U.S. OPEN


September 4, 2009


Serena Williams

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK


S. WILLIAMS/M. Jose Martinez Sanchez
6-3, 7-5


THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Tough second set, Serena. You bore through that game. You probably broke
her 5-All game there and took care of it.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, she was serving really well, and I think especially in
the second set, and especially in that game she started serving really,
really well.
You know, I just kept fighting, and every time I had a breakpoint I felt like
I had a chance to win one of them. But other than that, I thought she served
well. I couldn't get down about it.

Q. Do you find it interesting someone who is coming into the net that much?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's definitely different. You don't really see it
that much. I think doubles can definitely help that, because you get to see
the people at the net.
It's not often that I play someone that serves and volleys like that.

Q. Does it help that you've been playing more doubles now with a match like
that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I definitely think it helped. I think that if I hadn't have
been playing doubles it might have been a much different match than what it
already was.

Q. What you said at the French when you played her, some of us were hoping
for a knockout brawl down there. Was there any holdover from that match?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Um, no. I just was trying to go out there and do my best. I
knew at the French it was three sets. She's a tough player, and I knew that I
had to be serious today.

Q. You've also said in your book that you needed a wild streak, a killer
instinct, sort of a reckless quality not just for your opponents but for
yourself. Could you comment on the importance of that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I just -- even today I got super pumped in the second
set when I got down 1-3. Like I felt I needed to do something to charge my
battery, so to say, and I just wanted to play harder and do better.

Q. Do you lose respect at all for players who you consider cheated or who
aren't honest on the court in their behavior?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I only can speak for me. I'm very -- try to be very
professional, extremely professional in my job. That's what I'm here to do,
and win, I hope.

Q. So many players have struggles in the first week. Can you talk about your
own approach, first, say two or three matches, what you're basically trying
to do and how to survive to get in the second week?
SERENA WILLIAMS: You can never underestimate anyone. Some people, some days
they have great days. I was just happy to keep getting through my match today.
So I just go and look at every opponent as the best player in the world.

Q. Who comes up with the messages on your T-shirt?
SERENA WILLIAMS: This is the new Nike "Delicious" campaign that I'm a part
of, because I'm delicious. (laughter.)
They came out with these wonderful shirts. My jacket actually has the
Delicious font on it, as well, the Serena jacket. It's pretty cool.
I think the Delicious campaign came up with it. I like the sayings. They're
fun. They're kind of out there.

Q. Do you think that you've had a dynasty in your career or not?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I may have had a dynasty at one point in my career.

Q. At which point?
SERENA WILLIAMS: In early 2000.

Q. How about now?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, I'm not doing too shabby now either. I'm enjoying
every moment.

Q. Did you watch Melanie yesterday? What do you think about her, a young
American, 17, what she did?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I thought -- I did watch her match a little bit. She
played great. She did wonderful, and, you know, she's a real fighter. It's
great for the United States and great for women's tennis.

Q. Do you know her much at all? Have you been around her at all?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I don't know her well. I see her around the tour more
and more. You know, her ranking is getting higher and higher. She's doing
great.

Q. What are the early reviews on your book like?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I've been playing this, so I've been working. I haven't had
a chance to see the reviews yet. I've been doing the job that I've been doing.

Q. What did you learn from working with Daniel Paisner, the writer of the
book?
SERENA WILLIAMS: That definitely helped. I wanted to do it all by myself, but
that was impossible. You know, my time was just too limited.

Q. Just time, or other things about writing as well?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Just writing and other things. Could help me with my own
writing, too, so...

Q. What's your take on the serving woes that we've been seeing? Your opponent
double faulted at a pretty crucial juncture. Azarenka just double faulted on
match point.
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I don't know. I just really try to focus on my
serve, which had its own woes earlier this summer. I'm finally glad it is
here, and I hope it stays.

Q. Someone was saying that you practice your serve a lot, more than other
women. You actually spend 45 minutes or something practicing your serve. Is
that true? Do you spend a lot of time practicing your serve?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I can't say that's true. (laughter.)
I think my shoulder would fall off if I hit 45 minutes' worth of serves.

Q. Were you ever tempted to more of a serve and volleyer player?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Every time I play I'm saying I'm going to be a serve and
volleyer. I even used to like Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe. I
couldn't play more opposite than them, so...
I think maybe one day will come. I served and volleyed a little bit at
Wimbledon my first-round match, but that was a long time ago.

Q. Is it because you can't be successful at it or you don't have the ability?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm good at it. I just don't know why I don't do it. It's
easier on grass, and I do it sometimes in doubles.
I love groundstrokes, and, you know, I love hitting the ball. I love just
rallies, I guess, so...

Q. When you see Rafter, how much it took out of him to do that all the
time...
SERENA WILLIAMS: To serve and volley?

Q. Do you think it's tough physically?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I think it's easier to do, I think serving and
volleying. If you make your serve. I would get tired of missing the serve,
running to the net, and then have to start over again. Those sprints can get
quite challenging.

Q. What are your observations of the way Venus is playing so far in the
tournament and any limitations on her mobility?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think she's playing great. She's moving well. She played
much better than I did yesterday in doubles, so... She's doing great.

Q. On the singles side, what have you noticed about her game so far, more
specifically?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Honestly I haven't seen any of her matches, so I don't know.

Q. How come you don't play mixed doubles more often? There are a lot of guys
out there that would like to partner with you.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Really? (laughter.)
Um, I -- I, um...
I can't play all three events. Like when I play I want to win, so I want to
win singles and I want to win doubles. I would want to win mixed, but I think
three events would be a lot for me.

Q. Physically that's just too taxing?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Physically it's -- I have to eventually play at least
Australian and French, but hopefully one day I'll play those two.

Q. Following up on the T-shirt question, do you feel like you ever have to
get nasty on the court?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I got nasty today, but to myself. I was just screaming to
myself because I wasn't very happy with my performance.

Q. In the Twitter world at least, you and Andy Roddick often have exchanges
back and forth, whether it's about pictures or whatever. Are you watching him
at all here?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, he's one of my favorite players, and just a great
friend of mine. I love Andy. He's such a funny guy, so we just joke a lot.

Q. Are you impressed by the way the American men have been doing so far?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I am. Obviously I want to see them go the whole way, so I
have my fingers crossed.

Q. Now that people are talking about your entire career with the book, where
would you rank your victory over Andy Roddick?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, honestly my victory with Andy Roddick was awesome,
because, you know, indirectly I've beaten Roger, I've beaten Nadal, I've
beaten Pete. It's definitely my best win by far, and the way I beat them is
unbelievable.

Q. How did you beat them?
SERENA WILLIAMS: 6-0, basically. But we argue about that scoreline. Maybe 6-1.

Q. Have you thought at all about the semifinal, potential semifinal with your
sister?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I mean, I feel like I have to get there, and I like --
and that's one thing I don't do. I don't look ahead too far.
I just try to focus on the moment, and continue to do what I can do.

Q. A lot of the women have been battling themselves here. Safina talks about
fight me, myself, and I out there. You of course are known as being
exceptionally strong mentally. Do you find you battle yourself mentally, or
is it the cruise that it looks like?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I have my own mental issues, so I try to get them worked
out.
I think, you know, everyone has to battle themselves sometimes, and hopefully
one of you can win.

Q. Once it starts happening, once you hit one, how do you get through it to
where you want to be on the court and playing the way you do? How are you
able to shut it down?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I'm not going to give away my secrets. I just
hit myself across the head. Hopefully I'll feel better. I'll say that.

Q. What are your thoughts on playing Daniela, somebody you've beaten seven
out of eight matches between you?
SERENA WILLIAMS: She's been playing so well, so it's not going to be an easy
match. I look forward to it. She's -- that's a player that doesn't do
anything bad and does everything good.
And so those kind of players are tricky and tough.

Q. When you went to somewhere like Africa, has there been somewhere you've
gone and think, How could people here know me? How can people even here know
who I am?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I went to this small town in Italy once. I don't even
remember the city. It was way, like two hours in the middle of nowhere, two
hours from any major city. Everyone knew me there. I thought, Gee, that was
kind of weird.

Q. Concentration level, does it enable you to hear when people are yelling
down words of encouragement to you on the court?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I hear it sometimes. I heard a guy in the crowd saying, Stop
hitting lobs, so I didn't hit any more lobs after that. My lob was not
working today. (laughter.)

End of FastScripts