Friend May Soon Join Williams On The Court Nimmers Takes Her Game From South Central L.A. To Pro Ranks

Venus Williams may soon have some familiar company on the tennis tour, a 17-year-old friend from the same hard courts where gunfire crackles in the distance.

Williams and Katrina Nimmers have known each other most of their lives, growing up together in South Central Los Angeles.

Williams certainly showed what she could do when she reached this month’s U.S. Open finals. And Nimmers, for now, has the look of a winner, relishing a chance to join Williams.

“We’re close friends,” Nimmers said. “We know there’s going to come a time when we’re going to have to play. On the court, you take care of business.”

Business begins today when Nimmers makes her professional debut against Elizabeth Cameron in prequalifying for the $50,000 Citibank USTA Challenger, a circuit tournament in Santa Clara.

“My goal in tennis is to become No. 1,” Nimmers said. “I don’t have any doubt in myself. My more immediate goal is to become a role model for young black kids.”

Where she wants to go is a long way from the Green Meadows Recreation Park’s courts at 89th and Avalon, where Nimmers learned the game.

“One time my practice partner and I saw a car coming, we were going from the courts to the car, sure enough, he shot,” Nimmers recalled. “We hit the ground. It was very close.

“It’s happened way more times than once. We were caught in the middle of the riots (after the Rodney King verdict), we’ve been caught in random shootings. I think I’ve seen it all. I think it just makes you stronger, it puts your goals clearer. I’m not going to be fearful. Where I’m from, not too much else is going to scare me.”

The Williams family moved to Florida several years ago, thinking such an environment would be better for the tennis future of Venus and her 15-year-old sister, Serena, also a top prospect.

The Nimmers family has remained in South Central.

Katrina and her father, Mike, who serves as her coach, spent time this year at the John Newcombe Prince Tennis Academy near San Antonio.

“Newcombe’s gives you a freedom to really bring your kid up, and they emphasize education as well as tennis,” Mike Nimmers said. “We took Katrina to the ranch for the kids overseas, not so much for the kids in America.”

One of those kids from overseas, 16-year-old Martina Hingis, is the world’s top-ranked woman and beat Williams in the U.S. Open finals.

“I thought it was great,” Nimmers said of Williams’ success in the Open. “She really proved she could do it.”

Phil Hendrie, assistant director of the Newcombe academy, says Nimmers has the potential to be a top professional.

“She’s a great athlete, she’s extremely quick on the court,” Hendrie said. “She definitely plays a game that will be successful in the ‘90s, and that’s aggressive and hard-hitting.

“Her work ethic is definitely professional. The thing I liked about her the most is she loved the game of tennis. She truly played it with passion.”

Mike Nimmers said he and Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena, played tennis together before their daughters were born.

“Make no doubt that Richard’s girls were destined to play professional tennis before they were born,” Mike Nimmers said. “I enrolled Katrina in modeling school. I had no idea.”

Katrina began playing tennis at age 5. She’s come a long ways in 12 years.