Sports

Shock first photos inside Serena Williams’ crumbling childhood home

The U.S. Sun revealed last week a judge tossed out his lawsuit against estranged wife Lakeisha Williams, who allegedly forged his signature on the title deeds of his Florida home some years back.

‘King Richard’, father of tennis superstars, Venus and Serena, speaks exclusively to The U.S Sun Credit: John Chapple for The US Sun

A broken tennis racket is shown on the court at the crumbling property in West Palm Beach, Florida Credit: Adam Gray/SWNS for The US Sun

An abandoned bus remains hidden in overgrown bushes on Richard’s 10 acres of landCredit: Adam Gray/SWNS for The US Sun

Broken tennis rackets are seen at ‘King Richard’s’ home Credit: Adam Gray/SWNS for The US Sun

Lakeisha, 44, used the title to borrow $255,000 from “hard lender” David Simon, which she allegedly blew on a failed trucking business along with “fast food and frivolities,” according to court docs.

Richard and his son Chavoita LeSane, who have spoken exclusively to The U.S. Sun, claim he was already set to divorce Lakeisha when it emerged she’d forged his signature.

She is now being sued by Simon, who wants the house sold at auction to recover his losses, which now stands at $623,000, including interest and lawyers’ fees.

Despite his lawsuit being thrown out, Richard, 80, and his family are not giving up on getting the property back, and Chavoita says they are now looking at new legal counsel.

Ailing Richard, who has had multiple strokes and has some communication problems, said the home was “beautiful” when he lived there with Serena, Venus, and their mother Oracene, his second wife.

“The house is easily worth a million dollars,” he insisted, although this number has been disputed due to its deteriorating condition.

“The ten acres of land is unbelievable,” Richard said, explaining he’d like to demolish the home and build a new property, adding: “I don’t need the past no more if I keep [focusing] on the past, I won’t do much.”

But he admitted: “I don’t know if I’ll get it back or not. I don’t know if I can or not.”

He went on: “I don’t need a big house anymore. I’d like to destroy the house, but the history is unbelievable.

The overgrown land at the property is seen above Credit: Adam Gray/SWNS for The US Sun

The rundown property is at the center of a legal battle between Richard and his estranged wife LakeishaCredit: Adam Gray/SWNS for The US Sun

Lakeisha Williams used the money from the home for her failed trucking business, according to court documents Credit: Adam Gray/SWNS for The US Sun

Serena and Venus were trained by their tennis coach father at the home many years ago Credit: AFP

“I’d have to have someone come and look at it for me. But if I could demolish it, it would be great.”

He said he felt Lakeisha, who he met at a tennis event in Miami, was a “good wife at one time,” but now he’s desperate to take legal action and get the divorce finalized.

Richard insists he doesn’t hold a grudge against his ex, as he cares for their son the majority of the time and is in contact with her, but Chavoita has been left seething over her shocking behavior.

Photographs show the home in disrepair, with an old tennis racket still on the court, surrounded by overgrown bushes.

LONG LEGAL BATTLE

Chavoita said: “I found out that the house had been signed over to Lakeisha, and then once I found this information out, I went to my dad and was like, ‘Dad, the house isn’t in your name anymore.’

“He told me that Lakeisha told him the house was in my name, not her name. So I went to the courthouse in Palm Beach and I printed out the documentation.

“I said, ‘Dad, how can the house be in my name? And it says it’s Lakeisha Williams, right here. Then we just decided to start taking legal action from there.

“The divorce filing was kind of awkward between Lakeisha and my dad. My dad filed for divorce and I want to say Lakeisha filed for divorce at the same time.

“I myself have not really had any conversation with Lakeisha, nor do I feel like I need to have any conversation with Lakeisha. But she has yelled and sent a whole bunch of stuff my way.”

‘HORRIBLE SITUATION’

He said he is now focused on continuing the legal battle and suing for damages, describing the situation as “horrible” and admitting his dad has been “fearful” of what’s going on.

Chavoita admitted Serena and her sister are not too interested in what happens to their old home but have made sure he’s taken care of amid the toxic situation with his ex.

It was believed Richard and Lakeisha had momentarily reconciled when she halted their divorce and asked the courts to dismiss the case, but the family has denied this.

Her lawyer stated that they had “engaged in an active marital life including having regular weekly 𝑠e𝑥ual relations including but not limited to on January 9, 2022.”

Although she and Richard are still on good terms for the sake of their young son, 10-year-old Dylan, the former tennis coach insists he’s been desperate to divorce her for years and they have not been romantic.

The home where Serena and Venus were trained to be tennis greats, the grounds, and main house are rotting, and cars appear to have been abandoned at the property.

NEW FLORIDA HOME

According to court documents, there is also internal damage from the leaking roof, bathrooms left in dirty states, and air conditioning units falling apart.

Instead of losing the house, Lakeisha wanted to pay back her debts in installments, starting off at $8,293 for the first 15 months, $8,033 for the next 24 months, and $8,083 for the last 21 months.

But Simon claims Lakeisha’s monthly income isn’t enough to support the plan, and she has allegedly made no payments so far towards the home.

Richard, portrayed by Oscar-winning actor Will Smith in the Hollywood biopic, is likely to lose the property he bought in 1995 for $355,000 with Serena and Venus’s mom before they divorced in 2002.

The U.S. Sun previously revealed Richard is now living in a new home in West Palm Beach, which is owned by Serena, who paid $815,000 for the one-story property in June 2015.

The place is perfect for Richard’s reported fragile state – all on one floor, with four bedrooms, five bathrooms, and over 4,160 square feet of room.

Photographs show the damaged roof of the property which Richard wants to tear down Credit: The U.S. Sun

King Richard says he would demolish the home if he wins legal battle Credit: Adam Gray/SWNS for The US Sun

Richard’s divorce from his estranged wife, and mother of his young son Dylan, has been ongoing for several years Credit: Getty

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