Tennis champs serve up their travel secrets

Tennis champ Serena Williams is a seasoned Road Warrior.

But ask her what her favorite travel destination is, and her response is as swift as her serve.

“My favorite is home, honestly,” she said while speaking to reporters at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel a few days before the U. S. Open. “There’s really, really big meaning to that saying ‘ There’s no place like home.’ Whenever I’m home, I’m so happy.”

Home to Serena and her sister, Venus, is West Palm Beach, Fla. Both Williamses competed in the tournament, which ends today.

The sisters live across the road from each other but say they would like to be closer. “We’re working on living next door,” Venus said.

USA TODAY spoke about travel with the Williams sisters, as well as with Spain’s Rafael Nadal, a past U. S. Open champion, and the United Kingdom’s Andy Murray, who recently won the gold medal at the Summer Olympics.

Venus Williams likes to venture out a little more than her sister. Her favorite U. S. destination: Washington. “People think of big cities, sometimes they forget about D. C.,” she said. “And it’s beautiful. It has a European flair, lots of great culture, restaurants, pretty much everything. I like to spend time there.”

As for international destinations, Serena picked Ghana. “I had a lot of fun there,” she said. “It was so beautiful and I saw so much history there.”

Venus chose Slovenia. “It’s off the beaten path,” she said. “It’s a beautiful country, not a lot of Americans.”

Nadal, who is from Majorca, said he needs to be near water. “I am from an island,” he says. “I like places with fine beaches, clear water.”

Hence, his love of Miami. “It’s a city that you have almost every- thing ( in), and at the same time you have the ocean,” he said.

He also enjoys New York. “I like to go to Broadway. I like to walk around the city a little bit. I like to be in Central Park,” he said. “It is a city with a lot of life and energy, and I like that.”

Like Serena, he enjoys staycations. “I normally take the vacations to be back at home and spend time with my family,” he said.

Murray’s top picks: Melbourne and Shanghai. He also likes New York and Miami.

“We get to go to pretty much all of the big cities in the world when we’re playing, and I love traveling,” he said.

What can these tennis champs not leave home without, aside from their tennis equipment?

“Phone, laptop, just to communicate, when you’re away, with family and friends,” Murray said.

Nadal agreed. “I have a lot of free hours sometimes in the airports, in the room,” he said. “Knowing what’s going on around the world is important to me.”

Venus doesn’t like to leave home without her dog, a Havanese named Harry. “He’s here,” she said.

What would be in their dream minibar?

“It would have to be some sort of green drink,” Venus said.

“I was going to go with Sour Patch Kids, watermelon,” Serena said.

If the minibar could dispense tacos, Serena said she would be a happy guest. Venus votes for makeup. “You’re on the go,” she said. “If you just have eyeliner or mascara, it would change my life.”

What’s the first thing a tennis champ does when checking into a hotel?

“I check the shower,” Murray said. “I need good water pressure.”

CRAIG BARRITT, GETTY IMAGES, FOR LOTTE NEW YORK PALACE Serena, left, and Venus Williams show their ace skills in a Wii tennis tournament hosted by Rafael Nadal at the Lotte New York Palace in the leadup to the U. S. Open.

JOE RAEDLE, GETTY IMAGES Nadal, who lives on the Spanish island of Majorca, likes the spin of Miami Beach, with its ocean and beaches.

ANDREW HARNIK, AP Venus Williams’ love for D. C. isn’t a zero. She’s a fan of the restaurants and culture.

BRUCE BENNETT, GETTY IMAGES New York is an ace for Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.