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Serena plays down Olympics fears

Elanor Preston | March 30, 2004 10:17 IST

Serena Williams has rebuffed suggestions that she may pull out of the U.S Olympic team because she is worried about the threat of terror.

"I'm 100 percent planning on going to Athens. I just wanted to clear the air. I can't wait to play singles," said Williams, who won a doubles gold with sister Venus in Sydney four years ago but is making her singles debut in August.

"I'm very disappointed in you guys," Williams told the media at the Nasdaq-100 Open.

"I woke up this morning and I'm on the cover of USA Today saying 'Serena is unsure if she's playing the Olympics.' I never said that.

"If you look back at my transcripts I just said that I was aware of the things that happen in the world and I will not let things that happen in the world stop me from living my life."

In a news conference on Sunday, Williams was asked if the threat of terror would ever persuade her not to travel to Athens.

"I think my security and my safety and my life are a little bit more important that tennis," she answered.

"And if it became a real concern to where I personally wouldn't feel comfortable, then I wouldn't go to Athens because I like my life, I like to live, you know, I like waking up in the morning."

During the same conference she added that life should not change because of the threat posed by international terror groups.

"I agree that you can't stop living your life because you're scared something's going to happen. I've got to be able to keep moving.

"I'm that kind of person, but at the same time I'm aware of what's going on in the world. I read a lot so I'm very aware of that kind of stuff."


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