"Really important for females to realize you can be strong but still sexy" - When Serena Williams described herself as combination of 'pretty & tough'

American tennis icon Serena Williams once said she was a combination of pretty and tough.

Williams' comments came during the 2014 Miami Open, where she successfully defended her title by notching up wins over Yaroslava Shvedova, Caroline Garcia, CoCo Vandeweghe, Angelique Kerber, Maria Sharapova and Li Na. It was her record-extending seventh title at the WTA 1000 tournament.

After beating Vandeweghe in the fourth round, Williams attended a press conference where she was asked if she considered herself more pretty or tough. The 23-time Grand Slam champion believed she could embody both qualities simultaneously, sending a powerful message to all women.

"Oh, gosh. I never thought about that, but I definitely am a tough girl. I definitely go out there and be as tough as I can on every one that I play," Williams said.

"Yeah, absolutely. I think it's really important for females to realize that you can be strong but still be sexy at the same time. There is nothing wrong with being strong and beating up on the boys (smiling)," she added.

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Serena Williams holds the record for most Miami Open title wins

Serena Williams pictured with her last Miami Open trophy in 2015

Serena Williams is the only tennis player in history, male or female, who has won the Miami Open a whopping eight times. She also holds the record for most consecutive title wins at the WTA 1000 tournament.

Williams won the tournament in a row between 2002 to 2004. She defeated Jennifer Capriati to get her hands on the trophy for the first time. She bettered Capriati again a year later and Elena Dementieva in 2004 to cement her dominance.

In 2005, Williams couldn't defend her title, losing to her sister Venus in the quarterfinals. She withdrew from the tournament the following year due to a knee injury and lack of fitness.

Serena Williams made a strong comeback in 2007, entering the tournament as the No. 13 seed. She defeated Anastasia Rodionova, Lucie Safarova, Maria Sharapova, Nicole Vaidisova, Shahar Pe'er, and Justine Henin to secure her third Miami Open title before successfully defending her title the following year.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion was unstoppable from 2013 to 2015, winning the tournament in a row again by defeating Maria Sharapova, Li Na, and Carla Suarez Navarro in succession.

Apart from Williams, Andre Agassi and Novak Djokovic shine as six-time winners of the Miami Open. Agassi clinched the title in 1990, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2002, and 2003, while Djokovic triumphed in 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2016.