It wasn't like I was self-motivated. My dad started me. It was his dream before it was mine.

Of course, I want to be number one. But being happy and healthy is the most important thing.

When you're on top, you're on top.

If you're not a competitor, you've just got to go home.

I don't come to tournaments to make friends, to go to parties, to hold conversations. I come to be the best, and I'm not mean and cruel and dirty.

When you lose, you're more motivated. When you win, you fail to see your mistakes and probably no one can tell you anything.

I'd like to imagine that in order to beat me a person would have to play almost perfect tennis.

I always like to win. But I'm the big sister. I want to make sure she has everything, even if I don't have anything. It's hard. I love her too much. That's what counts.

Some people say that I have an attitude- Maybe I do. But I think that you have to. You have to believe in yourself when no one else does- that makes you a winner right there.

It wasn't like I was self-motivated. My dad started me. It was his dream before it was mine.

'Oh and Oh' is a tennis term... It's a nice way of saying you took your opponent to pieces.

A lot of times when you play... you get this adrenalin that blocks pain.

A lot of times, I don't just do juice; I do the whole thing blended to keep the fiber.

After working so hard on the court, I find that snacks help me avoid late-afternoon energy lows.

All those lessons that I've learned on the court, I have applied them to my life outside of the court in business, my company, called V Starr interiors, an interior design company, and EleVen, which I wear on court.

As an athlete and as a woman, I get my confidence from playing sports because it shifts your focus from what your body looks like to what your body can do for you. That's what we all should be doing. It shouldn't be about looking perfect.

As far as everyone else's opinion, I mean, if I would have thought that everyone was right, I probably wouldn't have left Compton, so I don't get too caught up on what the next person thinks.

As long as we set up equality, we'll go in the right direction.

Athletes, like everyone else, at times take supplements but just have to consult your doctors and work on that. It's a process, but it's achievable... It's my job to be healthy.

Early in the morning, it's super tough for me to eat right away, but I still need energy for practice. I try to start out with a protein smoothie, a green juice, or some sort of fruit.

Equality for men and women, across the world, not only in sports, is the goal. We obviously have a long way to go, but every little bit helps.

Everyone is always working on their body and trying to make it the best that they possibly can. That's what I do every single day, mostly for performance, but also just for me.

Everyone makes their own comments. That's how rumors get started.

Everything is tennis for me, it's my career and it's entertainment, but it's also a business.

For me, being part of the WTA tour is a privilege. Every day I wake up, it's a privilege to be able to go outside and do what I love. It's a privilege to be able to make my own hours, even though they're long, but I make them.

For years I felt that I didn't have enough stamina and then, four years ago, I felt like I was not getting enough air but I was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma. The medicine for asthma never worked.

Grand Slam losses are hard. I treat myself after losses though, I usually go to McDonald's and I have a hamburger and you know, something. Because you know, you just need to be nice to yourself sometimes after the loss.

Growing up, I'd just be at home, playing tennis, spending my allowance on an ice-cream truck.

I always eat a huge breakfast on match days even though my stomach hates it.

I always show up to the office sweaty! I'll come in between workouts in a tennis skirt drenched in sweat. The only time that I actually look presentable is at meetings.

I always thought of it like, 'What can my body do for me?' and not, 'How do I look?'

I believe that athletes - especially female athletes in the world's leading sport for women - should serve as role models.

I contribute my best in my sport and I also have a ton of respect for myself and my family.

I do expect a lot from myself, but it's also a balance of being... positive and also pushing yourself.

I don't carry a purse when I fly because I have my Hello Kitty carry-on. I'm the biggest adult supporter.

I don't even know what my favourite food is anymore, as they are all such bad foods!

I don't focus on what I'm up against. I focus on my goals and I try to ignore the rest.

I don't have time for easy. Tennis is just hard.

I don't have time to be negative.

I don't snack a lot, because I didn't grow up snacking.

I don't think anyone feels older. You have this infinity inside you that feels like it could go on forever.

I don't think anyone wants to look in the mirror and say, 'I'm anti-woman.' They don't see themselves that way, and you can't treat them that way. But you have to tell the truth.

I eat lots of vegetables and green juices.

I guess rumors are more exciting than the truth.

I guess some kids around me had to grow up quickly, had all those problems. But I wasn't one of those kids, or around those kids, not at all.

I guess tennis is my main art, but fashion is definitely very close.

I had skate wing in London. I had mine grilled with lemon and herbs, and it was the perfect seasoning for that fish.

I have a lot of good role models in my family for things off the court - like my older sister, who's a lawyer. I don't like writing papers, but she's helped me a lot. It's nice to have an art and business background because they tie together perfectly.

I have always said that after sport, I wanted a life, I wanted an opportunity, I wanted to be able to do something. And if something happens - the economy falls out or the dollar is worthless, anything could happen - you have to be ready to work. And I'm ready.