Serena Williams [ Images ], winner of eight Grand Slam tennis titles, says she has been inspired by her fellow American, boxing great Muhammad Ali.

After beating top-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova [ Images ] in straight sets on Saturday to reach her first Kremlin Cup final, the former world number one revealed the secrets of her graceful movements on court.

When a Russian reporter told Williams that she reminded him of Ali's famous phrase Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, she smiled and said: "I love Mohammed Ali and I live by the same principles, that's why nobody's going to mess with me."

Another reporter took up the boxing theme with the Australian Open [ Images ] champion, asking her if she would watch American challenger Evander Holyfield taking on Russian title holder Sultan Ibragimov in the heavyweight championship fight in Moscow [ Images ] later on Saturday.

"Well, I love boxing and I would love to see him [Holyfield] fight," she said. "I know him as I've met him once but unfortunately I can't go, it's just too late."

Williams plays another Russian, Elena Dementieva [ Images ], in Sunday's final.