adidas International

January 11, 2001

Serena Williams

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Serena.

Q. Was that just a bit of rustiness? You obviously made a few errors that you
would have preferred not to have done towards the end of that second set.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. Yeah. I was a little bit rusty. You know, first match,
first -- this is the third match since October, so I'm not -- I'm doing
pretty good considering. And it's a good experience for me because this is a
warm-up. I played this tournament specifically to get a warm-up because I
wasn't happy with my performance last year at the Australian. So I decided
this year I'm going to try a warm-up, and we'll see what happens.

Q. How do you think Martina is playing at this stage of the buildup?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, you know, she's playing her game. She's doing what she
can do best - move the ball around, put the ball in play. She's doing great,
sure.

Q. Were you disappointed after breaking back there to level the score again
at 5-5, then to let it slip out of your grasp again?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, yeah. Obviously I was a bit disappointed, but I just
-- yeah, obviously I was a little disappointed.

Q. Do you think there were places where you could have -- you made a couple
of unforced errors by the look of it. Is that something that you'll be
working on more with Venus on the practice court?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes, it's definitely something that -- my mom's here. She's
coaching us this week. It's something that we've been working on, cutting
back on the unforced errors, just trying to attack and do a lot of different
things like that. I'm getting my rhythm back. I'm getting it back. I felt it
a little in this game. It's like I have it; I'm not able to produce it right
now. Next week I should do a lot better because I have it, I'm just working
on getting it out there. Taking a little time off, you're always going to be
a little rusty here and there. But I should definitely be ready next week.

Q. So it's definitely rustiness and not concentration?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, no, not concentration at all. I just -- I was pretty
focused out there. It's sometimes I have a shot and I just missed it because,
you know, you just have to be used to these terms and conditions throughout.

Q. Do you ever use videos in terms of planning strategy or cutting out
errors, so if you see the error for yourself again you know exactly what
you've done wrong?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I use videos. But predominantly when I miss the error
and I make the error, I usually know what I did wrong because I've been
playing for a little while, and 99 percent of the time I know what I did
wrong. It's just the fact of me being able to correct it before I make the
mistake.

Q. Serena, how do you rate your prospects at the Australian Open, and do you
consider the Big Three to be your main threats?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Pardon me?

Q. Do you consider the top three to be your main threats?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. I would say Venus, Davenport and Hingis, top three,
yeah. They will probably be my main threats, especially Venus because she's
playing very well. But right now, I'm up there. Just working on getting up
there. Yeah, I just... I think next week I'm going to do very well; I really
do. I can kind of feel it because I have this great new attitude, and I don't
get angry at myself any more on the court. And, you know, I keep my head up
and my shoulders back, and that's what's most important.

Q. How do you stop yourself? How do you change that attitude?

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's been 19 years, and so it was a really tough change for
me. (Laughing.) But I must say that the match I played at the US Open against
Lindsay this year was a turnaround. It had to stop. It stopped and ever since
then, I've been a different person.

Q. How do you see this year in terms of the big picture for your career? How
important is this particular year?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, this year is very important for me. I'm trying to make
a move. And all the Grand Slams and big tournaments, I'm trying to do very
well. Actually, all the tournaments I've entered in I want to pretty much
make it happen, so to say. Got to make it happen.

Q. You seemed to have a little twinge in your left foot at one stage there.
Is that okay? You'll be fine for next week?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it should be. What happened was I was giving, you
know, that usual 120 percent effort that I like to give, and I was running
for a backhand. I kind of rolled over on my ankle. And last time I did that,
I didn't feel it until two days later, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that
everything's going to be okay. I have my trainer with me, so I think it will
be okay.

Q. If you have a big year as you hope, is there a big clothing contract or a
big contract out there for you like Venus got?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think definitely there is for sure. I have two years left
on my contract, so I have a couple years. And I think a lot of people are,
you know, watching me and buying the products. So I think I should, you know,
do very well with that.