“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 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.

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 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.

Put out the good and keep the bad – don’t believe all you read in the Bible.

I must have been out of my mind to believe pain wouldn’t leave any scars.

I used to believe that living is doing, moving, getting. But, there is life in staying still. A bird is a bird even when she isn’t flying.

Everything was not lost. This was the message we needed to carry forward. It’s what I truly believed. It wasn’t ideal, but it was our reality—the world as it is. We needed now to be resolute, to keep our feet pointed in the direction of progress.

It should not be believed that all beings exist for the sake of the existence of man. On the contrary, all the other beings too have been intended for their own sakes and not for the sake of anything else.

I believe a time will come when an opportunity will be offered to abolish this lamentable evil.

Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don’t believe is right.

I do believe that in order to be a successful negotiator that as a diplomat, you have to be able to put yourself into the other person’s shoes.