Serena Williams Quotations | Page 3

The red kind of symbolizes a lot of things I do in Africa, along with a lot of the work, like the red laces. Everybody that buys a pair can pretty much save a life in Africa.

The tournament means so much to me as well as the things I do in Africa. I thought it could also work well together.

You can't underestimate anyone.

I want it to be more natural. Right now it feels really forced. Seems like I've never done a curtsy before, which may be true. But I'm looking forward to nailing it.

I'm a big supporter of this product for women. And [my relationship with the brand Berlei] was so organic. I would go to the store and buy 40 or 50 bras every year because I could only get them in Australia at the time. And then eventually they heard that I would come and take all the stock.

I need to be at my peak and my best is holding up the trophy. Anything less I wouldn't be really excited about. So that's all I can focus on.

I don't have anything to prove ever, ever in my life. If I have something to prove, what does that mean for everyone else? And I think everyone should have that attitude.

I like to wear classic silhouettes and add a punch to it.

I'm always learning new things.

We do more ready-to-wear and ath-leisure, things you would wear everyday. I never close my mind to anything and eventually want to branch out. But for now, tennis is still number one for me.

I got involved in the design process a long time ago. I've been working with their main designer [Berlei] for a while. It's been really fun all around.

I don't go thinking I'm going to lose. I never go into a tournament thinking that. I'll do the best that I can.

We're in different categories. She [Venus Williams] does sports, I do more of the fashion side.

In the locker rooms, I'm always suggesting, "You need Berlei." Because it's the best brand for women and for me.

My fridge is really just vegan: coconut water, Gatorade (my favorite!), cucumbers, mint, kale, vegetables, ginger, and wheat grass.

I meet people who say, "Girl, I watch every match, and I pray for you." I feel that energy and those prayers. Sometimes when I'm down on the court, in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, "They want me to win. Is there anything else I can give?" It encourages me to do better, to fight harder.

I think my father is probably the best coach ever because if we talk about numbers, he's got a lot and he's only had two players.

I talked with Tom Hanks. I saw that movie 'Turner and Hooch' at least 50 times. It took all my guts to go up to him. I went up to him, I was like, 'Can I have a picture?' We talked acting; he wanted to know what I was doing. We talked a little tennis. I mean, he knew all about myself and my sister.

My dad is a marketing mastermind.

I've never dated anybody. It's good to get experience under your belt but you should never get wild or go crazy. If I can't see myself with this person for life -- I can't be bothered. I can't waste my time. I have some really good men friends but I believe in no sex before marriage. No fornicating. Stuff like that. I really believe in that. I mean, I'm not perfect. It's hard to live by the Bible standards but I'm really comfortable with me.

I'm an unbelievable designer. I don't know how I know and just do these things. I just start sketching and then I just know the colors and I always know the forecast. I know green and purple are going to be hot. I was born to be a designer. I worked hard to be a tennis player, I don't work hard to be a designer.

Tennis just a game, family is forever.

I'm an unbelievable designer.

There's always another record, then there's always another person to catch up with or to pass.

When you lose, you get up, you make it better, you TRY AGAIN.

Dad thanks for leaning in by helping me become a role model for young girls.

I'm playing to around 30% of my potential - you'd be shocked at what I could do.

If Plan A isn't working, I have Plan B, Plan C, and even Plan D.

Luck has nothing to do with it.

If you smile things will work out.

I just hate to lose. When I am on the court, it is like my life depends on it.

I wish I could play like Roger Federer.

Everyone is from Russia. Sometimes I think I'm from Russia, too. All these new Ovas. I don't know anyone. I don't really recognise anyone. That's just how it is. I think my name must be Williamsova.

I think you have to love yourself before you fall in love. I'm still learning to love myself.

Everybody who plays me plays me so hard because they always want to beat me.

I'm an actress, model and athlete, and I'd put athlete third on the list.

I am basically a blazer. If I were a clothing item, I would be a legging and a blazer.

I've been involved with Berlei for almost my whole career. I actually discovered them well over 10 years ago, probably 2002 at least. My mom introduced me. She said, "Listen, you should try these bras." And I was like, "Really?" So I tried it and since then I've never worn another bra.

Venus [Williams] has an amazing line; I love her collection. I'm always at her office. She has an interior design company and her EleVen company. They have a wonderful office space and I'm always there for the interior part and get to see what she's doing with EleVen.

If I'm winning, I have to act like I'm not bored. If it's A tough match, I have to act like I'm having A good time. I'm a drama queen.

I never left my roots. You can identify me as someone that didn't become high and mighty. Humility is a defining [trait] all of us can forever learn, and I try to be as humble as anyone can be.

For the younger sisters, we always look up to the older sisters because they're always ahead of us and they always win.

With my website, I'm really interactive. I've written a lot of things about me.

It's remarkable she [Venus Williams] plays at all, given her Sjögren's syndrome [an autoimmune disorder that can cause joint pain]. She's back, winning tournaments. She didn't allow society to tell her, "You have this disease; you can't do that anymore." I look at her, like, "She's not playing at 100 percent. You are. You don't have excuses." Knowing what she went through helped me try to be a more positive person.

I love "Phenomenal Woman." The experiences she had of being African American in the U.S. - that itself is a task. I appreciate the hardships Maya Angelou went through for our generation. I'm super influenced by the black people that paved the way for us.

Nothing comes to a sleeper but a dream.

I really hope that I can be helpful in that journey because I do believe that women deserve the same pay. We work just as hard as men do. I've been working, playing tennis, since I was three years old. And to be paid less just because of my sex - it doesn't seem fair.

I always say if I play my best it's difficult to beat me

My smile is my favorite part of my body. I think a smile can make your whole body.

I'm a high-performance athlete: I'm running, I'm sprinting, I'm sliding, I'm doing pretty much everything and the last thing I want to worry about is my chest. I want to just worry about playing the sport at the highest level that I can.

Will I have to explain to my daughter that her brother is gonna make more money doing the exact same job because he's a man? If they both played sports since they were three years old, they both worked just as hard, but because he's a boy, they're gonna give him more money? Like, how am I gonna explain that to her? In tennis we've had great pioneers that paved the way - including Venus [Williams], who fought so hard for Wimbledon to pay women the same prize money they pay men, and Billie Jean King, who is one of the main reasons Title IX exists.

I went on the courts with just a ball and a racket and a hope...and that's all I had.

Victory is very, very sweet. It tastes better than any dessert you've ever had.

Am I the greatest? I don't know. I'm the greatest that I can be.

Growing up I wasn't the richest, but I had a rich family in spirit. Standing here with 19 championships is something I never thought would happen. I went on a court just with a ball and a racket and with a hope.

I think I can improve a lot. I think I can get a lot better. I feel like there's much, much more I can do.

I just never give up. I fight to the end. You can't go out and say, 'I want a bag of never-say-die spirit.' It's not for sale. It has to be innate.

I think in life you should work on yourself until the day you die.

You have to believe in yourself when no one else does.

It's me, and I love me. I learned to love me. I've been like this my whole life, and I embrace me. I love how I look. I love that I'm a full woman and I'm strong and I'm powerful and I'm beautiful at the same time. There's nothing wrong with that.

I always believe I can beat the best, achieve the best. I always see myself in the top position.

Think of all the girls who could become top athletes but quit sports because they're afraid of having too many defined muscles and being made fun of or called unattractive.

I don't like to lose-at anything... Yet I've grown most not from victories, but setbacks. If winning is God's reward, then losing is how he teaches us.

You just have to prove to yourself that you can go out there and be the best that you can be and not prove anything to anyone.

I am lucky that whatever fear I have inside me, my desire to win is always stronger.

With a defeat, when you lose, you get up, you make it better, you try again. That's what I do in life, when I get down, when I get sick, I don't want to just stop. I keep going and I try to do more. Everyone always says never give up but you really have to take that to heart and really do never definitely give up. Keep trying.

The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you're very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble.

I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall