to dedicate my life to something else,” Williams said.

Despite her father’s encouragement to play a few more Grand Slams, she is relieved that she no longer has to train for two hours a day.

While the newfound downtime may seem like a dream come true, Williams is finding it difficult to relax after years of a rigid schedule. “I’m having such a hard time relaxing,” she said, laughing.

“I don’t know how to relax. I have to fit it into my schedule.”

Now Williams is focused on raising her daughter Olympia, 5, who is excited about her mother’s new lifestyle.

“She wants to make sure I’m aware that I should have time and need to spend more time with her,” Williams told the People Everyday podcast in December.

The five-year-old has also made it clear that she wants to be a big sister, which is a factor in William’s decision to retire from tennis.

“Family is the top priority,” she says.

4