SERENA WILLIAMS TALKS BODY

Coquette is not the word that comes to mind when you think about Williams. Number one or sister of Venus or muscles does. But lately, Williams has become the queen of lean. After she won the Australian Open in January, "I wanted to get really fit. I wanted to lose some weight. So I've been doing Pilates and yoga, trying to lean out my body so I won’t be bulky." Her regimen: Pilates two or three times a week and when she's training for a tournament, "a couple of hours of hitting, then an hour or two of cardio and strengthening in the gym.” Also, when she's at home in L.A., she runs the half mile up a hill to Venus's house instead of driving. But no dieting. "I don't even know the D word," she says with a laugh. There is a training eating plan, though: "Smaller portions of every meal, a lot of grilled or baked chicken or fish, and steamed veggies." Her weakness? "I can never turn down a good piece of cherry pie, but," she continues, "all I know is that in 10 years, I don't want to be as wide as this couch."

It's working. Williams, who adds that "Pilates gave me results within a week," looks the best she's ever looked and is now a size 10 instead of a 12. She has lengthened her muscles, her waist is tiny, and her famous rear is a good thing in a smaller package. Altogether, she's putting the fantastic in fox.

From childhood, growing up with four sisters — including the leggy Venus — Williams knew she was athletic, but it took her a long time to "own it." "When I was six or seven in a swimsuit — I look back at those picture, and my arms are cut and my legs are strong," she says. "I didn't realize that I was really fit and most people aren't. To this day, I don't love my arms. People want more fit arms, but my arms are too fit. But I'm not complaining. They pay my bills."

Williams's body confidence came later — and seven Grand Slam singles titles by her early 20s didn't hurt. "I was 23 when I realized that I wasn't Venus. She's totally different," she explains. "I'm super-curvy. I have big boobs and this massive butt. She's tall and she's like a model and she fits everything. I was growing up, wanting to be her, wanting to look like her, and I was always fitting in her clothes, but then one day I couldn't." She pauses. "But it's fine. Now I'm obviously good, but it's a weird thing."

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