"They are in the locker room with older women, undressed, who are lesbians": When Venus & Serena Williams' mother Oracene spoke on cautioning her kids

Venus and Serena Williams' mother, Oracene Price, once spoke about cautioning her daughters about sharing a locker room with players who were lesbians. Price wanted to make sure that her daughters weren't unduly influenced by their surroundings.

Both Venus and Serena Williams joined the tour when they were just teenagers, quickly drawing attention with their impressive victories against the likes of Monica Seles, Kim Clijsters and Lindsay Davenport while also forming an exciting rivalry with one another.

Serena made her breakthrough by winning her maiden Grand Slam at the age of 19 after beating Martina Hingis 6-3, 7-6(4) in the 1999 US Open final. Venus followed suit by triumphing at the Wimbledon Championships and the US Open in 2000. By the time the 2005 Australian Open came around, the Williams sisters had amassed 10 Major titles between them.

Amid their tennis success, their mother Oracene Price harbored concerns about her impressionable daughters sharing the locker room with older players, some of whom were lesbians. In an interview with The Guardian before the Melbourne Slam, Price revealed that she had advised her daughters not to be confused about their own sexuality in that environment.

"They are in the locker room talking with these older women - undressed - who are lesbians. The kids get caught up in something and think, "Maybe that's really me", when it's not. So, yeah, I taught Venus and Serena about that," Price said.

During the 2005 Australian Open, Venus Williams recorded an early exit after suffering a shock 7-5, 7-6(3) loss to Alicia Molik in the fourth round. Meanwhile, Serena Williams delivered an impressive campaign to reach the final where she defeated Lindsay Davenport 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 to clinch her seventh Grand Slam title.

Serena Williams on adhering to 'Bible standards' in her romantic life: "We don't believe in dating unless you're ready to get married"

Serena Williams - Source: Getty

Amid Oracene Price's concerns, Serena Williams opened up about her "Bible standards" for romantic relationships as a Jehovah's Witness. In an interview with the Telegraph that same year, the American disclosed that she never dated someone she couldn't envision getting married to.

"We don't believe in dating unless you're ready to get married. I've never dated anybody. It's good to get experience under your belt but you should never get wild or go crazy. If I can't see myself with this person for life - I can't be bothered," Serena Williams said.

"I can't waste my time. I have some really good men friends but I believe in no sex before marriage. No fornicating. Stuff like that. I really believe in that. I mean, I'm not perfect. It's hard to live by the Bible standards but I'm really comfortable with me," she added.

Williams eventually began dating Alexis Ohanian in 2015, and they tied the knot in 2017. That same year, she gave birth to their daughter Olympia and welcomed a second daughter, Adira, in 2023.