This is going to sound lecherous, but I could stare at Serena Williams’ body all day long. She is so athletic and strong and beautiful. As I get older, I appreciate the athletic physique more, do you know what I mean? When I was younger, I would see those slim models and that would be the goal, but at my age now, I would prefer to look like Serena. I’d rather be strong. Serena covers the September issue of Self Magazine following her now-historic 22nd Grand Slam win at Wimbledon last month. She’s calling this The Summer of Serena, and she hopes to win gold, again. Because chica already had four Olympic gold medals and she wants a fifth. You can read the full Self piece here. Some highlights:

Her philosophy: “I am who I am. I love who I am. Just that whole attitude of being strong and powerful—that’s something I can get behind.”

The importance of her Olympic medals: “If I could grab one thing in a fire it would be my gold medals.”

She’s still #1 & she still wants to win: “It’s always been, like, bring it on—and more…I’m a little more calm. But at the same time, I’m even hungrier to win. This is my heart. This is my blood. I live for this and have for the last 32 years. When I step out on the court, you’re going to get all of me…It’s going to be the summer of Serena. I know it.”

Oversharing on social media: “I wish people didn’t know I slept with a teddy bear, but now they do. It’s out there.”

Body criticism: “I love my body, and I would never change anything about it. I’m not asking you to like my body. I’m just asking you to let me be me. Because I’m going to influence a girl who does look like me, and I want her to feel good about herself.”

Empowerment: “I have this platform that other people don’t have. I think it’s important, especially as a woman, to stand up for who you are and what you believe in—and not back down.”

The cameo in Beyonce’s Lemonade: “I was nervous. But Beyoncé was impressed. I was like, ‘Well, you told me to dance like no one was looking!’ ”

What Venus means to her: “Venus is the best. I look up to her, and I always wonder, if I was the older sister, would I have set the good example that she set for me? I hate playing Venus. She’s the toughest opponent I’ve ever faced.”

An African-American pioneer: “I can’t say I am the pioneer because it was Althea Gibson, it was Zina Garrison, it was Arthur Ashe, it was so many people before me… I appreciate being in a position where I was chosen to be a role model. Obviously, being black in tennis wasn’t easy, even in the ’90s.”

Where will she be in five years? “In five years, I’m on a boat or an island, sketching the latest collection. Maybe there’s a baby, maybe a couple, we’ll see. I’m done traveling—I’m throwing away my passport. Yeah, I’m done with it.”

[From Self]

She’s just all of the goals, isn’t she? I remember a time when Serena wasn’t quite so open with talking about politics, race, sexism and more. I think she went through a phase in her early years where her message seemed to be: just judge me on the tennis. But then as she got older, she grew into her role as advocate, pioneer and activist. And people like her even more for it. This made me tear up a little too: “I’m not asking you to like my body. I’m just asking you to let me be me. Because I’m going to influence a girl who does look like me, and I want her to feel good about herself.”

Photos courtesy of Self.