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Tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams and their father should be held liable for millions of dollars in a lawsuit alleging the sisters reneged on a deal to play in a 2001 match, an attorney representing the match's would-be promoters said in closing arguments Wednesday.

Plaintiff's attorney John Romano, right, looks over documents brought to court by witness Leland Hardy, left, a former business advisor to Richard Williams, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2006, during a breach-of-contract trial in West Palm Beach, Fla. Promoters Carol Clarke and Keith Rhodes, owners of a company called CCKR, allege that Williams, father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, committed his tennis star daughters to play in a "Battle of the Sexes" match, and they failed to live up to the agreement.[AP]

Carol Clarke and Keith Rhodes, owners of a company called CCKR, allege that Richard Williams agreed to a contract to have his daughters play in a "Battle of the Sexes" match that never took place.

The promoters are suing the sisters, their father and his company, Richard Williams Tennis & Associates, for unspecified damages. An initial trial last year ended in a mistrial.

Venus (L) and Serena Williams, seen here in April 2003, did not breach a 2001 contract for an unplayed tennis tournament because the promise to play was a letter signed by their father and not the tennis stars, their lawyer said at the close of a trial.[File Photo/AP]

The dispute centers on whether Richard Williams had authority to commit his daughters. The promoters claim he presented himself as the sisters' manager and negotiated the deal on their behalf. Venus and Serena Williams testified during the more than monthlong trial that only they have authority to approve contracts.

"We have the existence of a written contract in this case," plaintiffs' attorney John Romano told jurors. "It's not a case of a verbal agreement over who said what."

Despite the agreement with Richard Williams, the sisters' attorney noted in his closing arguments that neither Venus nor Serena signed anything.

"The contract, or the letter, if you will, is signed by Richard Williams," F. Malcolm Cunningham told jurors. "The case, ladies and gentlemen, should end right there for Venus Williams and Serena Williams."

Jurors got the case Wednesday afternoon, picked a foreman and adjourned for the day. Deliberations were set to begin Thursday morning. The panel of five women and one man have the option of finding Richard Williams liable, alone. They could also find the sisters and their father liable or dismiss the allegations.

Richard Williams has acknowledged drawing up terms of the contract, but insists he told the promoters they would have to go through the IMG sports agency, which represents Venus and Serena, to complete an agreement. The promoters say he made no such disclaimer.

"Richard Williams is a dad. Richard Williams is a tennis coach. He is not a manager," Richard Williams' attorney, David Slutsker, said in his closing arguments. "He is not authorized to bind or commit his daughters."

Slutsker maintained that the agreement was preliminary and that the promoters failed to follow through with IMG.

"There was no breach of contract because that is not a contract," Slutsker said.

The plaintiffs' attorneys previously played a video clip for jurors showing Richard Williams negotiating the deal with Clarke. In the video, taken by Richard Williams, he tells Clarke that Venus and Serena are "well aware of what I am doing."

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