The unrelenting calm Lisa Raymond displays while rushing the net recalls a surfer staring down a 10-foot wall of water and plotting her angle of attack.

At an age when many of her contemporaries have called it quits, a resurgent Raymond is riding a winning wave. The 38-year-old American—with a backhand volley that parts the court as sharply as a scalpel slicing silk—partnered 35-year-old Liezel Huber in April, creating a dream team of former top-ranked vets that sputtered at the start: The pair failed to win a set in their first three matches and played 10 straight tournaments before claiming a title.

A littany of loss—Raymond also shed substantial weight—fueled a win streak: They captured their first title together in Toronto and reached the U.S. Open final. Down a set and a break, Huber and Raymond were two points from defeat three different times before fighting back for an emotional 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) victory over defending champions Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova on the 10th anniversary of 9-11. It was Raymond's seventh major doubles title.

Two weeks ago, the duo swept Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik in the WTA Championships final, giving Raymond her fourth year-end title (with three different partners). Her 74 career doubles titles is seventh on the all-time list; all six women ahead of her are Hall of Famers. Raymond's next goal? To make a mark at the 2012 Olympic Games.

"I'd be lying if I said the Olympics are not a huge goal," she says. "Not trying to sound cocky, but I've been No. 1, won all of the Grand Slams and the one thing I do not have is an Olympic medal, so to be able to represent my country and try for that is a huge goal."

We caught up with the Norristown, PA native, who was 10 years old when she first hit with another Pennsylvania tennis product—TENNIS.com senior writer Steve Tignor—to discuss her gear and game.

TENNIS.com: When did you start playing with Prince and why have you stuck with Prince?

Lisa Raymond: I've been with Prince since I was 15. I used the Prince Graphite, my favorite racquet, starting when I was 15 and switched over to Prince's more current technology probably only about seven or eight years ago. It was like them pulling teeth to get that racquet out of my hands. To this day, the Prince Graphite is the greatest racquet ever made, in my opinion. But I was getting older and my arm couldn't take it anymore. I love that frame and the Prince (EXO3 Tour Lite 100) I use now is pretty similar, though definitely a little bit lighter through the air.

TENNIS.com: What strings do you use?

Lisa Raymond: I use Babolat pure gut. It's probably the same string I've used for over 10 years. I'm pretty old school when it comes to string: I don't use a lot of the new string technology. I think if I was playing more singles the last five years I would have experimented more with string. But I love to come forward, my livelihood is up at net, and I love the feel and control gut gives me.

TENNIS.com: You said re-dedicating yourself to fitness was a key to your success this season. What did you do to get fitter?

Lisa Raymond: It was pretty much a lot more off-court training and diet. My style of play is an explosive style. I felt I had lost a step. I felt I had put on some weight. I felt, for a lack of a better word, I had let myself go for almost a year-and-a-half or two years. I finally had someone call me out on it. I'm glad they did. As hard as it was to hear that my fitness was not there, I needed to hear it. From that day, I changed my diet, I worked extra-hard in the gym and on the practice court. That absolutely made all the difference in the world. I wish I would have been this fit 10 years ago. The one regret I have in my career is that I probably didn't put the fitness time in that I should have when I was playing singles. I feel I'm a better doubles player now than possibly I ever was and certainly I'm a fitter player now than I ever was.

TENNIS.com: What were the challenges you and Liezel faced early in this partnership and how did they help prepare you for later success?

Lisa Raymond: On paper, we thought this was gonna work right away. Given our results and our pedigrees we thought it would work immediately, and then we realized very quickly that wasn't going to be the case. It took us a while to find our identity as a team. We spent endless hours on the practice court working it out. Ultimately, we just both had such faith in ourselves and each other. That faith  allowed us to get through the tougher times and it finally clicked.

TENNIS.com: The U.S. Open final was a hell of a match. Where does that U.S. Open title rank among career highlights?

Lisa Raymond: All summer that was our goal: To win one of the Grand Slams; and coming up short in Paris and Wimbledon did not sit well with either of us. To be able to go out and play a U.S. Open final as Americans in New York with our families and friends there was amazing. To come together in that final on September 11 was truly an incredible day. If we're lucky, we have a handful of those incredible, special days in our lives, that was certainly one of them.

TENNIS.com: You've won 74 doubles titles, seventh on the all-time list, and every woman ahead of you  is in the Hall of Fame. How do you define success now, and is there a title total you are aiming to achieve?

Lisa Raymond: As far as a number of total titles, no, I don't have anything in mind. Sometimes when I'm out there and I hear the announcer list my stats, I still can't believe it. It blows my mind the company I am in and I'm very proud I've been able to be out there as long as I have. Every time I step on the court, I want to win. The older you get, the better perspective you have on your life and career, but you never lose the desire to compete as hard as you can and win. I hope there are many more to come.

TENNIS.com: Coaches and players often talk about your backhand and backhand volley as signature shots. How has that shot evolved over the years?
 
Lisa Raymond: I've always had a natural one-handed backhand. I never really experimented with a two-hander, even when I was younger and a little weaker. I knew that the one-hander would help my volley. Volleying has always been very natural to me—especially the backhand—and the fitter I've gotten, I've gotten better on the backhand volley.

TENNIS.com: People talk about the volley becoming extinct on the pro tour, yet Petra Kvitova showed fine net skills last week in Istanbul; Agnieszka Radwanska volleys well; Francesca Schiavone volleyed well to win the French Open and Sam Stosur is a former No. 1 in doubles. What is the future for the volleyer in women's tennis?

Lisa Raymond: Watching Kvitova last week, it was awesome to see her move forward so often and effectively and finish at net. In an era when there's so much power—because racquet and string technology power has almost overtaken the game—but if you develop a volley and you can still come forward and finish points; it's very valuable. Without question, Sam Stosur is someone who can finish at net; I wish she would come in even more and rely on her volley, and Radwanska definitely knows how to volley. I do think some of the younger generation are trying to use it more.

TENNIS.com: Who's the toughest opponent you faced? Who brought out the best in you?

Lisa Raymond: That's a very tough question. When I first came on the tour Gigi Fernandez and Natasha Zvereva were dominant. They were such an incredible team, they had such great chemistry and experience, I played them in a few finals and they certainly cost me a few titles [laughs]. Martina Hingis was a genius with a racquet in her hand. I think one of the great achievements that is often overlooked is Hingis winning the Wimbledon doubles at the age of 15 (with Helena Sukova)—that is just  unbelievable. I played with and against so many great champions like Martina (Navratilova) and Lindsay (Davenport), who are amazing players.