Williams Sisters Launch Youth Tennis and Education Program

Serena and Venus Williams in 2013 US Open doubles (1st round
win). Photo by Edwin Martinez, licensed under CC BY 2.0 Generic via
Wikimedia Commons

Venus and Serena Williams announced the Williams Family Excellence
Program at the U.S. Open in September 2025, partnering with the USTA
Foundation to provide tennis, education, and career development
opportunities for under-resourced youth between the ages of 13 and 25,
according to ESPN. The program was unveiled during the women's
semifinal matches, with Venus Williams participating in an on-court
ceremony to mark the occasion.

The initiative builds on the USTA Foundation's existing community
network, which has assisted more than 200,000 young people in the
current year, according to AfroTech. The Williams Family Excellence
Program is designed to serve 2,500 young people annually by 2035.

What the Program Offers

The program targets young people from under-resourced communities who
demonstrate athletic potential and financial need. Through
community-based organizations identified by the USTA Foundation,
participants will receive no-cost or low-cost high-performance tennis
training, college recruitment guidance, and access to camps and
competitions, according to ESPN.

Beyond the court, the program offers college scholarships, player
grants, paid internships, and an entrepreneurship curriculum designed to
build leadership skills outside of sports. The focus on post-secondary
education and career development reflects both sisters' stated belief
that tennis is a pathway rather than a destination, per AfroTech.

A Shared Mission Decades in the Making

Venus and Serena Williams both grew up in Compton, California, where
their father Richard Williams coached them on public courts before
either reached competitive age. That background has informed both
sisters' public statements about access to tennis infrastructure and
the economic barriers that prevent many young athletes from developing
in the sport.

The Williams Family Excellence Program formalizes a commitment that both
have discussed for years into a structured partnership with
institutional reach. By placing the program inside the USTA
Foundation's existing community network — rather than building a
standalone organization — the initiative gains immediate access to the
organizations and relationships that foundation has spent years
developing, according to ESPN.

References: Williams Sisters Program Provide Tennis Education Opportunities Youth | Venus And Serena Williams Program Under Resourced Youth