"Do what you can do and don't let them put what they can't do on you" - Serena Williams on her new favorite advice that Venus Williams gave her
Serena Williams recently revealed some wise words of wisdom that her sister Venus Williams gave her.
The Williams sisters, a former World No. 1 doubles team, are two of tennis' finest players of all time. Venus has seven singles Grand Slam titles to her name, while Serena has 23 — the most of any player, male or female, in the Open Era.
Speaking at MetLife on Thursday, where she was a special keynote speaker, Serena divulged the advice her sister recently gave her.
Venus told the 41-year-old that when anyone speaks about the inability to achieve something, it's because that person cannot do it and that it doesn't apply to everyone.
"I think Venus has recently given my new favorite advice, it's whenever anyone tells you you can't do it, it's because they can't. They're putting on you what they can't do, so don't believe that. Do what you can do, and don't let them put what they can't do on you. I just thought that was genius," Serena Williams said.
.@serenawilliams shares precious advice she received from her sister @venuswilliams when it comes to allowing others to put their limitations on you. Don’t allow it! #TTX2022 https://t.co/F3LLmJYaYX
Venus Williams puts doubles career on hold in Serena Williams' absence
Venus Williams recently engaged in an interactive session with her followers on the Instagram profile for her clothing line, EleVen by Venus. There, she responded to various questions ranging from her preferred mixed doubles partner to her Grand Slam experience, and more.
In one instance, she was asked by a fan about her dream doubles partner and opponent combination. In response, Venus shared a picture of her sister Serena Williams and implied that she won't be continuing her doubles career until her sister comes back from retirement.
"I only play doubles with this one. So unless she’s coming back...,” Venus Williams noted.
The Williams sisters have won 14 Major women's doubles titles over the years. They also set a women's doubles record by winning three Olympic gold medals.
Responding to a question on how she regains motivation after losing a match, the seven-time singles Grand Slam champion spoke about finding the root of the problem and approaching it honestly.
“First get to the root of the problem. What is making you lose motivation? What can you modify to gain it back? Do you need to pace yourself or create more breaks? Do you need a total change of direction? Complete honesty will be a must,” she said.