Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.

Photo by Douglas Friedman

Serena Williams has revealed some of her inner thoughts away from the pressure-cooker world of the WTA, with the world No. 1 opening up to Harpers Bazaar fashion magazine. The 34-year-old said that despite frequent appearances to the contrary, she has actually mellowed as she has advanced through the years in her world-beating career.

“I’ve made it a point to be calmer,” Williams said. “You know me, I’m really intense and really crazy, but in my career, I want to be more calm.”

The American also revealed that her 2011 health scare – a life-threatening pulmonary embolism – gave her the motivation she seeded to dial down the intensity as best she could, While the strategy has not always worked to perfection – she threatened a lineswoman with bodily harm in the worst possible fashion at the US Open several seasons back – Williams says she’s been trying.

“When I went through all of that stuff with my lungs, that’s when I decided to be more calm on the court,” she told the magazine in the November issue. “I feel stronger now. Some people are born to do certain things, and I think I was born to do tennis. I definitely didn’t miss my calling!”

The winner of three of this season’s four grand slams still cannot hide her disappointment at exiting in the US Open semi-finals last month to Italian Roberta Vinci.

She abruptly gave up the rest of her season – event skipping the year-end WTA Finals which began at the weekend in Singapore – but cannot seem to resist the lure of an estimated $1 million per match and is down to play the IPTL December exhibition series for the Philippine Mavericks side.

Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.