"A combination of a pit bull dog, a young Mike Tyson and an alligator" - When Serena Williams' father Richard Williams described her after US Open win
Serena Williams won her third US Open title in 2008 by defeating Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 7-5 in the final.
She won the tournament without dropping a set and her triumph saw her return to the top of the WTA rankings for the first time since August 2003.
Following the victory, Serena was asked in an interview with Charlie Rose about a quote made by her father to describe her on-court personality. Richard Williams called his younger daughter "a combination of a pit bull, a young Mike Tyson and an alligator."
“I never knew Serena to be very, very excited. I knew Serena to be very, very mean. I describe her as being a combination of a pit bull dog, a young Mike Tyson and an alligator," the former World No. 1's father said.
The-then 26-year-old Williams admitted that the description suits her since she is "really intense" on the court.
"He seems right. On the court, I'm a different person. Im really intense. I'm hardcore and I am like a pitbull, which is like, really fierce and kind of mean on the court. I think you kind of have to, just in sports, you do have to have some sort of tenacity that makes you whatever it takes that can lift you to the top," Serena said.
"When I'm playing against Venus I have to bring in my A game" - Serena Williams
During the same interview, Serena Williams revealed that she has always had to produce her A game whenever she faced Venus Williams, referring to her win against her sister in the quarterfinals of the 2008 US Open.
"When I'm playing against Venus, I have to bring in my A game," she said. "I can't show up and bring a B minus or a B plus, I have to bring my A+ game. She was on a roll. She had just won Wimbledon, so it was just like, I had no choice."
When asked if her A+ game was better than Venus', Serena defended herself and said that her sister would have done the same.
"It's a toss up. I can't sit here and say that Venus is better than me. I have to believe in myself and have to have confidence. So, I have to say my A+ game is better than hers. If she was here, she probably would say the same thing," Serena Williams said.