Serena

I went pro, officially, in 1995.

It does seem like a long time, but I started out so young.

I was 14.

I'm 33, but I'm not ready to be done yet.

I have too much to accomplish.

Can I get some lemonade?

'I just won my 20th Grand Slam.'

And what am I going to do?

I'm going to Disney World on my computer.

And I'm going to watch The Little Mermaid!

LAUGHTER

Why am I breaking out?

Stress!

I've worked 30 years for this.

30 years. And if I'm not ready now, I'm never going to be ready.

Of course I feel pressure.

But Billie Jean King told me pressure is a privilege.

And I have to look at it, like, would you rather not be the best?

Or would you rather be on the verge of doing something special?

And she's done it!

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

Serena Williams is Wimbledon champion.

Chip!

Christopher Chip Rafael Nadal, come here.

He don't know where to go.

Good boy. He know when I say his full name, I mean business.

It's so hot.

It's so hot.

Oh, I can't.

Hey, Grant.

Oh, God, what did I call you for?

Oh, man. I do this every...

-Don't forget your lunch.

-I'm not.

I will...

Once I hang up, I'll remember.

It's unbelievable. I'll call you back.

When you hit too many forehands, you start to forget things.

My whole life, I've hated working out.

-You're going to reach behind your head to come here.

-Yeah.

So if I don't want to practise tennis every day for four hours,

I'll maybe only practise for two hours and then do something else

for a couple of hours.

For me, it balances it out.

-Did my pants rip?

-Yep.

-LAUGHTER

The show must go on.

# I can show you the world

# Shining, shimmering splendid

# A whole new world... #

SHE STRUGGLES

Woo!

-OK.

-And then do a spin.

Venus and I still live together.

In fact, I've been living with her for 33 years of my life.

We started out in Compton.

My dad and my mom were always taking us out to the courts

and teaching us tennis.

Really, my whole family was there, there was my sister,

there was my dad.

He's the reason, I mean, we even play tennis.

He has been my coach since as long as I can remember,

but he finally decided to retire.

Now he gets to just be our dad.

We both have new coaches now that we are in our thirties.

But whenever I am headed into Grand Slams,

it's the lessons from my dad that I remember.

Not bad.

That's a great shot.

You know when you went forehand cross? No? You played down the line,

and you played the forehand cross. Do you remember?

This one, you have to look for a better angle.

When the other plays short, that's the moment you come in.

Game over. So...

Patrick gets me.

He understands my game, he understands me emotionally.

We are so in tune with each other

that if I wasn't working with Patrick,

I don't think I could ever...

If it wasn't my dad, I don't think I could ever work with anyone else.

I know I couldn't.

Just go tac, tac, hop... Boom.

For me, Serena was the ultimate champion, has always been.

So if you would have asked me, "Who would you love to work with?"

-Yes.

-I would say Serena Williams.

Good. Very good.

Woof!

When I started with her,

I started to work with someone who was 30 years old,

with a 13-year career already.

But at that special moment,

she was struggling.

She didn't always have the results she wanted.

So my goal was to make her win more, better, longer,

improve her game, and break records.

The results are good, she is beating a lot of records.

There are a few more to break.

Will we do it or not?

I don't have the crystal ball,

-but you shut up and you work.

-Right.

Try this one on.

-I love this!

-I know you love it.

You can just keep it.

Hey!

-Hi, Momma!

-There she is.

Jill's been a huge part of my team,

and our career kind of raised together, you know.

She was a young agent coming up and I was a tennis player coming up

and, you know, we took a chance with each other.

I like your joggers.

-Why are you rolling your eyes?

-I'm not!

-Yeah, you did.

-What don't you like?

-I didn't roll my eyes.

-What don't you like?

-OK.

OK, be real.

I mean, the pants...

-You don't like the pants?

-No, the pants are good!

-You like the pants?

-I... That's the type of pants Jill wears.

-That doesn't mean that...!

-LAUGHTER

You know what, y'all...?

I make fun of Jill a lot and we play around a lot,

but she's there for the ups and the downs.

Like when I was in the hospital...

..she slept in the hospital with me.

So that kind of sums up our relationship with Jill.

'You know, it's like a giant family.

'You love, you fight, you battle, you pick.'

'But everything is done to make, you know...'

"Serena Inc" be the best that it could be, so that on the court,

she's the best that she can be.

So, my knee hurts so bad.

Your left one?

Agh!

Before the tournament, we need to prepare her body.

Right now, Serena, she's not perfect.

Like, she is 33 years old, and at that age,

you've had a lot of injuries and it affected a lot your body.

Most of the athletes retire around that age.

Her work is so intense, so stressful, so hard,

like, physically, mentally,

so, of course, the pressure is higher, yeah.

Usually, she is very dangerous in the first round.

It's like she wants to enter really strong in advance.

Always, she wants... Boom.

So, Serena Williams, very comfortable in her opening match.

After a very slow start,

Serena finds a way to get through this second-round match.

You know what? Maybe that's the kind of match she needs for the next round, Azarenka.

Azarenka, she's a really good player,

maybe one of the three favourites of the tournament.

Look at this!

Serena knows she has to be 100%.

Every time you lose, a little bit, your focus, you are in danger.

It was called out.

They're going to take a look.

I thought it caught. We will see.

-And they are confirming...

-It says good.

One thing about me, if someone makes me angry,

then that's when the switch flips.

Most people, when they get angry, they start to miss more.

I start to actually make more.

Come on!

CHEERING

Does she never just allow herself to think she's going to lose?

I don't know how I channel that.

I don't know how, when I'm angry, I play better.

If I'm down and I'm, like, "I'm about to lose this match,"

then I start talking to myself.

If I'm going to lose, I'm going to lose doing what I should be doing.

I know I should move up, I know I should attack the short balls.

Yes.

Serena Williams, again, finds a way to turn the match around.

You know, all these little details, when I'm angry,

I start to do that.

Another display of good power tennis by Serena.

On to the semifinals.

I don't quite understand it, no more than anyone else does.

I'm still confused with who I am, at times, on the court.

SHE GROANS

I hope I don't have the flu. It's one thing to be sick,

and it's another to have the flu.

-'Hello?'

-Hey, Lyn.

'Hey, how are you feeling?'

I feel a little worse. What are you guys doing?

'You feel a little worse?'

Yeah.

'Do you need us to come make you some lemon tea or something?'

Yeah. Where's Mom?

'Just gone to get oranges and lemons.

'And Mom's going to come over and make the tea.'

All right. Thanks, Lyn.

-'We'll get you ready. All right. Love you.'

-Love you.

-'Bye.'

I can't believe I have a match tomorrow.

This is, like, you know...

Whitney Houston's, like, "You have one moment in time,"

and I'd hate for it to be ruined because I'm sick.

It's three to one, usually, Serena, when I do this.

-Oh, really? Three oranges to one lemon?

-Yes.

Getting your workout today, aren't you?!

-That's how you juice it!

-This is a tough one.

This smells really nice.

Oh, it's hot.

I know, I know. Just... You've got to do it.

You've got to suffer through.

-You got this.

-Didn't you make me do this in Australia?

Yes. Yes, but it was much hotter then.

Oh, my God.

-She was sick then, too?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

You're doing amazing.

Almost there. Almost there. 20 seconds.

Take a few more really deep breaths.

I'm so hot.

-TIMER PINGS

-Woohoo! You're done.

Oh, my gosh.

Yay!

That felt great.

Set for semifinal number two.

Serena Williams at the stage of a major

where she's been almost unbeatable in her career.

Serena's health has been a concern in the last few days. Darren.

Yeah, wandered out to her warm-up this morning, Chris,

and if you are looking to get an indication as to how

Serena was hitting the ball, this was not the warm-up to watch.

Let's hit some serves.

Then we come to the room and you relax.

SHE WHEEZES

OK, take this.

SHE COUGHS

SHE COUGHS

OK, two more, and then we stop.

-She doesn't look like herself out there right now.

-Dig deep, Serena!

And doesn't really seem engaged in the match.

And I don't know if that's...

She's not feeling well.

I mean... Like, it's hard for us.

I mean, fans, they go home and they forget.

Oh! There it is.

When it's a loss, you don't forget.

Serena Williams... Not thinking.

Not reacting. Yeah, not reacting quickly.

Serena...

looks terrible in this changeover.

Fighting back tears.

Bacsinszky now closing in on a big upset, in the moment of her career.

I mean, a lot of people, this is all they see.

The ferocity, the drive, the tennis player.

Bacsinszky's up a set and a break on Serena now.

But to know both sides of it and know how it affects her

when it's not a good result,

that's what has your heart burning.

She has something that I've seen only one time in my life.

I would call it a life instinct.

-When she is close to the taste of dying, I think...

-Yes.

..then she finds this energy and she becomes...

..incredible.

That's Serena Williams!

Did someone say she had the flu?!

Who is her doctor?!

I never count her out.

Ever.

And a chance to close it.

Whoa!

4-6, 6-3, 6-0.

The fourth match in this tournament she's lost the first set, did it again this match.

But came through.

Serena Williams!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

I was out there and I felt like I wasn't out there,

felt like I was watching someone else.

I never take my medicine when I tell myself.

So stupid.

You live and learn.

My whole body aches.

I'm sure. My whole body aches for the way you look like you feel.

Good girl, you fall asleep.

Rest well, that's all.

All right, love you, baby.

It has been as unique a two weeks

for this French Open for Serena Williams as one could imagine.

So close, several times, to being dealt another early exit.

Getting through two opponents, Azarenka and Stephens,

that were very talented.

I'm not sure we've ever seen a major where there's been as much doubt

that she'd make it to this championship set.

With that comes match point.

Serena Williams.

Mademoiselle Williams.

6-3, 6-7, 6-2.

Serena Williams!

20...

..and counting.

SHE IMITATES OPERA

THEY LAUGH

You're an idiot!

This is how you celebrate your 20th Grand Slam title.

Chinese food.

I just, like, want to take a deep breath and just, like...

..scream. This is the most anti-climactic celebration ever.

-But you guys are part of it!

-Yay!

-We're drinking water.

-Special.

-And I'm juicing.

I honestly think we've gone through over 60 oranges

-in the past three days.

-Really?

-Yep.

I can't believe I just won three in a row.

You can't, I can.

And everyone's, like, "Oh, you can win four."

I'm, like, "Guys, I just won three.

"That's pretty awesome for someone my age.

"So stop putting all this pressure on me."

-Is it bedtime?

-I think it's bedtime.

Right, buddy?

I just won my 20th Grand Slam.

And what am I going to do?

I'm going to Disney World on my computer.

And I'm going to watch The Little Mermaid!

LAUGHTER

Right, I mean...

It's a miracle.

A miracle.

Like, in a way, I don't feel like it's over.

It's not over. There's another tournament.

-Another Grand Slam soon.

-I know, but I just feel like...

..this was the most, you know, stressful,

physically and emotionally.

And I remember a Grand Slam being...

..you know, one that she won.

# ..wandering free

# Wish I could be part of that world... #

Serena Williams given a bye by her sister, Venus Williams,

who pulled out of their semifinal match.

Everybody out there is still very sceptical

about whether or not it was fixed or not.

I remember the whole stadium was 99% white people

and they were all booing.

There were racial slurs used.

It was loud. It was like this echo, echo.

It was so loud, I could feel it in my chest.

An American crowd booing an American family.

And you have to say that it does smack of a little bit of racism.

CLAMOUR OF CROWD

I was just a teenager and I just couldn't understand, what did I...?

I just couldn't understand why.

It was a horrible feeling to have to live through.

CROWD ERUPTS IN BOTH CHEERS AND BOOS

I remember driving home and just crying the whole way.

Meanwhile, I'm holding the winner's trophy.

CROWD BOOING

So, I said I would never go back.

Indian Wells clearly didn't need me and I definitely didn't need them.

Tennis has always been a very...lilywhite sport.

Serena, she didn't come from that country club establishment.

No, we never fit that mould.

People think she may be controversial,

but I think her colour, race, has a lot to do with it.

I don't feel like I'm a controversial player at all.

I don't know. Maybe because I'm black, then I must be controversial.

-Oh, can you believe it?

-Foot fault on the second serve.

BOOING

Gives Kim Clijsters two match points.

Serena Williams is giving it to her.

Well, she'll have to be careful here.

If she gets a warning, it's point penalty, game, set, match.

You know, yeah, I get angry on the court.

So did McEnroe, so did all these other players.

I didn't say I would kill you! Are you serious?

One slip-up and it's just, like, "Oh, she's...

"you know, crazy or whatever."

-Oh!

-SHE SCREAMS

Serena is furious!

I feel like I'm just an intense player.

I play with my heart out.

Instead of looking at that intensity as, "Oh, Serena is so intense and,

"you know, angry on the court," how about she is...

she gives a shit.

Yeah!

When you show who you are, and you take positions,

and you represent something,

some people love you, some people hate you.

This was called out by the lines person.

Serena is going to come right over and talk to the chair.

That was way in.

What's going on? BOOING

-'I thought it was good.'

-Excuse me?

-'What do you hate her for?'

-That ball was so in!

You hate her for one incident?

Or because she's great?

And you don't want to see a woman and someone of colour great?

SERENA SHOUTS

We were at the Olympics and Serena had just won the gold medal.

And when she was on the sideline, she just...

SHE LAUGHS

She broke out into a little dance.

I'm not sure I've ever seen that from Serena Williams.

So the media was like, "Serena Crip Walks after winning the gold medal."

We're not intentionally trying to be, like, "Oh, yeah,

"let's ruffle ALL the feathers in the tennis world."

Like, that's not what's happening.

What's really happening is we want to be able to live out loud.

Honestly, I never, never, never thought

I would go back to Indian Wells.

And then I was on this trip to Africa and I met Mandela.

And what really struck me was...

..he was in jail, you know, for the prime of his life.

His family, his kids, he didn't get to see them grow up.

Not only did he forgive the people that jailed him,

but he became friends with them.

And he didn't hold a grudge against them.

Then I thought about it

and then I realised that it's better to truly, honestly,

wholly forgive by going back.

But I was terrified.

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the number one player in the world,

Serena Williams!

CHEERING AND SCREAMING

May I say, on behalf of everybody here at Indian Wells,

welcome home, Serena Jameka Williams.

Thank you, guys. Thank you so much.

Serena never looks at the draw.

Never. She doesn't even know who she is playing in the first round.

And she doesn't want to know until the day she is playing.

And she never looks in advance, which I think is quite wise,

because you have to take the matches one after the other one

and stay focused.

The first-round opponent is called Gasparyan.

And I don't know her at all.

It's always better to have some kind of strategy,

but we won't have today.

In this Wimbledon, there are two things on the table.

The first one is the opportunity to do the Serena Slam,

which is winning four Grand Slams in a row.

The second thing is to get one step closer to the Calendar Slam,

which means winning four Grand Slams in the same year.

She doesn't know she's going to play Venus,

because she doesn't look at the draws.

I don't know if Venus knows or not, but, for sure,

they won't speak about it until it may happen.

Can I get some lemonade?

I have too much energy.

This can't be normal, right?

Maybe I should go back to practise.

Why am I breaking out?

Stress.

My best friend is coming on...

-Thursday.

-Nice.

-Who's that?

-Val.

You've never met Val.

Oh, my God. She's the best.

She's on my dance team.

We're all dreaming of going to Ellen.

THEY CHUCKLE

Yeah, it doesn't hurt any more.

OK.

I don't look at the draws.

Obviously, I hear about them, and so, it's so funny,

because I was looking at everyone in the locker room yesterday

and I'm, like, "Wow, she plays today.

"She plays today. She plays..."

Like, everyone that's doing unbelievable this year

is on my side of the draw.

And Venus. And I have to play Venus really early.

And I still believe she's my toughest opponent.

Ow.

Venus is playing really well, and she...

Unlike me, she loves the grass. And...

Ouch.

It's... I don't...

It's just a bummer.

I don't want to talk about that.

That's all I have to say about that.

So, down at Court Two, and Venus Williams is serving for the match.

Game, 7-8, Miss Williams.

Venus Williams into the last 16,

and a meeting between either her sister, Serena Williams,

or Britain's Heather Watson.

CHANTING: Let's go, Heather, let's go!

What magic do we have here on Centre Court?

The best in the world against the best in Britain.

This is beginning to assume epic proportions.

No question, she has Serena rattled now.

BOOING

Serena's not happy. I don't blame her.

She's just making a comment to the chair

to try to get the fans to keep it down during the points.

-She's absolutely right.

-Yes, she is 100% right.

Do not make any calls during the game. Thank you very much.

Match point.

And the Serena Slam is still on.

But she's almost in tears at the end of this.

-Ah, man, don't do that again. You're going to kill me.

-Oh, my God.

All right, sweetie. Oh, I love you.

What was going on?

I was... I don't know.

-I just...

-Are you OK?

-Yeah, I'm totally fine.

I was... There was just a lot of elements and I let it get to me.

-You know?

-What elements?

-Just everything, like the noise.

Then she started playing... Like, she just started slicing everything.

And I was, like... I was frustrated, because I'm, like...

-What are you supposed to do with a slice?

-I should have took it out of the air. I really should have.

You do that, or what else, if you cannot? Cos it's really windy.

-I don't know.

-Your feet weren't moving to get in position.

-Yeah.

-And you have to get up to the ball with a slice.

You've got to get slower, lower.

-Slower, lower. I get it.

-No, I didn't move, yeah.

You didn't even move your feet. I thought were you nervous.

-I was, actually.

-Yeah. OK, if you're expecting to be really nervous,

remind yourself of your footwork.

-Yeah.

-Just get in position so you can smack it.

-Cos that's what you do so well.

-Yeah.

-Your movement is unbelievable.

Just the footwork. Footwork. OK. Yeah.

You have the best serve ever in history, it's, like, use it.

-I'm going to remember that. Nerves and feet.

-Love you.

-Love you more.

I always... I never forget that.

Bye, Billie.

Thanks!

-Hey!

-Hey, neighbour.

-Hey, baby!

-How's it going?

-Good. How you doing?

-Are you coming over to my house today?

Yeah, I'm going to come over to your house.

Oh, let's go dance! We're going to go dance.

-You've got your dancing shoes?

-Yes.

-OK.

-We've got 20 minutes left.

Oh, 20 minutes. I want to dance now!

We already have mangoes drying everywhere.

Jair, you want to explain to me why you were sleeping during the match?

One minute I was there, focused.

LAUGHTER

And the next minute, I woke up.

Yesterday's match?!

I have photographic evidence of Jair sleeping.

How can you sleep like this?

I don't know.

It was a little difficult to walk it out, but...

Especially when they were, like, yelling between points.

I get it, though. You're playing against someone

in their country, they're going to want their country person to win.

The booing was not necessary.

That's what I'm saying. The booing wasn't necessary.

I kind of was sad after the match.

I was kind of down. I was, like, you know...

I was upset at me, I shouldn't have been in the third set.

I thought I played awful.

I was like, "How am I going to come back from this one?"

Then I thought, "Well, I've got to find...

"..a gymnastics class. Have a week off."

-Is that what you were thinking about?

-Yeah.

LAUGHTER

What goes through your head?

Then I was, like, "When do I get this suite?

"Should I fly out on a Monday, or should I leave on a Sunday?"

And I was, like, "OK, I will stay... "I think I'll stay in London."

And then I thought, "Oh, I am coming to the Venus match when she plays

-"this girl."

-Oh, man!

-I want to be loud!

LAUGHTER

Those were all the things that I was thinking about.

Wow.

When's the last time you played V?

Last year.

She beat me, but...

APPLAUSE

That was called out. That was long and, as you say,

signs of nerves there from Serena Williams.

The idea is to see the patterns that Venus uses

and what she does when she plays against Serena

so we know exactly what's going to happen, we know where to strike,

we know how to strike.

So, it's very weird. I mean, the players are competitors,

they are against each other, they are sisters.

They spend time together...

..tonight, at the moment,

while tomorrow they are going to be on a tennis court

to beat each other in front of millions of people.

Did you do ANYTHING today?

I took a nap and then I had to read a couple of chapters

-and took a dumb quiz.

-Oh.

-Nutrition starts on Tuesday.

-You taking one this semester, or two?

-I have a second one starting.

-What do you study?

-Like, what is your major?

-Business.

-How many more classes do you have to go?

-I'm done after this one.

-Really?

-This one.

You're going to have a degree, like, a college degree?

-"NERDILY":

-I have a degree.

LAUGHTER That's so cool!

Does the WTA pay for this?

-Like...?

-I have a scholarship.

That's incredible!

LAUGHTER

I'm done.

I'm done. This is...

-I am...

-At least it's going to the right people.

I am done.

Classic Venus Williams in that last round.

Venus can still win Grand Slams.

I think it's going to be tight, because both players...

..play really, really good.

I love you.

No!

No!

-What did she say? What did...?

-See ya!

Serena plays her best tennis when she's sort of whooping and hollering

and she's yelling, "Come on," cos she has to be...

..intense, and has to be...

..charged.

Very difficult for her to find that same well of anger

and...intensity against her sister, because she loves her sister.

-Thank you.

-Is that how you wanted it? It is hot.

Yeah, I like it hot. It has to be hot.

No, it's not going to be easy, so I'm not going to be there.

Because I know they both want it really bad.

Maybe Venus more so than Serena,

because she's been ill and kind of getting back on track.

And then, Serena, she has this thing about, you know,

what they call the Serena Slam, or whatever.

Or the possibility of doing it four in a row.

So, do you know how tough that is?

I am NOT showing up.

I... I'm not.

I'm not going to go.

That's good from Venus.

Oh, wow!

For a moment, I was out there and I was thinking...

Wow, I am...

on Centre Court.

I'm playing Venus.

I'm at Wimbledon.

I grew up 8,000, 9,000 miles from here,

in a small neighbourhood,

in a small house.

I didn't even have my own bed,

and I always dreamt of playing my sister on this court.

And I'm here.

And...

I thought, I don't care what happens,

I'm going to enjoy this moment.

I'm at Wimbledon, this is amazing.

Now it's three match points here to Serena Williams.

Game, set and match.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

When you hit the ball as hard and you play as well as that,

there's no stopping Serena Williams.

I'm always rooting for Venus.

And when she loses, I lose.

Like, I physically feel sick when Venus loses.

So it's hard to play someone that is your best friend,

that you love so much, and that

you would...

you would die for, take a bullet for her.

She asked me if I was OK.

She's an amazing person.

There's a real buzz around Centre Court at the moment.

It almost feels like a final, actually.

But Serena Williams is one point away from another semifinal.

She's made it! She's made it!

A standing ovation from Centre Court on this quarterfinal day...

..for certainly a set and a half of absolutely magnificent tennis.

And the person that we all thought was going to be the long-time rival

was Sharapova, that we thought would be a ten-year rival.

It's been ten years one-sided.

Two match points.

-Once more...

-6-2, 6-4.

..Serena Williams is through to the Wimbledon final.

CHEERING

The draw was incredibly tough.

After Serena played three matches that could have been a final,

I expect Serena to step on the court to win it.

As you can see, it is just the most perfect summer's afternoon

in South West 19.

And over 40 minutes, we have been richly entertained

by Serena Williams and Garbine Muguruza.

But now, match point.

And she's done it!

Serena Williams is Wimbledon champion for the sixth time.

She's a Grand Slam champion for the 21st time.

One more to equal Steffi Graf.

Two more to eclipse her and set a record

that will probably last into the next millennium and beyond.

So, what do you think?

Are you feeling in the mood to start breaking some records this year?

You know what? I feel like I got a good start this year.

Obviously, I am looking at the Open for the Slam,

but also to defend my title there.

Cos I love playing there, I love playing at home.

And I'm just going to look at it as that,

an opportunity to win the US Open.

-How are you?

-I just had to say congrats.

Oh, thank you.

Incredible. Unbelievable.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

-Enjoy it, all right?

-I will, I'll try.

-Try, yeah.

-I'll try.

Looking forward, the US Open could mean so much.

Calendar Slam,

tying Steffi's record...

-Yeah.

-Do you process that,

or is that just too far away to really think about?

I love that it is a little bit away,

because I need some time to rejuvenate,

get my body together, get my mind together,

and then get ready for the hard court season.

But right now, all eyes are on you,

and I know you haven't wanted to talk about it, but it's done!

-So, Serena Slam 2.0!

-Serena Slam! 2.0, it is.

I hate running.

I'm trying to get to ten.

I'm going to try.

A minimum of seven.

Yeah, usually I like to get thinner before Grand Slams.

This particular Grand Slam, I got thicker.

So, I'm like,

"OK, if I could give myself a month with no Chick-fil-A..."

-Is it possible?

-I know.

I know. OK, so maybe just three times Chick-fil-A.

I look good in the morning, before I take a breath.

In the morning, my stomach looks...

-Before you start breathing.

-Before I start breathing.

In the morning, I swear, my stomach looks like this.

But the second I take a deep breath...

THE OTHERS LAUGH

..it goes out.

The day before Serena Williams won Wimbledon,

the New York Times ran a piece focusing on her large biceps

and mould-breaking frame.

It basically said Serena Williams is an incredible physical specimen,

but a lot of women on the tour don't want to look like her.

The mere idea that the New York Times

would ever do an article about,

say, an NFL player, like the size of their behind,

is just utterly ludicrous.

The head of the Russian Tennis Federation

referred to Serena and Venus as "the Williams brothers".

They talk about her like,

"She looks like a man."

Look, I've never seen a man look like that.

-OK?

-Look at those muscles on her!

-You know, that's the gun show, baby. Look at that.

-I love it!

I get asked about my body all the time.

From an early age, I think I was always body conscious and, you know,

just in terms of, like, girls...

aren't supposed to be fit.

But I never thought that people would talk about my curves

or people would talk about my arms.

In both ways, both the positives that come with it and the negatives,

I just... I just I never thought.

I've never seen a body like hers.

You can see where the power comes from.

From the butt and from the arms.

And the way she plays, like, she...

She uses them a lot.

She has a gift.

I didn't embrace that when I was younger.

But I have grown.

It doesn't matter what society says.

You have to look how you look

and then you have to believe that you're beautiful.

I love my body.

And I don't really care about what anyone else says about it.

Hey, how are you?

-Nice to see you.

-Nice to see you, yeah.

Good to see you.

MUSIC PLAYS

Thank you very much.

-She was pretty.

-She looks amazing.

Moving on.

She's done Bebo, Trina Turk, Project Runway.

Oh, I like her.

I know.

Yeah. Yeah, she can stay around. OK, thank you.

OK, bye, guys. Thank you. Bye!

Well, it all comes down to this.

Serena Williams has had a banner year - 48 wins.

But right here, this week,

she will attempt to pull off what is arguably the most difficult

achievement in all of sports.

Going for the Calendar Grand Slam.

Attempting to claim all four major titles in the same season.

Serena!

Steffi Graf was the last player to win a Grand Slam in 1988.

By winning, she would also tie Graf's record

for the most majors - 22.

REPORTERS CLAMOURING

For the first time in history, tickets to the Women's Singles final

have sold out before the Men's final.

The pressure, tremendous.

Today, at 33 years old, Serena is the oldest women

in tennis's Open era to ever win a major Singles title.

She could be the greatest of all time.

Not only that, she SHOULD be the greatest of all time.

Serena!

So, will Serena pull it off

and become only the sixth tennis player ever

to win a Grand Slam?

'There is pressure and then there's Grand Slam pressure.

'It's a big deal. A tennis player winning the four majors

'in the same year has to summon excellence

'from January through to the first weeks of September.

'The player has to master the hard courts in New York

'and Australia, the clay in Paris, the grass at Wimbledon.'

I don't care if I win, lose or draw.

I'm ready to get this done, started and over with.

And what happens happens.

And I'm not even going to feel any pressure.

I just want to get it over with

and I don't want people to talk about me.

I've worked 30 years for this.

30 years! And if I'm not ready now, I'm never going to be ready.

So... I have nothing to lose. It's not going to change my career,

it's not going to change my path. It's not going to change anything...

at all. It's just going to...

It's not going to change. If I don't win this,

it's not going to be the end of the world.

# The players gonna play, play, play, play, play

# The fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake

# Shake it off Shake it off... #

INAUDIBLE

# Come on, shake your body, baby Do the conga

# I know you can't control yourself any longer

# Come on, shake your body, baby Do the conga

# I know you can't control yourself any longer

# Everybody gather 'round now

# Let your body feel the heat

# Don't you worry if you can't dance

# Let the music move your feet... #

SHE LAUGHS

# Come on, shake your body, baby Do the conga. #

THEY PANT

THEY LAUGH

I just needed a night, just to, like, take all the pressure off

and hang out with my girls and that was fun.

That was really fun.

Serena Williams, she is the woman of the hour, the woman of the evening.

We are really part of history here,

as we understand what we are witnessing.

Like watching Michael Jordan play basketball,

or Lionel Messi play soccer.

Here she comes! The greatest player in the history of the game!

She's the greatest player that ever lived.

Now we're all pulling for her, as Americans and fans of the sport,

to get the Grand Slam once and for all.

-Sure.

-Tie up Steffi. Tie her up at 22.

It all just makes such perfect sense right now!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

OK.

First, in this tournament,

-you play all the matches like if it's a final, huh?

-OK.

Serena Williams, now five matches away from history.

And her opponent tonight is an American, Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

Were going to have some serious attitude, some major excellence,

-some fireworks.

-Set point.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands is not coming here to play second fiddle.

So, you've done the job so far, because you've won your matches.

But I want to see the real Serena tonight.

You're aggressive.

You hit the shot to her, then go to the net after.

To push the ball...

..you crush the ball.

I love you.

And I trust you.

The Grand Slam dream is still alive, but what a fight.

OK, so the way you played the last match

is exactly how you have to play.

You have to hurt her.

If you hurt her on her serve, you hurt her best shot.

Oh, woo-hoo-hoo!

Just stay calm, whatever happens.

I love you. And I trust you.

Game, set, match. Williams.

Serena Williams now three matches and six sets away

from tennis history.

-Well, next match you play someone I think you know pretty well.

-Yeah.

Your sister.

What's different about the match-ups now?

The only difference is we are a lot older.

SERENA LAUGHS

No, she's playing great, so I have to really be ready for that.

But at least one of us will be at Wimble...

A Williams will be in the semis, so that's good.

-CHEERING

-I think the crowd likes that.

I have to finish this.

I don't know what to do with it, though.

Should have did that darker.

Baby, Mama's thinking.

I started painting about five years ago.

It totally relaxes me.

It's official. It's done.

Um... Unfortunately, as always -

it seems every year - this year, I have to play Venus.

She's just playing so well!

It's like, I don't know, every time I see the draw, I'm like,

"I don't care who I play, I just don't want to play Venus".

Who do I play?

Venus. So...

We'll see. I mean... We've both been playing well,

and I definitely picked up my level in the last match.

I only hope I can sustain it.

I didn't start out this tournament great,

but it's not how you start, it's how you finish.

So, I'm still in it. We'll see.

And some thousands waiting, still, to go into Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The match that has been anticipated since the draw.

Serena Williams trying to do something,

the likes of which no man or no woman

has been able to accomplish in over a quarter of a century.

And the only thing standing in the way is her older sister.

So, you obviously know her quite well,

but I'm going to remind you of a few things.

The first serve is very good.

On the backhand side, she mixes slice and she can hit hard.

So, you have to break it.

Quality wise, this is one of, if not THE best match that they've played

up to this point.

So, now we talk about you.

Go and get every point.

You're going to hit the winners and unforced errors.

I want everything to depend only on you.

Three match points.

This has not been an easy night for either sister.

-Game, set, match. Serena Williams.

-Wow. What a way to end the match.

Two sets to one - 6-2, 1-6, 6-3.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Ladies and gentlemen... Serena Williams!

Should have got a bag of ice.

Can I get a picture?

Sure.

-Great.

-Thank you.

Hey, Zane.

Can you go get a bag of ice from the locker room, please?

-Yep.

-I'm going to get in the car.

-You're welcome.

-Hi, Serena.

-Oh, sure.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-OK, you're welcome.

-You have to do it higher. Oh, is this a video?

-Yeah.

Are you on Snapchat?

-Thank you.

-OK.

-You want to take it?

-Sure.

-Thanks.

-You're welcome.

I've got to get out of here!

DOG GRUMBLES, SHE GASPS You scared me.

Oh, look, the Empire State Building is red, white and blue. It's pretty.

I was here September 11th.

I lost that year in the finals to Venus, in fact.

Yep. And, er...

The next morning, I was on a plane to DC to see Isha.

It's one of those memories, you know exactly where you were.

You know exactly where you were at.

This is the first time the tournament is during September 11th

since that happened. In 14 years.

When she got in the car, I was like, "Wow.

"No way. This is not Serena Williams getting in the car I'm driving."

The Williams sisters...

Serena is one of the biggest reasons I'm a tennis fan.

A lot of times, being African-American...

..we lack a certain confidence to do things.

You know?

And...

she's a great example...

..of, you know, if you put your will to it,

you can do anything you want to do.

You know?

I mean, there are others, but in her game, she's the one.

In the game of tennis, Serena is the one right now.

She's the top... She's the one everybody wants to beat.

She makes us proud.

She makes us proud.

Right, both players are here.

You're going to turn them around...

OK. Thanks, Serena.

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the players

for our next semifinal...

..Roberta Vinci...

Five, four, three, two, one.

..and six-time US Open champion and world number one,

Serena Williams!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

It is semifinal number two.

The number one seed, Serena Williams,

meeting Roberta Vinci for the fifth time.

A David and Goliath-type match-up.

Yeah, I'm expecting a pretty straightforward win.

She's got the game. She's got the set. She's on her way.

-Game, Miss Vinci.

-The break.

Well, it seemed as though she had things totally under control.

Roberta Vinci, this is the deepest

she has got into a set against Serena

in her career.

One serve away from forcing a third set.

She's got it. The first time in her career, she takes a set off Serena.

And what a time to do it!

The one thing she has going for her is the tremendous third-set success

she's had this year.

Yeah, she's been in this situation so many times this year.

You mentioned the power players that Serena has seen recently.

Even Mattek-Sands just blasts away.

This is a totally different player from anybody she's played

-in this tournament.

-For sure.

And she's doing it with all those subtle little tricks.

The little drops, the slices, the off-pace.

She's bringing Serena in and Serena is all out of sorts.

"Yeah, let me hear some cheers!" What a point!

What's going on with her?

Well, you know what's going on with her.

The amount of pressure on her shoulders is just enormous.

Thank you.

This is somebody you have absolutely dominated in your career.

Some people may say,

"Well, she should come out with no pressure on her," but...

what is on the line is so enormous.

Your brain sometimes thinks,

"Oh, this cannot be the person that I lose to."

It's almost midnight.

In tennis terms.

Match point.

She's done it! An extraordinary upset!

One of the most improbable wins this championship has seen...

How do you game plan for those days when her legs are heavy

and her nerves might be something she's feeling?

How do you strategise?

I don't make a game plan for losing, so...

I mean, there is no game plan for when you're about to lose.

There is a game plan to win.

# Why you wanna be my love? Is it just for show?

# Why you wanna be my love, my love, my love, love

# Why you wanna be my love? Is it just for show?

# Why you wanna be my love... #

We need our next girl.

HUBBUB

I don't want to talk about losing. I don't like losing.

I don't want to talk about the match.

I don't want to think about the match. I mean...

this is the biggest moment in my career history

and I didn't get it.

I've never been in this position.

I've never been so close to having something and losing it.

Or not getting it. No, losing it.

I lost it. It's not like I was beaten. I lost it.

I could have won if I played better and...

I've been in a really dark hole.

I also just feel like I let a lot of people down.

There was, like, this hope that, I don't know...

You've given a lot of people hope

to believe that they could do something...

that's impossible.

Hell, I couldn't do it either, so...

Thank God for distractions.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

I need a break.

I really need a break.

'Growing up, I was the younger sister no-one expected much from.'

-Konnichiwa.

-Bonjour.

-Hola!

-Hola!

'Venus was one of the best juniors ever.

'I mean, she never lost a match.

'She was always the one in the spotlight.

'So when I decided to play junior tennis, it was just like,

' "Oh, she's cute. She's OK. She's fun."

'I was kind of like an afterthought.

'Being in someone's shadow is...

'is hard. But being in Venus Williams' shadow...

'You know, my whole life, I was fighting for respect.

'I always promised myself one day that I wanted to be like her

'and that I would prove everyone wrong.'

My oldest sister, Tunde,

she always used to tell me, "Serena, don't worry.

"Your day will come and you are going to be bright

"and you are going to shine."

She was the one that really believed in me.

She passed when I was 23 years old.

But she's always with me and my family and my sisters.

And I remember her advice every time someone counts me out.

Every time in my career that I've had to come back.

I always think of...Tunde's words.

Action!

Today is my birthday.

I'm thirty-f...fun.

I've put on about ten pounds of pure fat.

And I'm loving it.

34 means I'm getting closer and closer.

But who said 34 was old for tennis?

You know, who makes the rules?

Shouldn't each person make their own rules?

There's records, there's numbers that I'm really close to.

But whether I reach those numbers or not,

I will play and I will fight and, when I feel that I'm done,

then I'll be done.

Yeah?

Growing up, she wanted to live her dream

to be a professional tennis player.

But, in living her dream, she inspired so many others,

and that's the beauty of it.

By being your best, you made other people's lives...

You don't know how many people's lives that you've touched.

I love you so much and...

..um...

I always loved being your big sister.

Woo!

When I first started playing tennis,

women weren't really encouraged to play sports,

let alone excel in sports.

So, when I first learned that I would be Sportsperson...

Yes, Sports PERSON of the Year, I could not believe it.

I've had people put me down because I didn't look like them.

I look stronger.

I've had people look past me because of the colour of my skin.

I've had people overlook me because I was a woman.

I had critics say I will never win another Grand Slam,

when I was only at number seven.

And, now, here I stand today with 21 Grand Slam titles.

And I'm still going.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

My favourite poet, Maya Angelou, she has this poem,

called Still I Rise.

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies

You may trod me with the very dirt

But still, like dust, I rise

Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?

Shoulders falling like teardrops

Weakened by my soulful cries?

Out of the huts of history's shame I rise

From a past that's rooted in pain I rise

I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide

Welling and swelling, I bear in the tide

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise.

Come on!

Into a daybreak that's wonderfully clear

I rise

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave

I rise

I am the dream and the hope of the slave

I rise

I rise

I rise.