Venus Williams is not your typical tennis star. While most professional tennis players come from high-priced tennis academies and country clubs, Williams learned how to play on the tough streets of Compton, California. Her father was her coach, and local gangs protected her from the violence that swirled all around her. Williams has come a long way from her hometown and now stands on the verge of becoming one of the best female tennis players in the world.

Growing up

Cinderella of the ghetto

Venus Ebonistarr Williams was born June 17, 1980, in Lynwood, California. Her father, Richard, owns a private security company. Her mom, Oracene, is a nurse. South Central Los Angeles is one of the poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods in the United States. Gangs and drugs rule the streets, and graffiti often covered the small house in which Williams grew up. While the violence was going on...