Serena Williams maintains that she plays tennis for the love of the sport, but a perk that comes with being one of the most decorated tennis athletes is the money. Williams, 35, sat with CEO Maverick Cater for Chase Bank’s series “Kneading Dough” in which athletes discuss the many financial decisions they’ve had to make throughout their career, sometimes as early as when they were teens.
Williams said that her father was very hands on in her career, but never told her what to do with her money. Her finances were her responsibility.
“My dad was always so hands on with me. But he said, ‘I’ll never take any money from you, like a fee, but I’m also not gonna direct you into what you spend and what you don’t spend, it’s gonna be your decision.’ Since I was a teenager, I’ve made every financial decision in my life and I’ve had to learn how to make good ones and how to make bad ones, which I think helps you make better ones.”
It’s reported Williams, who is expecting her first child with fiancé Alexis Ohanian, is worth a mere $170 million. (Kidding) but let Williams tell it, she never playing for the coin has never been her inspiration.
“I never played for money. Athletes who genuinely do that, just tend to be greater and better.” While the 23 time Grand Slam champ admits she isn’t driven by money, she does admit to Carter that she has a guilty financial obsession: buying property.
“I have the weirdest one. It’s property ” Williams said. “Yeah, that’s really random.”
When Carter asked Williams how many homes and pieces of property she owns, she couldn’t quite provide a number because well, she’s worth $170 million.
“I don’t know, a lot,” Williams said.
You’ll never guess Serena’s guilty pleasure purchase. #KneadingDough pic.twitter.com/46UO346WUy
— Chase (@Chase) July 14, 2017
Anyone else feeling poor?