Could the Williams sisters have made it?

They've conquered Wimbledon again, singly and collectively but could this have happened if they'd been English? We hear a lot about their background in the grim neighbourhead of Compton, LA; we hear a lot about the determination of Richard their father.

But would history have followed the same route if they'd been born in say Toxteth or Moss Side or Chapeltown? Observing the fossils from the Lawn Tennis Association in the better seats on Centre Court and the relics leading out the 'presentations parties' it is clear that, despite money being poured into the sport, your post code means you may never have the means, even if you have the talent. What are the chances of a poor, rough child, who thinks 'etiquette' is French for the practice of eating felines, getting into the local tennis club - one of last defences against societal progress?

And if there was a father, driven by his ambition to see his daughters proceed, wouldn't some jealous neighbourhood watcher call in Social Services to examine him for some form of child abuse (well, they're not that good at this sort of thing when all of the evidence is on show are they?). If the sisters progressed through this form of social levelling, wouldn't the media just build them up in order to assassinate them with all their nasty, poisonous expertise just as they were serving up promises of better things?

Kenneth Williams is more our style - safe and unchallenging and ultimately very sad.