“I’m an athlete and I’m black, and a lot of black athletes go broke. I do not want to become a statistic, so maybe I overcompensate. But I’m paranoid. Oprah told me a long time ago, ‘You sign every check. Never let anyone sign any checks.’”

Since I don’t look like every other girl, it takes a while to be okay with that. To be different. But different is good.

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

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.

If you can keep playing tennis when somebody is shooting a gun down the street, that’s concentration.

Luck has nothing to do with it, because I have spent many, many hours, countless hours, on the court working for my one moment in time, not knowing when it would come.

My smile is my favorite part of my body. I think a smile can make your whole body. I want women to know that it’s ok. That you can be whatever size you are and be beautiful inside and out.

I decided I can’t pay a person to rewind time, so I may as well get over it.

I always ask my dad why wasn’t I a lefty? Even when I was younger I wanted to be lefty. I could have been really good.

I like to wear classic silhouettes and add a punch to it. I’ll wear a high-waist legging and a super-crop top or a see-through top with a nice bra underneath. And I just always try to mix it up with heels or something.

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.

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.

As an athlete, when you are on that field and the fans get really engaged and you can feel their energy and passion and true love of the game, it is absolutely a spiritual experience.

I think you can just go out and try to be the best you can be, deal with people with respect, with honesty, with integrity, have a high moral standard. I’ve always really tried to exemplify that as an athlete. I’ll continue to try to do that.

I don’t know about politics so much. I’m a professional athlete.

I love to experiment with my looks and dresses on and off the court because I love to turn out very well. But, I must add here that just good-looking athletes can’t do anything for their sport.

I love what I do and I love being an athlete, but I also love all the things that have come with it.

I’m an athlete. I go out there and fight my heart out.

The great thing about having a pool in L.A. is that I can use it year-round. And since I’ve always been an athlete, staying fit is very important.

As athletes, we’re always going to have aches and pains, but when your teammates cheer you on, you don’t think about it.