U.S. OPEN

August 30, 2008

Serena Williams

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

S. WILLIAMS/A. Sugiyama
6-2, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Possibly jumping ahead a little here to a quarterfinal match with Venus,
it seems like the matches you've played together recently, particularly like
the Wimbledon final had a much higher quality than when you first started
playing against each other. Why do you think that's been the case?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I didn't think -- I don't know. I just think
that maybe we're used to playing each other.
Yeah. I don't know.

Q. Are you as disappointed as the fans might be that that match might come as
early as the quarters?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Obviously, yeah. But I've had over a week to think about it.
So right now I'm just hoping to win my next match.

Q. Is it intensified at all when you're both playing well?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I definitely think so. We're both playing well. The points
usually are shorter because we both have such strong games and serves and
things that was nature. Yeah.

Q. When you play against an Ai Sugiyama, who is not exactly a household name,
do you actually study tape of her or just off feel on the court...
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I have played her before, and I've played her a lot in
doubles, so I pretty much know her game. So those players are good to play
because you know what to expect and what not to expect.

Q. Venus said she's at her best right now. How would you assess your game?
You're playing pretty well, too.
SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm definitely not at my best, but I hope to get there.

Q. You ever consider yourself playing at your best?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, a couple times in my career. Not too many.

Q. When was the last time?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I have to think about it.

Q. This year you said you've recommitted yourself to tennis again. Do you
still work, you know, outside interests at all with ANERAS or reading any
scripts?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Absolutely. There are some things I'm doing outside with
ANERAS and I have meetings right after this tournament with ANERAS. Those are
going to be long and tedious, but that's what I have to do. It's the time of
year I start looking at scripts again.
So there are a couple things hopefully pending that I can shoot, and just pay
the price throughout the year.

Q. You have such a really deep bond with Venus, and a love and a support of,
maybe, towards her. Do you ever in your own mind sort of say to yourself,
gee, if Venus weren't there, my very own sister, I'd have such and such
titles?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I don't think I'd have as many because she motivated me,
especially being young and watching her play. I was able to -- the mistakes
she made, I made them with her. So when I actually played, I didn't make the
mistakes that she made. I was able to grow with her on the sidelines, so to
say.
Also, she motivates me. When she became No. 1, I suddenly got motivated to be
there, too.
If anything, I think she definitely helped my career.

Q. That's interesting to me. Can you tell us a little bit, obviously early in
your career, about what sort of things?
SERENA WILLIAMS: She was young playing, like, in Stanford, and I remember her
playing here in '97 and she lost in the finals. But she made a remarkable run.
It was like I played those matches even though I wasn't on the court. So I
know which shots to hit, like when I played my first professional match, what
not to hit.

Q. The Stanford story, the recollection of it?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Pardon?

Q. Didn't you mention Stanford?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah.

Q. What was the recollection there?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I just remember her playing Arantxa Sanchez and she probably
lost and could have won. But she was so young, and I've had chances when I
was that age, and I didn't make the same mistakes because I was able to learn
from her mistakes.

Q. Do you and Venus ever talk about how the television industry depends on
you? Next Saturday night CBS is praying that either you or your sister are
here.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, that's really nice to hear. I'm praying that I'll be
there myself. So say some prayers for me.

Q. If Venus said she's playing as well as she can, do you assess her game the
same way right now or can you even pay attention?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think she's playing really well, and I'm glad she
feels like she's playing her best. It's nice to feel like when you're playing
your best. Right now I'm not playing my best, but that means I can do so much
better.

Q. How difficult an opponent is Venus when she's at her best?
SERENA WILLIAMS: She's difficult always. When she's at her best she's
obviously really confident. Yeah, so...

Q. You say you've learned when you came on tour from watching Venus play. Do
you remember your first professional match?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I remember.

Q. Any recollections?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I just remember losing really bad.

Q. That's it?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah.

Q. Were you pretty upset when Arantxa came back and beat her in that match?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, because when she lost, I felt like I took a loss there.

Q. You mentioned the confidence. How can you tell when she has her confidence
at its peak? What signs are there or how does she act?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I never really thought about it. I'm really focused on me
and trying to win my next match.