Serena Williams defeats Jelena Jankovic
3-6, 6-0, 6-2

Final Round

SERENA WILLIAMS

Q. Serena, congratulations.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Thank you.

Q. What do you think was the difference in turning that match around out
there?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I was just trying to be more consistent. I felt so close in
that first set. Like I felt like I could have been up 3-0. I mean she was
playing really, really well. But it was just a shot here, a shot there and
she played really well in the big points. And I had so many opportunities
that I missed. And she took advantage of that, and she went on the glory in
that first set.

Q. After that little conversation you two had after that first game in the
second set you won eight straight points in six straight games, I guess, and
she said she was a little upset that she let it distract her. Did you feel
like that was the turning point at all?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I don't think -- I don't know what the turning point
was. I mean I think after that I just got really relaxed and I was like,
honestly, Serena, you gotta kind of chill out and not get crazy and just you
win, great. If not, you're trying. She's playing really well and just do the
best you can today.

Q. We couldn't really hear exactly what you were asking her. Was it just that
she was serving too quickly?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, no, no. She was -- I just told her I wasn't ready. She
plays fast. There's a couple of
players on the tour that play really, really fast and she appears to be one
of them, so I just wasn't ready. And I can't be ready to play if I'm not
ready. So I just wasn't ready. That's all.

Q. Serena, can you talk about how this week, this tournament has helped you
for the up coming clay court season, how you're feeling about your game right
now on the clay?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I focus on one tournament at a time, and you
know, I did really well here last year, even better than this year and ended
up not doing so great later on in the clay court season. So I just focus --
for me, my whole thing is just one tournament at a time.

Q. Serena, you spent a lot of this week playing players you've never played
before, never faced before and then a few players where you've played them
before like Jelena who you guys have a history of. What's more kind of
comfortable for you, going in against somebody you've never seen before or
somebody you've played multiple times and you know their game?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I think it's obviously easier to play someone
that you know before. But it's always challenging to play people who you
don't know, you've never played.

Q. Serena, you said at all access hour, after Miami, after two weeks you were
tired coming in here, you were going to put no pressure on yourself, but did
you honestly expect to come in, play as well as you did and win this thing?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I never go in a tournament expecting to lose, so I just
expect to do the best I can, and that was -- every match I just tried to do
the best I can. If that meant that I won, then that's great and if it meant
that I lost but I played a good match, then I have to learn to be okay with
that.

Q. Do you appreciate history that you accomplished? You are the first woman
to win three here on Daniel island. When you do things like that, do you
appreciate that, is that something you think in the background that would be
neat to do. That's something that I accomplished?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Definitely a really cool accomplishment, really cool,
especially at this particular tournament that has been around for so long. So
I really -- I just try to keep doing things and making different
accomplishments, but that one's really cool.

Q. Serena, you talk about how you GAINED your focus in the first game of that
second set. Was that just sort of a deep breath kind of thing you talked
about before in terms of not blowing or what was going through your mind?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I just relaxed. I was like honestly, Serena, just relax, and
after that I just completely relaxed and I wasn't even grunting as loud. I
was just kind of not making as many errors.

Q. You were grunting a bunch near the end of the first set. Is that just a
sign of discomfort for you or you're not feeling everything's working all the
way?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. Not at all. I grunt a lot, and I just don't know when it
comes or when it goes. There's no method to it. It just -- I don't really
know.

Q. Serena, right after the match you were saying on TV how Jelena's good for
the game. Can you kind of expand on that a little bit?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think she's really exciting to watch. I think she plays
with the crowd. She laughs on court. She Smiles on court. She gets a lot of
balls back, and I think she's an exciting player. I always have, and I think
those exciting players like her are good for ladies' tennis.

Q. You seem to have a really great appreciation for the history of the game,
and especially a place like this where it's been 40 years, the 41st year and
all these years of women's tennis. Can you talk a little bit about the
popularity of women's tennis and a place like this that supports it so much?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think women's tennis is the most -- hands down the most
popular sport for women. I believe that. And internationally it's huge, and
it's great when you know where -- I think we started -- we. The WTA started
about 40 years ago and this has been our sponsor for the whole time, and it
really makes you appreciate someone that can support the sport for so long,
and it's great. It really is fantastic.

Q. So are you going to bust out the karaoke the players' area or are you
going to go to a private bar?

SERENA WILLIAMS: There are no CDs. I have so many CDs at home. Next year I'll
bring some.

Q. How do you plan on celebrating your title and over the course of the next
week or so how much time are you going to take away from the course?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. The last three weeks have been intense. I don't really
celebrate so much anymore.

Q. Not going to karaoke at all? That's what you were doing before.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I try to go home, get my other two girls, my two dogs
that are at home. I miss them. And yeah, that's it. And go to sleep in my own
bed will be a great celebration.

Q. Congratulations.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Thank you.

Q. On your karaoke, when you get an opportunity, check out Kook and the Gang,
"Summer Madness." Next year when you come, I want to hear what you got to say
to that.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I know that one. Of course. I'll check it out.

Q. Yes. That's really mellow. Serena, you mentioned your goal is to win one
match at the French Open this year. Once you get onto clay, do you already
sort of feel that expectation, that one big thing in Paris already sort of
hanging over you a little bit already?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I can't let that hang over me. It's not that big of a
deal. I think it only is as big as you make it, and if I make it big, it'll
be big.
For me you gotta let that bad energy go and just accept good things to come
into your life and it will.

Q. I know last year you said that was the most important thing. Is that the
most important thing for you this year?

SERENA WILLIAMS: The most important for me is the next event, and that's how
I look at it. I've been looking at that as it's the most important, that's
the most important. But not anymore. I just focus on one event at a time and
you never even know if you can make the next event.
So just one at a time and go for it.

THE MODERATOR: Anybody else? Okay. Thank you.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Thank you guys.

End of Interview...