Day 4 - An interview with Serena Williams - Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Q. Just talk about the match and the third set. You came back. You were down
a break?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Third set?

Q. Sorry, second set.

SERENA WILLIAMS: My match or a different match?

Q. Your match.

SERENA WILLIAMS: All right. Yeah, I didn't want to go three sets today. I
thought I could close it out in two sets and it was getting dark. I'm tired
of playing so late and in the dark and I was like, Okay, I'm going to close
it out before then.

Q. Waiting the last couple days, what's that been like?

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's been fine, because I'm actually on schedule. So I was
supposed to play on Sunday and then again on Wednesday, so it wasn't like I
even waited. It's working out perfect for me.

Q. How do you approach playing the unknown players, someone you don't know
much about?

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's different, because especially if they're younger then
they want to win. Everyone seems to want to want to beat me. I try to feel
them out in the warmup and go from there.

Q. So can you really feel someone out in the warmup, or does it usually take
a set or so?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I can, and I have done that before. I felt people out in
warmup, and, you know, yeah, so I definitely think it's possible.

Q. I know this is sort of a generic question. What have you learned on clay
over the last decade or so?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Lots of long rallies, no 30, 40 minute matches, and be
prepared for a lot    for balls to keep coming back when you least expect it.
They keep coming back.

Q. Is there really a major footing issue after you've been doing it so long
where you really have to adjust hard to clay, or do you pretty much get on
clay and say, Okay, now I'm sliding no problem.

SERENA WILLIAMS: For me I'm sliding not a problem, because I played on clay
since I was 9, since I was like 10. So I just played on clay until I turned
pro. So for me, it's just    I start sliding straightaway.

Q. So Serena, today did you feel her out in the warmup, or did you guys scout
her before the match a little bit and watch her play?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I don't scout too much. Pretty much had to feel her out
in warmup again. Today was a case of I couldn't feel her out too well in the
warmup, but I did feel out some things. You know, I can't do it all the time,
but I do try.

Q. Is it any advantage that your opponent is not going to play until
tomorrow. I guess you have an extra day rest than your next opponent.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Really?

Q. They didn't finish Srebotnik. Is that any advantage to you, or not?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I wanted to stay on schedule and then play Friday and
then Sunday, so...
But it's okay.

Q. I think you will. I think she just has to play tomorrow. I'm pretty sure.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Okay.

Q. She'll have to play two days in a row.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Okay. If Srebotnik, if she wins, she gave me a really tough
match in Charleston. It will be good to play her again. I don't know who
she's playing.

Q. Do you find the red clay different from HarTru?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Definitely. It's smoother. HarTru is a rougher texture.

Q. How do you adjust your game to that?

PLAYER NAME: I don't. HarTru is just    a lot of people get a lot of balls
back on HarTru, as well. I don't really adjust my game that much between
HarTru and red clay. I don't at all, actually.

Q. Two matches under your built. Assess your level so far.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm definitely still trying to get there. I haven't played
my best tennis, so hopefully the next round I'll play better.

Q. 70%, 80%?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Whoa, I wish. Not yet, though.

Q. You've got some experience with this, but when you're in a Slam, two weeks
long, you have days off. How do you avoid getting caught up in the city,
going out, shopping, eating? Or is it impossible?

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know what? I'm a real    I always stay inside. I'm a
real recluse. Like I've always done that in a Grand Slam. Like for two weeks
I'll just stay so focused. I'm actually trying to get out more. Like I'm
trying to go to dinner. I'll stay in my house for, you know, two, three
weeks. So I'm complete opposite.
I actually need to learn how to say, Okay, on my off day I can go to dinner
or lunch.

Q. You don't get stir crazy at all?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't. I just watch so many    now I buy a lot of programs
on iTunes, so I've been watching    just downloaded the Jeffersons, so I have
a lot    you know Season 5. I have a lot to watch.

Q. Nothing little more up to date than the Jeffersons.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I have been watching Keeping it up with the Kardashians.
Favorite reality show. It's a great show. I finished that, though.

Q. Now you have to go seriously old school?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. Well, they just got Sex in the City on iTunes. I
looked for it a couple months ago. They didn't have it on iTunes. Now they
have this there. I can buy it.
My computer doesn't have a lot of memory. I have the small, you know, HP
because it's easier to travel with. So I just have to download a few and then
delete and then download some more. So that's how it goes (laughing.)

Q. You're a big star. You're pulled in a lot of different directions. I don't
know how close you followed this last thing with WTA and the thing with Maria
about the length of the shoot they wanted to do in Rome. What are your
thoughts about that? Obviously the tour is trying to promote itself and Maria
trying to win a big tournament. Do you sympathize with her? Do you see both
sides? Or which side do you come out on?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I was excited to have the WTA or whatever to have
opportunity to promote women's tennis. Women's tennis is a premier sport for
all women athletes, and I think it was a great opportunity to have the best
athletes, female athletes, get together and be a part of such a wonderful ad.
I was happy to have an opportunity to be in it, and, you know, worked out for
my schedule. You know, I was    I was more than excited to do it.

Q. Did you think that the six hours that she said they were asking for her is
too much to ask of a player?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I only had to do, like, three hours, so, you know, I
was pretty fine with my schedule, you know. Of course hair and makeup takes a
couple hours. Adjusting my schedule accordingly, like you said, I'm used to
that.
I was on the set once. I had to go to the set at 9:00, so I practiced at
6:00. I had to get the job done.

Q. You've been in the Olympics and met a lot of athletes. Why would you say
it's the premier sport for women's athletes?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Because it is. Female tennis is, I think    first of all,
it's worldwide. We play in Australia and Asia, and I believe    and don't
quote me on this    but I believe it offers the most money, prize money
available to women in athletics, which I really believe that's true.
And for me, you know, Wimbledon, I think, has been around for hundreds of
years. It doesn't get better than that. So it's    it's hands down the
premier sport for women's athletes, for sure.

Q. You think you're the best athletes?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Let me think. What else is there? I don't know. I think    I
couldn't play soccer, because to be running back and forth for 45 minutes I
would probably pass out somewhere between there.

Q. They don't score too many goals, right?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, exactly. I would be like in the middle of the field
laid out, so...
And then I think people who play water polo are very fit, because I can only
swim for 10 seconds and then I get really tired, so...
I don't know where the best of the elitest, because sometimes I play and I'm
not the most fit. But it's definitely, I think, the premier sport for women
athletes.