The 19 most memorable, inspirational and controversial Serena Williams quotes
1. “I prefer the word ‘one of the greatest athletes of all time.'”
– in response to a reporter’s 2016 question asking what she thinks of being called “one of the greatest female athletes of all time”
2. “That’s just her problem. She’s always been the type of person– she says things, just speaks her mind. I guess it has a little bit to do without having a formal education. But you just have to somehow think more; you have to use your brain a little more in the tennis world.”
– at the 1999 U.S. Open, burning Martina Hingis after she said Serena’s father, Richard, had a “big mouth”
3. “Nothing about me right now is perfect. But I’m perfectly Serena.”
– to Time in a 2018 cover story
4. “I always play everyone at their greatest, so I have to be greater.”
– to reporters after losing 2018 Wimbledon final to Angie Kerber
5. “I’m there to do a job, not to make friends, but I’m not there to make enemies.”
– to Rolling Stone, 2013
6. “Excuse me. That ball was soooo in. What the heck is this? It was not out. Do I need to speak another language?”
– to chair umpire Maria Alves after a series of incorrect calls went against her in a 2004 U.S. Open semifinal against Jennifer Capriati, an event that eventually led to the adoption of the Hawk-Eye replay system.
7. ”Don’t, Venus. You’re making me cry.”
– in the post-match trophy ceremony at the historic 2001 U.S. Open final, when Serena lost to Venus in the first primetime Grand Slam final in history. Venus had said she always wants Serena to win. “I’m the bigger sister,” she said said, “I love her.”
8. “I will never lose to that little [expletive] again.”
– according to Maria Sharapova’s autobiography, Serena told this to a friend following her shock defeat to the 17-year-old Russian in the 2005. Serena hasn’t lost to Sharapova in 14 years, racking up 18-straight wins in the “rivalry.”
9. “My first Grand Slam started here, and getting to 23 here, but playing Venus, it’s stuff that legends are made of. I couldn’t have written a better story.”
– after defeating her sister, Venus, to win the 2017 Australian Open, her record 23rd Grand Slam title, passing Steffi Graf. Weeks later, Serena would reveal she’d been eight weeks pregnant during the match.
10. “I think that’s usually the case with me, that it’s for me to win or lose.”
– following a loss in the 2007 U.S. Open final to Justine Henin, whom she said “made a lot of lucky shots and I made a lot of errors.”
11. “Magical.”
– describing her 2008 season, in which she came back from a 3.5-year slump during which she fell out of the top 125 and made the final of just one Grand Slam tournament, before storming back with an appearance in the Wimbledon final capped by a U.S. Open win over world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic.
12. “Don’t even look at me. You’re a hater. You’re very unattractive inside.
– to chair umpire Eva Asderaki during the 2011 U.S. Open final when Asderaki (correctly) called Serena for a hindrance in a match she was losing to eventual champion Sam Stosur.
13. “I Won’t Be Silent.”
– in a 2016 Facebook message addressing the Black Lives Matter movement. Serena was describing the fear she felt when she saw a police officer as her teenagednephew was driving her around. “He’s so innocent,” she said.
14. “There are people who live, breathe and dress tennis. I mean, seriously, give it a rest. She begins every interview with ‘I’m so happy. I’m so lucky’ – it’s so boring. She’s still not going to be invited to the cool parties. And, hey, if she wants to be with the guy with a black heart, go for it.”
– to Rolling Stone, in a comment widely assumed to be about Maria Sharapova and Serena’s rumored ex-boyfriend, Grigor Dimitrov, 2013
15. “I swear to God I’ll [expletive] take the ball and shove it down your [expletive] throat.”
– in a venomous tirade directed toward a lineswoman who called Serena for a foot fault as she was moments from losing a 2009 U.S. Open semifinal to Kim Clijsters.
16. “I am lucky that whatever fear I have inside me, my desire to win is always stronger.”
– in a Time essay about her 2015 return to Indian Wells, 14 years after she and Venus were subjected to racist comments and accusations of match fixing, which led to a lengthy boycott by the sisters.
17. “I love me. I’ve learned to love me. I’ve been like this my whole life and I embrace me. I love how I look. I am a full woman and I’m strong, and I’m powerful, and I’m beautiful at the same time.”
– taking on body shamers in a 2013 interview with ESPN.
18. “Unfortunately the girl I played just outplayed me that day.”
– not deigning mention the name of Roberta Vinci, the woman who ended Serena’s hopes for the Grand Slam with a victory over her in the 2015 U.S. Open semifinal.
19. “It’s our ambition to just take over tennis.”
– in 2000, when the sisters were in the midst of winning three of five Slams (their first ever) and pulling a Williams-sisters double at the Olympics, winning doubles gold with Venus taking home the gold in singles.
1. “I prefer the word ‘one of the greatest athletes of all time.'”
– in response to a reporter’s 2016 question asking what she thinks of being called “one of the greatest female athletes of all time”
2. “That’s just her problem. She’s always been the type of person– she says things, just speaks her mind. I guess it has a little bit to do without having a formal education. But you just have to somehow think more; you have to use your brain a little more in the tennis world.”
– at the 1999 U.S. Open, burning Martina Hingis after she said Serena’s father, Richard, had a “big mouth”
3. “Nothing about me right now is perfect. But I’m perfectly Serena.”
– to Time in a 2018 cover story
4. “I always play everyone at their greatest, so I have to be greater.”
– to reporters after losing 2018 Wimbledon final to Angie Kerber
5. “I’m there to do a job, not to make friends, but I’m not there to make enemies.”
– to Rolling Stone, 2013
6. “Excuse me. That ball was soooo in. What the heck is this? It was not out. Do I need to speak another language?”
– to chair umpire Maria Alves after a series of incorrect calls went against her in a 2004 U.S. Open semifinal against Jennifer Capriati, an event that eventually led to the adoption of the Hawk-Eye replay system.
7. ”Don’t, Venus. You’re making me cry.”
– in the post-match trophy ceremony at the historic 2001 U.S. Open final, when Serena lost to Venus in the first primetime Grand Slam final in history. Venus had said she always wants Serena to win. “I’m the bigger sister,” she said said, “I love her.”
8. “I will never lose to that little [expletive] again.”
– according to Maria Sharapova’s autobiography, Serena told this to a friend following her shock defeat to the 17-year-old Russian in the 2005. Serena hasn’t lost to Sharapova in 14 years, racking up 18-straight wins in the “rivalry.”
9. “My first Grand Slam started here, and getting to 23 here, but playing Venus, it’s stuff that legends are made of. I couldn’t have written a better story.”
– after defeating her sister, Venus, to win the 2017 Australian Open, her record 23rd Grand Slam title, passing Steffi Graf. Weeks later, Serena would reveal she’d been eight weeks pregnant during the match.
10. “I think that’s usually the case with me, that it’s for me to win or lose.”
– following a loss in the 2007 U.S. Open final to Justine Henin, whom she said “made a lot of lucky shots and I made a lot of errors.”
11. “Magical.”
– describing her 2008 season, in which she came back from a 3.5-year slump during which she fell out of the top 125 and made the final of just one Grand Slam tournament, before storming back with an appearance in the Wimbledon final capped by a U.S. Open win over world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic.
12. “Don’t even look at me. You’re a hater. You’re very unattractive inside.
– to chair umpire Eva Asderaki during the 2011 U.S. Open final when Asderaki (correctly) called Serena for a hindrance in a match she was losing to eventual champion Sam Stosur.
13. “I Won’t Be Silent.”
– in a 2016 Facebook message addressing the Black Lives Matter movement. Serena was describing the fear she felt when she saw a police officer as her teenagednephew was driving her around. “He’s so innocent,” she said.
14. “There are people who live, breathe and dress tennis. I mean, seriously, give it a rest. She begins every interview with ‘I’m so happy. I’m so lucky’ – it’s so boring. She’s still not going to be invited to the cool parties. And, hey, if she wants to be with the guy with a black heart, go for it.”
– to Rolling Stone, in a comment widely assumed to be about Maria Sharapova and Serena’s rumored ex-boyfriend, Grigor Dimitrov, 2013
15. “I swear to God I’ll [expletive] take the ball and shove it down your [expletive] throat.”
– in a venomous tirade directed toward a lineswoman who called Serena for a foot fault as she was moments from losing a 2009 U.S. Open semifinal to Kim Clijsters.
16. “I am lucky that whatever fear I have inside me, my desire to win is always stronger.”
– in a Time essay about her 2015 return to Indian Wells, 14 years after she and Venus were subjected to racist comments and accusations of match fixing, which led to a lengthy boycott by the sisters.
17. “I love me. I’ve learned to love me. I’ve been like this my whole life and I embrace me. I love how I look. I am a full woman and I’m strong, and I’m powerful, and I’m beautiful at the same time.”
– taking on body shamers in a 2013 interview with ESPN.
18. “Unfortunately the girl I played just outplayed me that day.”
– not deigning mention the name of Roberta Vinci, the woman who ended Serena’s hopes for the Grand Slam with a victory over her in the 2015 U.S. Open semifinal.
19. “It’s our ambition to just take over tennis.”
– in 2000, when the sisters were in the midst of winning three of five Slams (their first ever) and pulling a Williams-sisters double at the Olympics, winning doubles gold with Venus taking home the gold in singles.
