“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 don’t want to end my career and then start something. I like to do something while my career is still hot and I’ve always enjoyed designing.

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

Nothing comes to a sleeper but a dream.

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’m a perfectionist. I’m pretty much insatiable. I feel there’s so many things I can improve on.

Tennis just a game, family is forever.

I’ve always been a fighter and I’ve always fought through things my whole life.

I feel as a brand I’m here to be around for a long time.

I’m Serena Williams on the court, but away I have so many different names. I call myself Butterfly.

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

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 love who I am, and I encourage other people to love and embrace who they are. But it definitely wasn’t easy – it took me a while.

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

I don’t know if I’ve had my share of drama, but I’ve definitely had my share of hard times.

I welcome criticism. I come from a – I wouldn’t say mean, but you’ve got to have tough skin to be in my family.

Mental health and family above all things. Period.

I have to live my life. I have a family and I just think it’s absurd to let other people influence the way you live.

Let your family, staff, and friends know that you’re still the same person, despite all the publicity and notoriety that accompanies your position.

Family is everything. Family comes first. It’s not what I expected it to be, but nothing ever is.

I try to keep my kids with me everywhere I go.

I’m committed to my family.

For me, marriage was more like a full-on merger, a reconfiguring of two lives into one, with the well-being of a family taking precedence over any one agenda or goal.