Serena Williams' dad, Richard to divorce wife Lakeisha despite reconciliation claims

Richard Williams, father of Tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams is moving forward with divorcing wife Lakeisha Graham despite her recent claims of reconciliation.

On August 21, Richard Williams formally requested a divorce from Lakeisha Williams in Palm Beach County, Florida, claiming that their union was "irretrievably broken."

“I do not wish to reconcile,” he asserted.

The "King Richard" topic was filed two months after Lakeisha, 44, asked for their divorce to be annulled on the grounds that they had been engaging in "regular weekly sexual relations," according to court records. She felt they had reunited.

In her June 9 declaration, Lakeisha also stated that her 81-year-old estranged husband had continued to "declare his love and commitment" to her and their family.

Additionally, Lakeisha claimed in the paperwork that any hints Richard made about wanting to end their union were the product of "undue influence from third parties" who intended to squander the inheritance rights she would otherwise have received from him.

Weeks later, the court said in court papers that it would postpone making a decision on Richard's petition to compel Lakeisha to participate in mediation.

Richard appears to just want to co-parent rather than be married, despite the fact that the on-again, off-again pair have been seen out together with their 11-year-old son Dylan.

After seven years of marriage, Richard filed for divorce from Lakeisha for the first time in May 2017. In his original petition, he said that she had stolen his Social Security funds and falsified his signature on a deed transfer.

Additionally, he said Lakeisha has an alcohol problem.

“His malicious and fabricated allegations will be completely disproven in court, and they are being alleged for the sole purpose of attempting to deceive the court into not awarding child support and alimony to his child and wife,” Lakeisha’s lawyer, Sandy Becher, told Page Six at the time.

In her counter-petition, Lakeisha claimed Richard exhibited both “hostile” and “abusive” behaviour during their marriage.

Richard and Lakeisha married on December 29, 2010.