Serena Williams says it is too difficult for her and Maria Sharapova to be friends off court. Sharapova and Williams have never been close and got into a dispute last year at Wimbledon, after Williams allegedly made negative comments about Sharapova and her boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov in a Rolling Stone article. Sharapova responded with remarks about Williams' alleged romantic relationship with her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou.

“It's very difficult I think for anyone to be best buddies when you're so competitive,” Williams said. “But I don't have a problem with anyone. I get along with everyone. I have respect for people not only on the court but as well as off the court. I don't have any problem when it comes to anything like that. I don't take jabs or anything. I am who I am and I don't hide anything. I'm totally fine.”

Williams will face Sharapova in the Brisbane semifinals, which is a rematch of the 2013 French Open final.

On Thursday in Brisbane, Sharapova offered that she said “everything I had to say about it.”