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

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 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’m really exciting. I smile a lot, I win a lot, and I’m really sexy.

If you smile things will work out.

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

I wish I could play like Roger Federer.

If anything, you know, I think losing makes me even more motivated.

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

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.

If you have a clear idea of a soul, you will have a clear idea of a form; for it is of the same genus, though a different species.

I wonder how different the world would be if we all said what we meant and meant what we said? – speak up.

My experience of singing, as an actor, was that there’s a different creative feeling of freedom. The acting thing is a bit more defined and cerebral. I can see why people would want to cross over. If you have so much freedom on stage then perhaps you want to be confined a bit, and vice versa.

People aren’t quite sure what it means when a book is a Booker Prize winner. They’re not quite sure what is being recommended, what literary values it stands for, because every year it stands for something different.

My heart beats differently for you.

Be in control. Know who you are. And don’t try to be different just to be different.

I can’t talk you in terms of time –your time and my time are different

You have to use fantasy to show different sides to reality. That’s how it can bend.