“I didn’t think it would last this long,” Serena Williams on her Tennis Career + See her New York Magazine Spread! [Photos]

Serena Williams

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” was the creed the Williams sister lived by that their father, Richard Williams, put into motion.

Known as the best player tennis player in the world, New York Magazine gets up close and personal with 33-year old, Serena Williams about handling confrontation on the tennis court, her first true love, her post-tennis career plans and how her tennis career is still booming.

Check out some of the excerpts from the interview:

On wanting to be a wardrobe designer (before tennis):

“That was my first real love,” she says, “but then I was like, Listen. I’m playing professional tennis. I’ll just do athleticwear.”

Her proposed plans post-tennis:

“I will finally be able to make some Miami Dolphin games,” she says, laughing, “and make some, uh, better decisions down there with the players.” On the way she has changed the game: “My dad taught us to have early preparation. I notice the other girls have similar preparations to mine, and I’m like, ‘Hmmm … well, you don’t want to admit where you got that from, right?’?”

On the way she chooses to handle confrontation now versus her past outbursts:

“If someone has a bad call, I’m really forthcoming. I’ll look you in the eye and say, ‘Are you sure?’ I’m okay with confrontation. I’ve just” — eyebrow raise — “changed the way I state certain things.”

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