I'm Serena Williams on the court, but away I have so many different names. I call myself Butterfly.
What people see on court is another side of me; it's not me.
I'm not the same person on the court. I'm different when I'm off the court. Off the court, I don't need to be aggressive or anything.
Michael Jordan on the court is a completely different guy. If the play requires him to leap out all the way and grab the ball, that's what he'll do. He may be a completely shy, withdrawn sort of person [off the court].
I'm a different person off the court than I am on the court, where I'm very competitive, a perfectionist, and I can be hard on myself sometimes. Off the court, nothing really bothers me. I'm easy-going.
People have a different impression sometimes because of the way I'm on court, but outside, I'm nothing like that.
When you're used to seeing someone being coldly efficient on court and suddenly they go on stage and into your world - it's fascinating.
Off the court, I'm a totally different person. I've heard people be like, 'Oh, so sweet, like a big ole teddy bear.' But I guess I still have that look on my face in a game. I guess I still have a vibe where it's intimidating.
I am two different people. What you see on the court is just natural for me. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I have always said 'C'mon' purely to fire myself up. Off the court, I am a lot shyer. I stick to my team and my family and people I trust.
I'd rather have most of my life private. So, what you do see in me is on the court, and on the court, I am competitive. I'm an irritant to the other team. Emotional. Fired up. And so that's what people see, and that's what they judge off of.
