WIMBLEDON

June 30, 2012

Serena Williams

LONDON, ENGLAND

S. WILLIAMS/J. Zheng
6-7, 6-2, 9-7

THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  How deep did you have to dig there?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Definitely pretty deep.  She was playing really well.  Just
have to go out there and do what I could.

Q.  New Wimbledon record for aces.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Really?

Q.  Did you think your serve was going to carry you through there?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Uhm, geez.  It definitely helped me out today because I
wasn't doing my best on my return like I normally do.  So it's good to know
that I can rely on that.
The whole match I was able to hold serve I think, so, yeah.

Q.  Is it a matter of gaining confidence?  Do you have to regain the belief
in yourself?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I think that's with any loss, you have to really kind
of get that feeling back and regain that.  You know, it's not easy,
especially when you're doing so well, to lose and then to try to come back.
You know, it's all mental.  I'm just trying to do the best that I can do.

Q.  Your next opponent won the golden set, 24 points in a row.  You don't
have that yet.  Does that impress you or does that scare you maybe?  Think
it's cool?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  No.  She's a really good player.  She's playing well.  I
played her before.  She does everything really well.  She's such a solid
player.
So I look forward to it.  Hopefully I'll be able to win a point in the set.
 That will be my first goal, and then I'll go from there.

Q.  Did you notice Dustin Hoffman turning up in your family area during the
match?  Was it a distraction at all?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  It wasn't a distraction.  I knew he was coming before.

Q.  You did?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, so I knew that he would be there.  Major fan of his.
 Who isn't a fan of Dustin Hoffman?  I was honored to have him in my box.
 He's invited anytime.

Q.  Have you spoken to him before today?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet, but I probably
will.

Q.  You spoke a bit about your serve.  What were the other things you thought
were the cause of the struggles in the first set and that turned things
around as the match went on?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  You know, just wasn't making my returns.  I hit so many
errors off the returns.  I was just off.  Usually I'm returning really,
really well.
So, uhm, for me I just have to make sure that I can do better.  And the fact
that I -- I think she played really well, I think she played unbelievable,
but I still think I can play better.

Q.  What turned it around in your game?  What was the important aspect that
you picked up your game in?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, I started returning a little bit better - not much.
 I started making less errors.  Even though for that long of a match I didn't
have that many, but still too high.
Just tried to be more consistent.

Q.  Second very long match.  Was there anything you learned from the one you
didn't win?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Definitely way more calm today than I was in my last long
match and the loss.  I thought, Serena, just relax and be calm.  I felt good.
 I never felt like I was going to lose this match.

Q.  With Dustin, what do you like about the guy?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, I don't know him, I just think he's a great actor.
 That's more than enough.  I mean, come than, The Graduate.  He's an
award-winning actor and seems like a great person.

Q.  Interesting results this week.  Wozniacki, Stosur, Nadal; you were taken
to the limits.  Roger taken to the limits.  Any idea or anything you're
seeing with the grass different?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Uhm, I feel the balls don't bounce as high.  But maybe I'm
higher than normal, I don't know.  I'm just doing the best I can.  Try not to
make too many excuses.
Everyone is playing everyone tough nowadays.  You can't underestimate anyone.
 Any opponents, you kind of have to always do what you can.

Q.  The leap you took after match point was up there.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Really?

Q.  What were you feeling?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I don't remember the leap, to be honest.  But I just wanted
to get through that match.  The last thing I wanted to do was lose.  I felt
good.  I felt like, you know, she's always playing really well, especially on
the grass.  She really should be ranked higher than what she is.
I felt like she started hitting some amazing returns in the last game.  I was
like, I just kind of want to get this over.

Q.  Gut check match for you?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I definitely felt like it was a gut check.  I've always
been really strong mentally.  That's not going anywhere.

Q.  Did you get any roses after your appeal the last day?  If you could get
roses from any guy on the planet, who would it be?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I'm not answering your question, the latter part.  I can't
throw myself under the bus.
The nice ladies in the locker room gave me some roses, and it wasn't business
related.  I was really happy.  They were really sweet, so...

Q.  Have you ever come close to a golden set?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  No.  I never knew that existed.  Sasha was like, She got a
golden set.  I was like, What does that mean?  I immediately thought, She won
all four in a row and the Olympics?  I thought that wasn't possible.  That's
the only golden thing I know of.

Q.  You have doubles scheduled later.  How do you prepare physically for that?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I think preparation comes weeks in advance.  You got
to get ready for these moments.
I'm pretty much prepared.  I knew I was playing doubles.  I knew it would be
a tough day.
So I feel good.  I'm ready to go out there.

Q.  Having been tested this much in this match, how much might it help you
for week two?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Definitely helps me to realize that's it's not going to be
easy going forward.  Just stay focused.  Everyone's trying to win.  I can win
matches like this.  Not that I've ever doubted that, but it's always good to
have that reconfirmation.

Q.  Will you tomorrow just relax, go shopping?  You're somebody that likes to
do stuff.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I'll definitely relax.  I think the soccer final is
tomorrow, so I'll definitely be watching that.  I think that's about it.

Q.  Who will you support?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I don't know.  I'm American.  We don't really have too many
ties to support, but I like to watch it.

Q.  Did you watch the Nadal/Rosol match the other night?  If so, what were
your thoughts?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I did.  I'm Rafa's biggest fan.  I was really sad.
 It ruined my night.  I was happy for the other guy, but I'm always rooting
for Rafa.  I think he's a great fighter and a great champion.  I love his
fist pumps on court and stuff, so...

Q.  What did you think of the way that guy performed at that level in the
fifth set?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I thought, Thank God I didn't have to play that guy,
because he definitely would have beat me 0-0.  He was hitting so hard and
hitting winners on absolutely everything.
Yeah, some days you just play against a player that plays like that.  No
matter what you do, they just can do better, so...

Q.  There's been ongoing discussion about women's and men's tennis having
equal pay.  What is your comment?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I made a comment on it already.  So I feel like we all
deserve what we deserve.  I deserve to get paid the same amount.  I don't
deserve less 'cause I have boobs and they don't.  That's definitely not the
case.
I worked just as hard since I was three.  I think they worked hard since they
were three, four, two, whatever the case is.
Actually I have a picture when I'm on the court and I'm in a stroller, so
even longer than that.  I definitely know my whole life has been dedicated
toward being a top athlete, and I shouldn't get paid less because of my sex.

Q.  This discussion that is popping up once again, is it saddening?  Does it
bother you?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  No.  I think it's just one comment that made it pop up
again and up guys ran with it.  The conversation's totally over for me.  That
was so 2000; this is 2012.
Who is still thinking like that, like honestly?  Get with the program.

Q.  Centre Court today was pretty much packed.  Court18 was packed for your
doubles.  What do you think that says to the conversation about payment?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, whenever I play, you know, I get a lot of people in
the stands.  I'm not trying to pontificate or anything, but a lot of people
do definitely show up.  So that's what it's about.  You got to be able to
bring the crowd.
More than anything I'm there to play tennis and do well.  I'm not there to do
anything else.  I'm here for the tennis.  This is what I have.  This is my
joy.  I love being out here.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports