During an October 2016 interview with The FADER, Serena revealed that she became fluent in French partially so she could better communicate with locals while spending time in Africa, and partially to make a key victory feel even sweeter. "One of the reasons I learned French was I wanted to win the French Open, and I wanted to speak French when I won," she explained. "The second was because, most African countries, the main language outside of their local language is French or English. So I figured: I know English, maybe I can learn French."
She then proceeded to blow everyone's minds by addressing the crowd in French following her win at the 2013 French Open. "I mean, I have been speaking French for years and years, but I don't really have a lot of confidence. I just had to kind of jump in," she told the New York Times. She added: "It's way, way more nerve-racking than playing tennis."