Serena Williams never became a professional athlete for the money, but of course money has followed her to success.

Appearing on a recent episode of First We Feast's Hot Ones, the tennis champion confirmed a rather amusing and, unfortunately, very unrelated anecdote about herself.

"Is it true that you received very little prize money in your first year on tour and once tried unsuccessfully to cash a check for $1 million at a drive-thru ATM?" asked host Sean Evans.

"Yes, all true. 'So I've never played for money. So I never played for money. I wanted to be the best. I don't even know if I wanted to be the best at the time. I just wanted to win."

So focused was she on performing to the best of her ability that the founder of Selina Ventures sometimes forgot to collect her paycheck at the time.

"So the tax man would say, 'You didn't receive your money.' I was like, 'Oh my God, I didn't receive it when I was in Zurich, but I forgot when I was in Moscow.'"

Eventually, however, she did collect her income, and by then it was substantial.

"I got the check and it was a million dollars. 'Okay, I'll deposit it.' I had never spent a lot of money. I was very serious. I used to be very serious. So I went through the drive-through and I went to ...... And then the clerk said, "I think you should have this one come inside."

Evans and Williams ended this one as a "lesson to be learned." For many of us, sadly, there may not be much to apply this newfound wisdom, but I certainly enjoyed this story.