Williams's father owes no damages

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WEST PALM BEACH, Florida -- The father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams is liable but doesn't have to pay damages in a lawsuit that claimed he reneged on a deal for his daughters to play in an exhibition match.

A jury Thursday cleared Venus Williams of all allegations, but said Serena Williams let her father act as an agent for her. Neither sister must pay damages.

The dispute centered on whether Richard Williams had authority to commit his daughters to play in a 2001 "Battle of the Sexes" match that never took place. Venus and Serena Williams testified during the more than monthlong trial that only they have authority to approve contracts.

Promoters Carol Clarke and Keith Rhodes, owners of a company called CCKR, brought the breach of contract lawsuit.

"The first thing I said to the jury is this case is about the sanctity of a contract. And the jury understood that," said John Romano, the promoters' attorney. "To say that I'm disappointed would be the understatement of the century."

Romano said he almost certainly will appeal.

Richard Williams acknowledged drawing up terms of the agreement with the promoters, but insisted he told them they would have to go through the IMG sports agency, which represents Venus and Serena, to complete any deal.

The promoters said he made no such disclaimer.

Richard Williams also acknowledged he lied to the promoters when he told them his daughters were aware of the negotiations. Both sisters testified they knew nothing of the deal and never would have agreed to play in the match.

Despite the agreement with Richard Williams, the sisters' attorney, F. Malcolm Cunningham, noted to jurors in closing arguments that neither Venus nor Serena signed anything.

Throughout the trial, attorneys for the promoters showed jurors tax returns that indicate payments to Richard Williams by his daughters for management fees, bolstering their contention that he had authority to sign contracts for them.

However, attorneys for the sisters and their father claimed the payments were mischaracterized for tax purposes and that Richard Williams is not their manager and was paid for coaching.

The promoters sued the sisters, their father and his company, Richard Williams Tennis & Associates, for unspecified damages.

They claimed the tournament could have made about 34.1 million euros ($45 million), of which 80 percent was to go to Richard Williams' company. An initial trial last year ended in a mistrial.

Venus withdraws

Injury-plagued former world number one Venus Williams has withdrawn from the Hopman Cup with a recurrence of a wrist problem and is now a doubt for the Australian Open next month.

Williams, one of the mixed-team event's top draws, faces a race against time to be fit for the season's first grand slam starting on January 15, organizers said on Thursday.

"She has been seeing the doctors and she is having a lot of trouble hitting her backhand," said Hopman Cup tournament director Paul McNamee.

He said the injury "has to cast a doubt" over her Australian Open appearance.

Williams, who was playing exhibition matches against her sister Serena just a fortnight ago, joins a growing list of withdrawals from the Hopman Cup starting here on December 30.

The Korean and German teams have already pulled out due to injuries.

Williams has battled injury throughout a troubled 2006, playing just a handful of events and withdrawing from tournaments in Moscow and Stuttgart in October because of a problem with her left wrist.

The five-time grand slam-winner, 26, reached the 2003 Australian Open final but bowed out in the first round of this year's event.

Williams, currently ranked 46th, will be replaced in the United States team by youngster Ashley Harkleroad.

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A jury cleared Venus of allegations, but said Serena let her father act as agent for her.

Williams's father owes no damages

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