Davenport talks resilience, Serena & more in New Haven

NEW HAVEN — Hall of Famer Lindsay Davenport spoke on Monday at the Connecticut Open's Anthem Girls Symposium. Her audience was a a tent of female high-school athletes for a discussion about the relationship between girls' sports involvement and career success later on.

Davenport shared her wisdom about trusting the process, never settling and what it's like to play against Serena Williams.

"Life is an incredible, incredible journey," Davenport said. "You have got to enjoy the whole process of it all. It's not always easy, and it doesn't always go perfectly, and it might not go the way you planned, but hopefully there is a path."

"The path you're going on, it's not straight. It never will be," the former world No. 1 added. "There will always be some curves in the road and some bumps you'll have to deal with. But try and keep that positive attitude, that things will change or things will get better."

Her other main piece of advice was for girls to find their passions.

"You have got to be happy in what you're doing," she said. "Don't get stuck in doing something because you're either trying to please someone or you think that this is what you have to be doing and you have no other choice. There's a lot of choices for you girls."

Later on, in the Q&A portion of the discussion, Davenport was asked which player she least wanted to draw during her career. The answer: "That would've been Serena."

The three-time Grand Slam champion said that, despite Williams being an inexperienced teenager in their early matches, her power and athleticism was too much.

"Even at her young age—and she is a far more complete player the last five to six years—it was just impossible," Davenport said. "I look at her now and could not be prouder of the kind of role model and person and athlete she's turned into."

Davenport also threw in a little prediction about the future of Williams' career:

"I believe she's going to win a major as a mother. I don't know if it'll be the US Open, but I would bet by Australia she's going to be 100 percent ready to go."

Davenport play a mixed-doubles exhibition against James Blake on Monday night.

The two legends were joined by Real Housewives of New York star Jill Zarin and ESPN commentator Sam Gore.