"If I'm playing Uno, I want to win" - When Serena Williams' ex-boyfriend Common shared his struggles about playing tennis with American legend

Serena Williams and American rapper Common (Lonnie Rashid Lynn) dated briefly between 2007 and 2010, a relationship that did not see much of the media spotlight. Although the pair attended events together every now and then, it was mostly quiet before they ended things mutually.

In what little glimpses the press got into their relationship, Common and Williams both seemed to share one trait at least -- their sense of competition. The rapper admitted as much himself, recalling his experiences playing tennis with the 23-time Grand Slam champion.

Speaking to the Associated Press in an interview in 2010, Common lamented how difficult it was for him to hit with Williams. According to him, while he had the mindset of an athlete that wanted him to win, not having the skill required to beat an opponent of Serena Williams' calibre put a lot of pressure on him.

Common joked about how he was someone who wanted to win even when playing Uno with his friends, making for a tough time when he took on his then-girlfriend on the court.

"I hit with her a couple of times but it's kind of tough ... me, having an athletic mind-state and not being able to defeat your companion. If I'm playing Uno, I want to win," he said.

The rapper went on to lavish praise on Serena as well as her sister Venus Williams, marvelling at how they honed the ability to play through pain through sheer force of will.

"One thing I gotta say is that athletes, they play through the pain. I've seen the pain that not only Serena or Venus would go through, but the other athletes that I know. ... I gained a lot of respect for athletes doing this role because it's a superhuman ability to go out there and be in that pain and because of the level of skill that they possess," he said.

"I care about Serena Williams as a person" - Ex-boyfriend Common on their relationship after breaking up

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Speaking in an interview with Meredit Vieira in 2015, Serena Williams' ex-boyfriend Common opened up about their post-breakup relationship. Common, surprisingly, revealed that he and Willaims still had a great understanding with each other and that he cared about her even after ending things with the former World No. 1.

"Not every ex-girlfriend and I are still friends, but with some, I am. We got a great understanding, and I care about her as a person," Common said.

As of now, Common is dating Hollywood superstar Jennifer Hudson, while Williams is married to tech mogul Alexis Ohanian, who co-founded social media site Reddit. The couple have two daughters together, Olympia and Adira.