As a tennis player, or any professional athlete, our career has a shelf life. I don't want to waste any opportunities, I don't want to look back on it when I'm 45 and think I could have done a lot more.

I didn't know I could even be a professional tennis player, honestly. All this is actually very, very unexpected.

A lot of times when I'm confident and relaxed on the court, I'm going to be a pretty tough out. But when I'm not so confident and not so relaxed, I tense up and my balls fall short and everything. It just sort of unravels.

In the past, I've played where I only just rely on my serve.

You have to be real sharp when you're touring. I'm dull normal at home. So when I come off the road, my kids have to put up with Mom making cracks every five minutes for a couple of days.

I believe in blood, soil, and honour; family, homeland, and hamingja; strength, traditions, and courage.

The positivity of the Obamas as a family is undeniable.

I come from a very la-ti-da East Coast intellectual family - or so they think.