TELECOM ITALIA MASTERS
ROME, ITALY

May 16, 2003

S. WILLIAMS/C. Martinez
7-5, 6-2

An interview with:

SERENA WILLIAMS

THE MODERATOR: First question for Serena, please.

Q. Can I ask you, people have judgments about you all the time. But in your
opinion, what is it that makes you such an outstanding tennis player?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Wow, I would say I have the ability to stay mentally tough,
for sure, and I have the ability to pick up my game when I'm down. I have
that fighting spirit.

Q. So would you say that your mental characteristics are more important maybe
than your physical in the end?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think tennis is mostly mental, for sure. I think having
strong mental capabilities definitely enables me to be a stronger player.

Q. This mental toughness, did you develop it on your own? Where does it come
from?

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's something that's definitely innate. My mom's really
tough mentally. I think my whole family is. It's definitely something that I
was -- a characteristic that I was born with.

Q. Until 5-all in the first set, you were on the same level, but then
something changed and you were leading the match. What did change in that
moment?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I just became -- in that moment it's really tight, and
you always want to at least try to get the first set so you don't have to
fight really hard in the second. At that game, I just think at that point I
just tried to pick up the level of my game and that way I would be able to be
a bit stronger. I think I just hit some good shots and I was able just to
come through.

Q. You will play against Mauresmo for the first time on clay. What is your
opinion about this match, please?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, it should be a good match. I guess I haven't played her
on clay; I thought I did, but I guess not. So, I mean, I'm ready. She's
playing very well here, so I have to make sure that I kind of pick up my game
and maybe come out a little more serious tomorrow, because she's definitely
here to win. So I have to , hopefully, try to stand in her way.

Q. Have you spoken to Venus?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I talked to her yesterday. We talk a lot. We talk
nearly every day.

Q. How is she?

SERENA WILLIAMS: She's good. She's looking forward to coming back to Europe.
She likes Europe. She loves Europe.

Q. Had you seen a bit of the match today between Capriati and Mauresmo?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was able to see most of the second set, and the
tiebreak was unbelievable. Actually, I was a little nervous, I felt
butterflies in my stomach. I was like, "Oh, gosh." And some of the shots were
just... So I got to see some of the match, yes.

Q. What is it that motivates you?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Everything motivates me. The drive and the opportunity to
walk home with another win motivates me. Just, I don't know, I just get out
on that court and I just start to think, "Oh, let's do it today."

Q. You're also a young Afro-American female in what was once a very white
sport. Do you ever reflect on your role as a role model for other
African-Amercican girls?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, there's definitely not many black players before me
that played tennis. And besides Althea Gibson and Venus, I don't think there
was any other black players that were No. 1 at one point and just doing so
well consistently. It's good to have that role model. When I was younger, I
had an opportunity to look up to Zina Garrison. I know when she got to the
finals of Wimbledon, we were all really excited and wanted her to do really
well. It was just a big thing for me to make my goal to be, "Wow, one day I
would like to win Wimbledon." So I hope that I am a good role model for a lot
of other young, black girls playing - and not just them, minorities, period.
Just to come out and have fun, enjoy the sport. They have an opportunity,
too, to do something different. You don't have to play basketball, you can
come play a little tennis; it's better anyway.

Q. Is there any other Williams coming on? Any women, I don't mean with the
same name, but...

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I don't know. There's a lot of young -- you mean black
players?

Q. No, in the family.

SERENA WILLIAMS: In my family, oh, no. We don't have any other plans. Not
that I'm aware of.

Q. I'm sorry to dominate like this, but I read somewhere you admire Maureen
Connelly. Why?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, when I was younger, there was this movie, "Little Mo,"
that we always watched. And you know how movies are - usually only 10 percent
is true. But, I mean, the story was amazing. She was so young and she
accomplished so much. She was so determined, and she always worked on her
tennis herself. It was just a great story and a great movie and just so
tragic. Like, I wanted to, at one point, accomplish a lot when I was young. I
wanted to win a Grand Slam when I was pretty young. She just did so much so
quick so soon. I just admired that.

Q. Just like you.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Not so soon. I waited a little bit (smiling).

Q. You're 21 and already in tennis history. Do you have other career plans
after this?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, yeah. I'm starting my own fashion house, fashion
design home, fashion line, and I'm really interested in that. I've been doing
a lot of research on it these past few months - actually, past few years, but
really, really, really buckling down these past few months. I like to do
different things in acting as well. I really enjoy it. There's a lot of
different things that I do - mainly those two.

Q. You said you'll have to take Mauresmo more seriously tomorrow. Do you feel
you're holding something back? You always seem to step up your game when you
want to.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm definitely not holding anything back. I think I had to
take Conchita Martinez very seriously as well. She seems to love to win this
tournament. She does really well here. But I just think Mauresmo, at this
point, is playing very well. I'm playing very well as well, so it should be a
good match.

Q. Is it true that you want to become a vegetarian? If yes, why?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think eventually; maybe not in my tennis career. But
there's so many chemicals right now in meats, and I have a very weak stomach.
I've already cut out pork and beef, I just eat chicken and fish. I mean, not
now, but maybe eventually one day.