Serena Williams defeats Sabine Lisicki (ret.)
4-1

SERENA WILLIAMS

Q. Serena, you look like you're moving around pretty well on the clay right
now. What's led to this great play from you thus far?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Just, I think, really playing more matches, and I wasn't
supposed to play in Charleston and I decided after Australia I wanted to come
here and get started early on the clay, and I'm so glad that I did because
this is such good -- you know, I'm moving better. I'm loving when people do
drop shots because I'm thinking, yes, I get to practice, so it's good.

Q. In your career you've dealt with a new nagging injuries that have recurred
a little bit. Can you talk about sort of the mental side of that, like what
Sabine might have been feeling today when she's had an ankle injury having
had so many others in her past and the mental stress as much as the physical
that comes with that?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, she's probably thinking not again. I don't know, but
that's what I would have been thinking. Actually, that's what I thought when
she fell, I thought, oh, no, not again, because I noticed she had both of her
ankles taped, like me, and I was like, ugh, this is not good, but thank God
it isn't in Brisbane like mine and I had to play the next week. At least she
has a lot of time to recover.

Q. Any difficulty adjusting to such a drastic temperature change from
yesterday to today?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Not really, because definitely the court I think played the
same pretty much . It was just a lot colder. Just gotta keep moving more.

Q. Can you tell us what you said to her at the net to console her?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I just told her it would be all right, and you
know, I'm really in an emotional time in my life, so I told her don't cry
because you're going to make me cry, and I was like my eyes are getting
watery. Like I'm always crying, I'm like, you know, so I was like, you know,
it's okay. It's not the French Open right now. At least it happened earlier
and you can recover. You know, it's okay.
Because I know. I've been through those injuries, and like it sucks. It
really, really sucks.

Q. I know you don't want to win a match like that, but just to have such a
short day how much is that going to help you over the weekend?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think it definitely will help. Maybe. We'll see. If I lose
the next round, I'm going to go back and blame the match and be like I wish
I'd have played longer, that kind of thing.

 Q. Your thoughts on potentially playing your sister?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think it'll be great. I really hope she wins. You know, so
we'll see. And so that would be a good match. It would be a good match for
the fans, and I'll be happy to be out here and playing against her. Obviously
I want to win, and she really wants to win, so we'll see what happens.

Q. Serena, this is a great place, Charleston, great venue, and your team, the
Washington Castles won here to make an undefeated season. So what would it
mean for you to see them get back again and win in this great venue and win
World Team Tennis again here?

SERENA WILLIAMS: It would be great. I always love seeing my team win. Maybe
one day I'll be able to come and play, but we'll see.

Q. Can you clarify, you said "I hope she wins." Do you want her to win? Do
you want her to win tomorrow; Venus?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. Venus is actually playing today.

Q. I thought you meant if you faced her tomorrow.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I want to win. I'm trying to win, too. (Laughs).

Q. I thought you said, "I hope she wins."

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I never said that. I never said that. I said -- I don't
know what I said. I w ant her to win today. I did say that, but today. No, I
want to win tomorrow. I need to.

Q. Serena, you two have played each other obviously several dozen times at
this point in your career, but not all that often on clay. Does that add a
different dimension to the match between you two? I know you've played on
hard and grass over your career.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. I never thought about that. I know we've played a
couple of times on clay. Maybe we're even. Venus is an excellent clay court
player and I'm a fairly decent clay court player, too. So we'll see. It'll be
good. I have a chance to play her or Sam, but I'll know in a few hours who it
will be.

Q. You said you're going through an emotional time in your life. Does that
impact you when you're out on court?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I don't think so. I hope not. When I'm on the court, I
really focus on getting the ball over the net and focusing on the next point
and things like that.

Q. Will you watch your sister's match today?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I will. I don't want to go back to the hotel and just be
kind of like sitting there doing nothing and thinking. I don't want to think,
so I'm going to definitely be here.

Q. Serena, you were saying on ESPN that you don't really look at rankings,
that you're just more about titles and looking the man in the mirror. Does it
ever bother you when people ask you -- it's almost like a backhand insult for
the WTA a little bit, like, oh, the rest of the tour has been kind of in
disarray and now you're kind of back. Does it ever kind of bother you?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think the WTA has been great. They're playing good
tournaments. The people are winning. These ladies work hard, and you know, I
think I work hard and they do today, and whatever they win or don't win they
deserve and the same is with me. So I wouldn't take any credit away from
anyone that's sweating and grinding and working out every day.

Q. If your sister does win today, are you going to talk to her tonight or is
it going tokind of be an off-limits discussion until tomorrow on court?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. I'll probably put something in her food, or if she's
walking I'll stick my foot out and trip her. You know, play dirty. The usual.
(Laughs).

Q. Serena, how close do you feel to playing your best tennis right now like a
Grand Slam champion level? Do you feel like you're there or what's it going
to take to get there if you're not?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm feeling better. You know, I feel like -- you know, I
feel better. I feel like I'm getting there, and that's dangerous for me.
Well, not for me, but for a lot of people, that I'm feeling so much better
each day, but I can still go so much higher than what I've been performing.
And I know I'll get there, so I look forward to getting higher and doing
better.

Q. Serena, with your reborn love of clay this year, what kind of schedule are
you looking to do after this to get ready for the French?

SERENA WILLIAMS: To be honest, I seriously considered entering Stuttgart
because I don't know, I'm not thinking too much. I'm just playing. But I'm
not sure about that. I'm playing Madrid and Rome, and if I add Stuttgart,
that might be too much, but I'm just loving every moment of this. I don't
want it to end.

THE MODERATOR: Any more questions? No? Thanks very much.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Thank you.

End of Interview