---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Serena Williams [ispires me]. The first…"
description: "\"Serena Williams [ispires me]. The first time I met her, she was like, \"We should hang out and go to dinner,\" and I'm like, \"Uh, yeah! If you insist.\"\" ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/gabby-douglas-7265_dinner_serena-williams-ispires-me-the-first-tim_2580950.png"
---

#  Serena Williams \[ispires me\]. The first time I met her…

![“Serena Williams &#91;ispires me&#93;. The first time I met her, she was like, &quot;We should hang out and go to dinner,&quot; and I'm like, &quot;Uh, yeah! If you insist.&quot;” quote by Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/gabby-douglas-7265_dinner_serena-williams-ispires-me-the-first-tim_2580950.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/gabby-douglas-7265_dinner_serena-williams-ispires-me-the-first-tim_2580950.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/gabby-douglas-7265_dinner_serena-williams-ispires-me-the-first-tim_2580950.png)

> “Serena Williams \[ispires me\]. The first time I met her, she was like, "We should hang out and go to dinner," and I'm like, "Uh, yeah! If you insist."”

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Meeting a role model can inspire collaboration and mutual respect, turning a simple invitation into a meaningful connection.

**In simple terms:** A role model can become a friend.

Key Takeaway

Embrace opportunities to connect with admired peers.

Themes

inspiration role model collaboration respect friendship

Mood

encouraging reflective

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- team sports
- public speaking
- personal branding

Key Concepts

mentor‑mentee dynamics networking

Questions to Reflect On

- What qualities do you admire in a role model?
- How can you maintain authenticity in such relationships?

A Different Perspective

Over‑idolization can create pressure on both parties.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dinner/) [Hanging out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hanging-out/) [Tennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tennis/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [I like to be bought flowers and taken out for dinner. I like a man to be a gentleman. I don't like to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-stone/i-like-to-be-bought-flowers-and-taken-out-for-dinner-i-like-a-man-to/)

[Sharon Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-stone/)

> [I admire Serena Williams, because, I mean, who doesn't admire Serena Williams?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-konta/i-admire-serena-williams-because-i-mean-who-doesn-t-admire-serena/)

[Johanna Konta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-konta/)

> [I don't think there is ever going to be another Serena Williams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-osaka/i-don-t-think-there-is-ever-going-to-be-another-serena-williams/)

[Naomi Osaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-osaka/)

> [If Serena Williams played the men's circuit she'd be like 700 in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/if-serena-williams-played-the-men-s-circuit-she-d-be-like-700-in-the/)

[John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/)

> [My first hero was Serena Williams. No contest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-dunn/my-first-hero-was-serena-williams-no-contest/)

[Crystal Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-dunn/)

> [Seeing the intensity and power she brings to the game, it's hard to imagine her being anything but single-minded in pursuing tennis. But Serena…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-yaeger/seeing-the-intensity-and-power-she-brings-to-the-game-it-s-hard-to/)

[Don Yaeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-yaeger/)

> [I would love to have been a tennis player simply because of Serena Williams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-parris/i-would-love-to-have-been-a-tennis-player-simply-because-of-serena/)

[Nikita Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-parris/)

> [No, I want my kids to be Tiger Woods. And Serena Williams. I dig those two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-seau/no-i-want-my-kids-to-be-tiger-woods-and-serena-williams-i-dig-those/)

[Junior Seau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junior-seau/)

> [I never suspected that we or any one person or program can create Serena Williams or John McEnroe or Pete Sampras.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-mcenroe/i-never-suspected-that-we-or-any-one-person-or-program-can-create/)

[Patrick McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-mcenroe/)

> [I'm not invincible. I'm no Serena Williams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-konta/i-m-not-invincible-i-m-no-serena-williams/)

[Johanna Konta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-konta/)

> [Since I retired, I very much enjoy watching Serena Williams play. While I was playing, she was one of the toughest players I ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-seles/since-i-retired-i-very-much-enjoy-watching-serena-williams-play-while/)

[Monica Seles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-seles/)

> [Serena Williams is my sports idol.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christen-press/serena-williams-is-my-sports-idol/)

[Christen Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christen-press/)

> [Serena Williams is the greatest tennis player of all time, the greatest female athlete of all time, the greatest athlete of all time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-adams/serena-williams-is-the-greatest-tennis-player-of-all-time-the/)

[Katrina Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-adams/)

> [I always say that I want to play Serena Williams if they ever did a biopic of hers. I definitely want to do that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-erivo/i-always-say-that-i-want-to-play-serena-williams-if-they-ever-did-a/)

[Cynthia Erivo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-erivo/)

> [Powerful, quick and agile, Serena Williams thrives on winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-yaeger/powerful-quick-and-agile-serena-williams-thrives-on-winning/)

[Don Yaeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-yaeger/)

## More by Gabby Douglas

> [It is everything I thought it would be; being the Olympic champion, it definitely is an amazing feeling. And I give all the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/it-is-everything-i-thought-it-would-be-being-the-olympic-champion-it/)

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

> [Don't be shy. Go for it and ask your crush out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/don-t-be-shy-go-for-it-and-ask-your-crush-out/)

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

> [By now, you've probably caught on to something: my mother is always standing by with just the right Scripture or inspirational saying to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/by-now-you-ve-probably-caught-on-to-something-my-mother-is-always/)

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

> [I wear makeup pretty much every day. For training, I usually do a lighter base, a lighter blush and I used the mascara and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/i-wear-makeup-pretty-much-every-day-for-training-i-usually-do-a/)

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

> [I wrote the book 'Grace, Gold &amp; Glory' because I had to overcome many challenges and hardships. I wanted to share my story to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/i-wrote-the-book-grace-gold-glory-because-i-had-to-overcome-many/)

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

> [It's just incredible how people come up to me and say, 'Gabby, you inspire me to do anything I can set my mind to.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/it-s-just-incredible-how-people-come-up-to-me-and-say-gabby-you/)

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

> [For me going down in history being the first black American to win the gold, I think more colored people are going to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/for-me-going-down-in-history-being-the-first-black-american-to-win/)

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

> [I love all the attention, people noticing me. 'There's the gymnast. There she is!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/i-love-all-the-attention-people-noticing-me-there-s-the-gymnast-there/)

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

> [I've been on a tweeting mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/i-ve-been-on-a-tweeting-mission/)

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

> [I accomplished something big and that's a memory I will never forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/i-accomplished-something-big-and-that-s-a-memory-i-will-never-forget/)

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

> [Did I choose my hair texture? No. I'm grateful for having this hair on my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/did-i-choose-my-hair-texture-no-i-m-grateful-for-having-this-hair-on/)

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

> [Always be courageous and strong, &amp; don't fear. You've got to be confident when you're competing. You've got to be a beast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/always-be-courageous-and-strong-don-t-fear-you-ve-got-to-be-confident/)

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

> [I'm not gonna lie, I love Usain Bolt and Serena Williams. What I love about Serena is that she just gets on the floor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/i-m-not-gonna-lie-i-love-usain-bolt-and-serena-williams-what-i-love/)

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

> [You know, God has a plan for me, and I'm going to follow in his footsteps and just rejoice and be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/you-know-god-has-a-plan-for-me-and-i-m-going-to-follow-in-his/)

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

> [It's definitely important to have your mom and family there to back you up and cheering from the stands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/it-s-definitely-important-to-have-your-mom-and-family-there-to-back/)

[Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

[Explore all 93 Gabby Douglas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/)

## More Dinner quotes

> [The language we share is at the core of our identity as citizens, and our ticket to full participation in American political life. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-i-hayakawa/the-language-we-share-is-at-the-core-of-our-identity-as-citizens-and/)

[S. I. Hayakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-i-hayakawa/)

> [My dinners have never interfered with my business. They have been my recreation. . . A public banquet, if eaten with thought and care,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chauncey-depew/my-dinners-have-never-interfered-with-my-business-they-have-been-my/)

[Chauncey Depew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chauncey-depew/)

> [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/)

[Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/)

> [“We just went out for dinner. We didn't participate in a Roman orgy, I swear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-dahl/we-just-went-out-for-dinner-we-didn-t-participate-in-a-roman-orgy-i/)

[Victoria Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-dahl/)

> [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/)

[Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/)

> [ Music \[is\] the third rail of life. You grabbed it to shock yourself out of the dull drag of hours. To feel something. To… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hill/music-is-the-third-rail-of-life-you-grabbed-it-to-shock-yourself-out/)

[Joe Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hill/)

> [Sonny Von Bulow, who said to her husband Claus on their honeymoon, Stop needling me. Never got a dinner!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-buttons/sonny-von-bulow-who-said-to-her-husband-claus-on-their-honeymoon-stop/)

[Red Buttons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-buttons/)

> [Remember, sex is like a Chinese dinner. It ain't over 'til you both get your cookie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/remember-sex-is-like-a-chinese-dinner-it-ain-t-over-til-you-both-get/)

[Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/)

> [I have no social life. There is no time for one. Once in a while I may go to dinner with a friend but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-halliday/i-have-no-social-life-there-is-no-time-for-one-once-in-a-while-i-may/)

[Liz Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-halliday/)

> [I'm not a person who would get up at 5 A.M. to write, but I could sacrifice my Friday night and just order in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-weisberger/i-m-not-a-person-who-would-get-up-at-5-a-m-to-write-but-i-could/)

[Lauren Weisberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-weisberger/)

> [Challenging is good, like good conversation, yes? Who wants to have dinner with the same old easy listening music sounding friends all the time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/challenging-is-good-like-good-conversation-yes-who-wants-to-have/)

[Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/)

> [Once, as an experiment, I travelled around the world with a single suit. Before I left, I went to a tailor in Savile Row…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hamilton/once-as-an-experiment-i-travelled-around-the-world-with-a-single-suit/)

[George Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hamilton/)

> [I like to be bought flowers and taken out for dinner. I like a man to be a gentleman. I don't like to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-stone/i-like-to-be-bought-flowers-and-taken-out-for-dinner-i-like-a-man-to/)

[Sharon Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-stone/)

> [Why should the Marquis de Cussy wage war on soup? I cannot understand a dinner without it. I hold soup to be the well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-antoine-careme/why-should-the-marquis-de-cussy-wage-war-on-soup-i-cannot-understand/)

[Marie-Antoine Careme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-antoine-careme/)

> [Helvetica is the jeans, and Univers the dinner jacket. Helvetica is here to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-frutiger/helvetica-is-the-jeans-and-univers-the-dinner-jacket-helvetica-is/)

[Adrian Frutiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-frutiger/)

[Browse all 2,901 Dinner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dinner/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Serena Williams [ispires me]. The first time I met her, she was like, \"We should hang out and go to dinner,\" and I'm like, \"Uh, yeah! If you insist.\"",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Gabby Douglas"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/serena-williams-ispires-me-the-first-time-i-met-her-she-was-like-we/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Dinner"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/serena-williams-ispires-me-the-first-time-i-met-her-she-was-like-we/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/gabby-douglas-7265_dinner_serena-williams-ispires-me-the-first-tim_2580950.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/gabby-douglas-7265_dinner_serena-williams-ispires-me-the-first-tim_2580950.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/gabby-douglas-7265_dinner_serena-williams-ispires-me-the-first-tim_2580950.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Serena Williams [ispires me]. The first time I met her, she was like, \"We should hang out and go to dinner,\"…” — Gabby Douglas",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Gabby Douglas",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Serena Williams [ispires me]. The first...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/serena-williams-ispires-me-the-first-time-i-met-her-she-was-like-we/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/serena-williams-ispires-me-the-first-time-i-met-her-she-was-like-we/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
