Nearly two years after retiring from tennis, hardcourt legend Serena Williams appeared on the YouTube show ‘Hot Ones’ to discuss several topics.
Among them were why she grunted so much during every match, which was her way of imitating one of her tennis influences. Serena Williams also discussed what she wished she said at post-match press conferences.
Serena Williams said at most press conferences, the first thoughts that came to her mind, she could not say, in part because they were too blunt.
The now-42-year-old Williams said she would be asked how it felt to beat and opponent 6-0, 6-0. She gave a respectful answer along the lines of ‘she did great, I just happened to be on today.’
‘No, I was way better than her today,’ Williams said of her truthful answer to the question.
While eating the progressively spicier wing, Williams did not shown any signs of pain until she reached chicken No 8, the infamous ‘Da Bomb’, which has made dozens of celebrities sweat.
Williams handled it better than most, only needing to have a few sips of milk before continuing to answer questions.
Tennis players have become known for grunting loudly during matches, with Williams say its a way of breathing during such intense exercise.
‘So I grunt because growing up, I liked this tennis player named Monica Seles,’ Williams added. ‘And she grunts, she had this really cool grunt.
‘I literally would grunt because of her and then it just became natural,’ Williams continued. ‘I guess it’s a form of breathing. I grunt playing golf now.
It’s like a part of my life. Other people, I don’t know why, they say it’s like reliving and exhaling air and it’s a different way to exhale air.’
Then Williams joked she may grunt when biting into one of the wings. She did not.