Serena Williams Speaks On Why Her Dad Didn't Walk Her Down The Aisle

Serena Williams Tells An Important Story From Her Wedding Day

Serena Williams had a lot to deal with on her wedding day, including her father pulling out of walking her down the aisle just an hour before the deed was supposed to go down.

The 36-year-old told the story on the May 16 episode of her HBO docuseries, Being Serena. She revealed that her father, Richard Williams, pulled out of walking her down the aisle via text message, just one hour before she married Alexis Ohanian in their November ceremony.

Williams recalled the incident, saying, “He was in New Orleans, he had a suit, and I know he was really excited…But then he wrote me and said, ‘Serena, I don’t want you to be mad at me, but I just can’t walk you down the aisle. I’m not myself anymore. I’m just too nervous.’”

Surprisingly, Serena wasn’t upset about her father’s decision. She responded saying, “Daddy, it’s OK. If you don’t want to come to the wedding at all, that’s OK too. I’m not going to be upset with you about it, so I don’t want you to be upset about it.” She was more worried about her father’s well-being than him walking her down the aisle.

The tennis star went on to further explain why she completely understood his decision to pull out of the wedding last minute. She elaborated saying, “I know the struggles he’s had these last few years. His health is better now, but I know he still doesn’t feel like himself, doesn’t feel like he’s perfect…And if he doesn’t want to be up there in front of a lot of people, I completely understand.”

Being Serena airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m on HBO.