Many people type “Richard Liu and Serena Williams” into Google at the same time and wonder if a family tie or business link sits behind it. The short version is simple: there is no public record of any relationship between the two. One is the Chinese founder of JD.com. The other is the 23-time Grand Slam champion who returned to the tour in 2026.
So why do the searches keep pairing up? A shared first name, a famous movie, and a news story from Minnesota all play a part. This guide separates the facts from the confusion, so you leave with a clear answer about Richard Liu and Serena Williams and the real people behind each name.
Quick Answer and At a Glance Comparison
Are Richard Liu and Serena Williams related? No. Richard Liu (Liu Qiangdong) is a Chinese billionaire and the founder of JD.com. Serena Williams is an American tennis champion and venture investor. No credible source shows a family connection, a shared company, or a joint project between them.
| Detail | Richard Liu | Serena Williams |
| Full name | Liu Qiangdong | Serena Jameka Williams |
| Born | March 10, 1973, Suqian, Jiangsu, China | September 26, 1981, Saginaw, Michigan, USA |
| Known for | Founding JD.com | 23 Grand Slam singles titles |
| Field | E-commerce and logistics | Elite tennis and venture capital |
| Current role | Chairman of JD.com | Player on a 2026 comeback, founder of Serena Ventures |
| Spouse | Zhang Zetian | Alexis Ohanian |
| Relationship to each other | None found | None found |
Who Is Richard Liu (Liu Qiangdong)?
Richard Liu is one of China’s best known tech founders. Observers often call him the “Chinese Jeff Bezos” because he built a retail giant on top of its own delivery network. He was born in Suqian, a city in Jiangsu Province, and grew up in a modest family. He studied at Renmin University and later earned an MBA from the China Europe International Business School.
Building JD.com
Liu opened a small electronics shop in Beijing in 1998. During the SARS outbreak in 2003, foot traffic collapsed, so he moved his business online. He launched his first retail website in 2004, and JD.com grew from there.
A few moves shaped the company:
- Genuine products. In a market full of fakes, JD.com sold authentic goods and built trust.
- Own logistics. The company built its own warehouses and delivery stations instead of relying on third parties.
- Wider catalog. In 2007, it expanded from electronics into a full range of consumer goods.
- Public listing. JD.com listed on Nasdaq in May 2014, one of the largest US debuts ever by a Chinese internet company at that time.
His Role Today
In April 2022, Liu stepped down as CEO. Lei Xu (also known as Sandy Xu) took over day to day leadership, while Liu stayed on as chairman to guide long term strategy. In 2025, he spoke publicly about a turnaround plan after what he called a difficult stretch for the company. JD.com has since pushed into food delivery, travel, and Europe. The most visible move is its planned acquisition of the German retailer Ceconomy, the parent of MediaMarkt and Saturn, valued at about 2.2 billion euros. The deal drew a regulatory review in the European Union, so check current news for its latest status.
Family
Liu married the entrepreneur and media personality Zhang Zetian in 2015. He keeps most family details private, and public reports on his children vary in quality. Together, Liu and Zhang founded the Tian-Qiang Charitable Fund, and in 2022 Liu pledged to donate JD.com shares then worth about 2.3 billion dollars to charity.
Net Worth
Net worth figures for Liu swing widely because JD.com’s share price moves. As of October 2026, Forbes estimates his wealth at roughly 5.5 billion US dollars. Older articles still list figures above 12 billion dollars, which are outdated. When you compare sources, always check the date on the estimate.
The 2018 Minnesota Investigation (Public Record)
Some of the traffic around “Richard Liu” comes from a 2018 news story, so it deserves a careful, factual summary based on public reporting.
- August 2018: Liu was arrested in Minneapolis on suspicion of felony rape while in the city for a university executive program. He was released and returned to China.
- December 2018: Prosecutors announced they would not file criminal charges, citing evidentiary problems.
- 2019: A former University of Minnesota student, Jingyao Liu, filed a civil lawsuit. She alleged that he assaulted her. Richard Liu denied the allegation.
- October 2022: Both sides announced a settlement. Their joint statement described the event as a misunderstanding, and the terms were not made public.
No criminal charge was ever filed. Serena Williams has no connection to this case. The story simply put the name “Richard Liu” in front of a global audience, which fed the confusion described below.
Who Is Serena Williams?
Serena Williams is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes in any sport. She turned professional in 1995 and spent more than two decades at the top of women’s tennis. Her game was built on one of the biggest serves the sport has seen, along with heavy groundstrokes and a famous will to win.
Career Records
Her numbers make the case on their own:
- 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most by any woman in the Open era
- 73 career singles titles
- 319 weeks ranked world No. 1 in the WTA rankings
- Four Olympic gold medals
- Seven Wimbledon singles titles, plus six Wimbledon doubles titles with her sister Venus
- More than 94 million dollars in career prize money, according to ESPN
She completed the career Golden Slam in singles by winning Olympic gold in 2012, and she held all four major titles at once in 2014 and 2015.
Serena Williams’ 2026 Comeback
Serena stepped away from tennis in August 2022, calling it an “evolution” instead of a retirement. In 2025, she re-entered the tennis anti-doping testing pool, which fueled rumors, and she publicly denied a return at the time. Then she changed course.
Here is how the 2026 comeback unfolded:
- June 1, 2026: At age 44, she announced a wild card entry in doubles at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London. Her run there ended early after an injury to her doubles partner.
- Late June 2026: Wimbledon gave her a singles wild card. She also entered doubles with Venus.
- June 30, 2026: She lost her first singles match in nearly four years to 20-year-old Maya Joint, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3, after two hours and 22 minutes on Centre Court.
She later said she enjoyed the moment, and her two daughters watched from the stands.
Serena Ventures and Business Career
Off the court, Serena built a serious investing career. She founded Serena Ventures in 2014, first as a vehicle for her angel investments. In 2022, the firm raised a 111 million dollar debut fund to back early stage founders, with a focus on diverse leadership. Public databases list roughly 100 investments, including names such as Midi Health. She has also invested in the women’s basketball league Unrivaled and runs a fashion line, S by Serena. Estimates of her net worth commonly land in the 300 million dollar range, though private holdings make exact figures hard to confirm.
Family
Serena is married to Alexis Ohanian, the Reddit co-founder, and they have two daughters, Olympia and Adira. Her older sister Venus Williams has seven Grand Slam singles titles. Her parents are Richard Williams, who coached the sisters early on, and Oracene Price.
Are Richard Liu and Serena Williams Related?
No. Richard Liu was born in China, and Serena Williams was born in the United States. Their family trees are unrelated. No biography, interview, court record, or news report links their families by blood or marriage.
A name check explains why people still ask. Liu is a Chinese surname, and Williams is an English one. There is no shared surname, hometown, or parent. The only overlap is the first name “Richard,” and that belongs to a different person in Serena’s life, as covered below.
Are They Business Partners or Connected in Any Way?
I found no public evidence that Richard Liu and Serena Williams are business partners. Specifically:
- JD.com has not announced an endorsement deal with Serena.
- Serena Ventures does not list JD.com or Liu’s personal investment vehicles among its published portfolio.
- Neither has publicly said they have met or worked together.
Could a private link exist? Possibly, but unverified claims do not belong in a fact-based article. If a real partnership is ever announced, it would appear in company press releases and major outlets. Until then, treat any such claim as unconfirmed.
Richard Williams vs Richard Liu: The Name Confusion Explained
Most of the mix-up comes from two different men called Richard. One is a Chinese tech founder. The other is the father who coached Serena and Venus.
| Detail | Richard Liu | Richard Williams |
| Full name | Liu Qiangdong | Richard Dove Williams Jr. |
| Born | 1973, China | February 14, 1942, Shreveport, Louisiana |
| Known for | Founding JD.com | Coaching Venus and Serena |
| Link to Serena | None | Father |
Who Is Richard Williams?
Richard Williams grew up in a family of sharecroppers in Louisiana. He famously wrote a plan for his future daughters’ tennis careers before they were born, according to his own account. He taught them on public courts in Compton, California, and kept them out of much of the junior circuit so they would avoid burnout. In 1995, he pulled them from a tennis academy and coached them himself. Will Smith won the Best Actor Oscar for playing him in the 2021 film King Richard.
One more detail adds to the tangle. Tennis history also mentions another Compton man named Richard Williams, who shared the coach’s name and later founded the Venus and Serena Williams Tennis Tutorial Academy. So even “Richard Williams” can point to more than one person.
Where Is Richard Williams Now?
Richard Williams, now in his 80s, has been in poor health for years. Reports say he suffered a stroke in 2016 and has a neurological condition that affects his speech. Court filings from a long divorce dispute with his third wife, Lakeisha Williams, described his decline. His son Chavoita LeSane has acted as a spokesperson. I found no credible report of his death as of October 2026, but family health news changes, so check a current source before sharing any update.
Why Do People Search These Names Together?
Search behavior gives a few clear reasons:
- The shared first name. Richard Liu and Richard Williams are both famous Richards, so one query can blend them.
- The film effect. King Richard put “Richard” and “Williams” back in the spotlight and sent many people searching.
- Autocomplete drift. Search engines suggest related names, and a few curious clicks can pull two unrelated people into the same suggestions.
- Rising profiles in 2026. Serena’s comeback and JD.com’s European push both made headlines this year.
- Wealth and fame comparisons. Readers like to compare a billionaire founder with a sports icon who is also an investor.
None of these point to a real connection. They are patterns in how people search, not signs of a relationship.
Career Comparison: Business vs Elite Sport
| Category | Richard Liu | Serena Williams |
| Career start | Electronics shop in 1998, online in 2004 | Pro tennis in 1995 |
| Peak achievement | Building China’s largest retailer by many measures | 23 Grand Slam singles titles |
| Main skill | Logistics and operations | Power, precision, and mental toughness |
| Public listing or milestone | Nasdaq IPO in 2014 | Olympic gold in 2012 |
| Investing | Corporate expansion and charity pledges | Serena Ventures, 111 million dollar debut fund |
| 2026 focus | Europe expansion and company turnaround | Tennis comeback and venture investing |
Different arenas, similar traits. Both are known for discipline, long term thinking, and refusing to follow the standard playbook.
Timeline: Key Dates for Both
Richard Liu
- 1973: Born in Suqian, Jiangsu
- 1998: Opens an electronics shop in Beijing
- 2004: Launches JD.com online
- 2014: JD.com lists on Nasdaq
- 2015: Marries Zhang Zetian
- 2018: Arrested in Minneapolis, then prosecutors decline charges
- 2022: Steps down as CEO, stays chairman, and settles the civil case
- 2025: Announces the Ceconomy deal and a company turnaround plan
- 2026: Pushes JD.com’s European launch
Serena Williams
- 1981: Born in Saginaw, Michigan
- 1995: Turns professional
- 1999: Wins her first Grand Slam title at the US Open
- 2012: Wins Olympic singles gold
- 2014: Founds Serena Ventures
- 2017: Wins her 23rd major at the Australian Open
- 2022: Steps away from tennis
- 2022: Serena Ventures raises its 111 million dollar debut fund
- June 2026: Returns at Queen’s Club and Wimbledon
What They Have in Common
They are not related, but a few real parallels stand out:
- Outsider starts. Liu came from a modest rural background. Serena grew up in Compton and learned on public courts.
- Bold, unusual bets. Liu built his own logistics when others skipped it. Serena’s family skipped the usual junior path.
- Global brands. Both names carry weight far outside their home countries.
- Philanthropy. Liu and his wife have a charitable fund, and Serena backs causes through her business and foundation work.
- Comebacks and resets. Liu has called for a turnaround at JD.com, and Serena has returned to competition after four years.
What We Know Today (Updated October 2026)
Here is the current status, based on reporting available as of October 21, 2026:
- Relationship: No family or business link between Richard Liu and Serena Williams has been reported.
- Richard Liu: He serves as chairman of JD.com, and Forbes pegs his net worth near 5.5 billion dollars.
- JD.com: The company continues its Europe expansion and the Ceconomy acquisition process.
- Serena Williams: She made her comeback in June 2026 and lost her Wimbledon first round match to Maya Joint. Check official tour sources for any schedule after that.
- Richard Williams: Serena’s father is reported to be in frail health, and no confirmed death report was found.
- The 2018 case: It ended with no criminal charges and a 2022 civil settlement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Richard Liu and Serena Williams related?
No. They have no known family connection, and public records show none.
Is Serena Williams’ father Richard Liu?
No. Her father is Richard Williams, a former tennis coach from Louisiana.
Who is Richard Liu?
He is Liu Qiangdong, the founder and chairman of the Chinese e-commerce company JD.com.
Is Richard Liu a business partner of Serena Williams?
No public evidence shows a partnership or joint investment between them.
What is Richard Liu’s net worth in 2026?
Forbes estimates it at about 5.5 billion US dollars as of October 2026.
What is Serena Williams’ net worth?
Estimates commonly fall around 300 million dollars, though her private holdings are not fully disclosed.
Did Serena Williams come out of retirement in 2026?
Yes. She returned in June 2026 at the HSBC Championships and then played Wimbledon.
How did Serena Williams do at Wimbledon 2026?
She lost in the first round of singles to Maya Joint, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3.
Was Richard Liu convicted of a crime in Minnesota?
No. Prosecutors declined to file criminal charges in 2018, and a civil lawsuit was settled in 2022.
Is Richard Williams still alive?
No credible report of his death was found as of October 2026, but he has been in poor health for years.
Why do people confuse Richard Liu with Richard Williams?
They share a first name, and both have appeared in major news and pop culture.
Conclusion
Richard Liu and Serena Williams are not related, and nothing public ties them together in business either. The confusion comes from a shared first name, the success of King Richard, and search habits that blend unrelated stories.
What you can rely on is this: Liu built JD.com into a retail and logistics powerhouse and now steers it as chairman. Serena Williams built a historic tennis career, launched a respected venture firm, and made a headline comeback in 2026. Her father, Richard Williams, is the Richard in her story.
Before you share or cite any claim about either person, check its date and its source. Facts about wealth, health, and company deals change quickly, and a careful check keeps you accurate.
Daniel Wilson is the admin of Meaning Lexi, a website focused on the meanings of words, names, phrases, and symbols. He is dedicated to providing clear, accurate, and easy-to-understand content for readers.
