Venus Williams Quotations

Some people say I have attitude - maybe I do... but I think you have to. You have to believe in yourself when no one else does - that makes you a winner right there.

It wasn't like I was self-motivated. My dad started me. It was his dream before it was mine.

I don't carry a purse when I fly because I have my Hello Kitty carry-on. I'm the biggest adult supporter.

I have been recently diagnosed with Sjogren's Syndrome, an autoimmune disease which is an ongoing medical condition that affects my energy level and causes fatigue and joint pain.

I always like to win. But I'm the big sister. I want to make sure she has everything, even if I don't have anything. It's hard. I love her too much. That's what counts.

Everyone makes their own comments. That's how rumors get started.

I guess rumors are more exciting than the truth.

Rain is good for me. I feel like I achieve clarity actually when it rains. The longer I have to sit and wait, the clearer my game becomes to me.

The thing about tennis is if you stay off for two weeks, or just for three days, you can lose your rhythm quickly. So it's just a question of constant diligence and vigilance.

The principle of the design - the harmony, rhythm and balance are all the same with interior and fashion design.

Of course, I want to be number one. But being happy and healthy is the most important thing.

Tennis is mostly mental. Of course, you must have a lot of physical skill, but you can't play tennis well and not be a good thinker. You win or lose the match before you even go out there.

I don't focus on what I'm up against. I focus on my goals and I try to ignore the rest.

My first job is big sister and I take that very seriously.

I tend to be slim and you know, I actually can lose weight quicker than I can gain it.

Unfortunately the world is what it is now. People don't get along for whatever reason. As professional athletes, in a way we're almost ambassadors for peace, because sports brings everyone together.

In the sports arena I would say there is nothing like training and preparation. You have to train your mind as much as your body.

When you lose, you're more motivated. When you win, you fail to see your mistakes and probably no one can tell you anything.

I'm this overachiever type, I'll just work and work and I'll just do it over and over and over again.

My style is kind of eclectic and I don't like to do the same thing over and over again. I like to have fun and explore myself so you won't see the same design.

I knew my destiny was to be in the winner's circle. There were times along the way where I didn't make it there. But I felt my destiny was definitely to win big titles, win lots of titles.

My goal is always the same: to keep the other player from ever scoring a point. That doesn't always happen, but that's what I try for.

My motto has always been that you can't say, 'Oh, it won't happen to me.' You have to say, 'That can happen to me.' So always be aware that things can happen.

The day I'm not improving will be the day I hang up the racket.

Some people say that I have an attitude- Maybe I do. But I think that you have to. You have to believe in yourself when no one else does- that makes you a winner right there.

Losses have propelled me to even bigger places, so I understand the importance of losing. You can never get complacent because a loss is always around the corner. It's in any game that you're in - a business game or whatever - you can't get complacent.

I just try to stay positive and focused on the tennis, not let anything get to me, like crazy questions. But I'm tough, let me tell you, tough as nails.

I'm only seeing tennis balls these days. And maybe the occasional fashion sketch.

All those lessons that I've learned on the court, I have applied them to my life outside of the court in business, my company, called V Starr interiors, an interior design company, and EleVen, which I wear on court.

Life is challenging but I'm always up for a challenge.

If the sun comes up, I have a chance.

My ambition is to enjoy my life and to do exactly what I want to do. And I'll do that. I will be free.

You can never get complacent because a loss is always around the corner.

If I didn't play tennis I don't know where I'd be.

I say accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. If you don't accessorize, someone else will.

'Oh and Oh' is a tennis term... It's a nice way of saying you took your opponent to pieces.

I contribute my best in my sport and I also have a ton of respect for myself and my family.

I think nowadays it's so easy as an athlete to become a statistic whether or not you lose everything or having trouble or whatever it may be.

If you're not a competitor, you've just got to go home.

I know it's not the most important thing for me to win the most Grand Slams and be remembered in this world. I certainly don't have to win little tournaments here, there and everywhere, I don't have to win at all. Although I do want to.

A lot of times when you play... you get this adrenalin that blocks pain.

If you look at me, I'm very tall but I'm not huge or muscular. I tend to be slim and you know, I actually can lose weight quicker than I can gain it.

Everything is tennis for me, it's my career and it's entertainment, but it's also a business.

I guess tennis is my main art, but fashion is definitely very close.

I'd like to imagine that in order to beat me a person would have to play almost perfect tennis.

I'm always on the court with my dad.

I'm not a trend person. I don't want to look to my right and see somebody in the same thing.

You have to stay on top and learn from mistakes.

Grand Slam losses are hard. I treat myself after losses though, I usually go to McDonald's and I have a hamburger and you know, something. Because you know, you just need to be nice to yourself sometimes after the loss.

As far as everyone else's opinion, I mean, if I would have thought that everyone was right, I probably wouldn't have left Compton, so I don't get too caught up on what the next person thinks.

Serena and I have done some great career planning, and we're playing really at the peak of our tennis right now. I think tennis has been a sport where people play this insane schedule from 14 years old, so of course at 26, it's over. We've really paced ourselves.

Since I started playing at the Olympics in 2000, I have always wanted to do a dress based on Wonder Woman. It should be interesting to wear. And hopefully, it will get me a gold medal.

Sjogren's is something you live with your whole life. The good news for me is now I know what's happening after spending years not knowing... I feel like I can get better and move on.

The thing is, it's not good anyway for eight-year-olds to be out there playing tennis tournaments so soon in their lives. But when I did get to play in a tournament, when I was nine, I was overjoyed.

It's what I've trained for, from the first sketch to the fabric. Making dresses that are different from the usual style, and a lot of fun to wear.

I don't come to tournaments to make friends, to go to parties, to hold conversations. I come to be the best, and I'm not mean and cruel and dirty.

I wear a lot of tight dresses, so I'm like, 'I need to do my sit-ups!'

To stay interested in tennis, I have to mix it up with other things.

I guess some kids around me had to grow up quickly, had all those problems. But I wasn't one of those kids, or around those kids, not at all.

If I don't wear something I feel confident in, I don't play as well.

Like anyone else, I enjoy my days off.

No TV, no acting for me. I'm kind of a more behind-the-scenes kind of woman even though what I do is very public. I'm really low-key and I don't need to be the center of attention.

Right now, I'm at the top of the world in my game so my focus isn't on when I'm going to end. My focus is on playing the best tennis that I can, and there is no end to that.

I think I've been fortunate to be at the top of the game and in the media for years, and a lot of times, people want to be your friend when you're on the top. You know, there have been times when I've been injured and I never got a phone call. So that's the way it is.

My dresses are designed to win, so going through it, I think about, what do I want to represent? So, definitely, Vera Wang has been an inspiration for me.

For years I felt that I didn't have enough stamina and then, four years ago, I felt like I was not getting enough air but I was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma. The medicine for asthma never worked.

The big push for me is the Olympics this year. If I'm healthy, I'm not worried about my ranking. I think I can hit the ball. It's just about my body cooperating. It's about being able to play matches in a row. Right now, I'm not sure how much I can do with that, but we'll see.

We both like to dictate and control the point, even though we have different styles. I guess it'll be like old times.

When you come out in these conditions, you never know what will happen. These were the windiest conditions I ever played in.

When you come out in these conditions, you never know what will happen, ... These were the windiest conditions I ever played in.

Life is good, ... I've been able to see the other side of life a little more, but I'm really eager to get back and I'm really eager to be traveling and doing my thing that I'm used to doing.

She's obviously a great player, doing things on the court that amazing, ... She's motivating other people all over the world to do their best both on the court and off the court, so I think it will be really cool and I regard her.

She's definitely on the verge of more great things, for sure.

She's definitely a little more fiery than I am, ... I keep it a little more even-keel.

She always comes out with her best game against me, ... I feel like I'll definitely be able to play better on, what will it be, Tuesday. I'm looking forward to it. Serena's promised to help me get my game together.

She doesn't know that I have a food taster.

She played fairly consistently. I probably shouldn't have made so many mistakes. I'll remember not to next time.

She played a very aggressive game. I don't think I had an opportunity really to get a rhythm. I would have liked to have hit more balls, but it was OK.

My doctors and trainers have advised me that my leg needs to fully recover in order for me to play at the level that I'm accustomed to playing.

My health is okay. My experience will carry me even though I didn't play that many tournaments this summer. I'm mentally prepared.

My hip was hurting, and I couldn't move like I wanted to,

No, I don't really watch the news. In some ways, I'm very unaware of the latest happenings in the world. I kind of leave it like that because sometimes it's better not to know.

Obviously, if Serena was No. 60 in the world, not a huge threat, it would be completely different, and the same for me, vice versa,

I guess I shouldn't expect anything less from Serena Williams.

I did rehab and tried to get better the best that I could. I wasn't playing at 100 percent ? preparation or health ? and I didn't want to come back until I knew I could do that.

I'd like to achieve health the whole year, stay strong and stay healthy and avoid the viruses,

I am fully fit. If I wasn't fully fit, I would still say I'm fully fit, so I'm fully fit.

I am very disappointed to withdraw. But I feel like I need more time before I am able to compete at the highest level.

I have a lot of respect for her. She was my favorite player growing up. That's why I started grunting; I wanted to be like Monica.

I felt like I had an opportunity at 5-3 to break, but I didn't get that, ... Then 5-4, I had a pretty bad service game, two double faults. I think Serena had like a monster return or two that I couldn't do anything with, which happens if you're playing Serena Williams. At that point it was just all about sticking in there.

I feel like when I'm trying to step it up, I will. I feel like I can get the best out of me,

I feel like I played well, it was one of my best matches this year, everything's getting better.

I don't think Serena had her best day,

Having the opportunity to represent your country is such an honor. I'm looking forward to some great competition and hope to bring home a victory for the U.S.

Her racket is actually fragile -- powerful but fragile,

I was in pain, it was really tough to move and I couldn't move fast. But I really wanted to stay on court because this is my only preparation for the Australian Open. I had to do my best to stay out there so I had to do the right things within my power.

just show up at the Slams and play.

I think it's something that they can fix. I was in pain. It was really tough to move and I couldn't move fast.

It has always been a thrill to play near my home, and I deeply regret that I will not have the opportunity to compete at the Nasdaq-100 Open this year. My rehabilitation continues to progress, and I look forward to returning to competition in the very near future.

I think the wind was definitely a test today, ... It was deathly windy. It's easy to fumble and self-destruct in those kind of conditions. I tried to add more spin, take some off the serve, try to get the first serve in... not go for too much, but of course still play the right shots, try to move forward and be aggressive.