Serena Williams is a tennis icon in the true sense. Not only has she inspired the next generation of players but also her fellow athletes. Recently, Canadian tennis star, Eugenie Bouchard, revealed how Williams helped her in her career.

Bouchard had a big weakness when it came to her tennis career. She used to get very nervous before her matches, which affected her on-court performance. But Williams had a big say in Bouchard overcoming this problem.

Serena Williams’ nervousness before every match made Bouchard realize that it is okay to feel “nervous before matches”

Despite being strong rivals on the court, Williams and Bouchard had mutual respect. Additionally, they also shared the same agent during their careers. Like Bouchard, the American legend also used to get nervous before her matches. Earlier this week, Bouchard appeared in an interview where she revealed how this helped her deal with nervousness.

DIVE DEEPER: ‘I Am Not Ok..’ – Serena Williams Openly Addresses Fans in a Strong and Reassuring Mental Health Message

She said, “I would get so nervous before matches and I remember at a moment in time I had the same agent as Serena Williams and she told me that Serena gets crazy nervous before every single match.”

Further, she went on to add, “That made me feel better because I was like, look if Serena gets nervous then that means we all should be and it’s a good sign.” 

The 23-time Grand Slam champion has often spoken about how she dealt with nervousness and anxiety. Williams is a human after all and despite being at the top of her game, she had to go through tough times in her career.

Williams has “been through a lot of things in my life”

A few months back, the tennis legend appeared in an interview with Selena Gomez. During their conversation, they discussed about battling anxiety and depression.

Williams said, “I’ve been through a lot of things in my life. Just a lot. So there are some times when I’m like, I need to stop talking to people. But I think it is important to talk to people. I’m really super intense but that’s my passion. I’m really incredibly tense—intense, not tense. Intense is a better word.”

Fame brings pressure and what bigger example than Williams herself? Nonetheless, she overcame it in her own way and carved a niche for herself in the tennis world.

Watch This Story: Years After Her Dispiriting Beyonce Memory. 20-Year-Old Coco Gauff Finally Gets Her Fangirl Moment With the American Nightingale in Paris