UNITED STATES TENNIS ASSOCIATION MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 27, 2015

Serena Williams

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Serena.

Q. (Question about pressure going for the Grand Slam.)
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't feel that fresh pressure. If I make it far, maybe
I'll start to feel pressure. But as of now, I really don't feel any. I'm just
here, like I said earlier, to perform and to the best I can.

Q. Do you remember your first match on Arthur Ashe Stadium, what that was
like for you?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't remember. Sorry. I don't remember. I want to say
maybe I played Spirlea, yeah? Pulled that out of the back of my memory. That
was a long time ago (laughter).
I remember winning that and feeling really good. I don't remember. It was a
really tough match for me, so I don't remember how I felt, I just remember
winning that match.

Q. When you're signing autographs here in New York, what is the thing people
say to you the most?
SERENA WILLIAMS: They always say how they're happy to meet me. Lately they've
been saying they've been inspired by me and they wanted to do like me, help
and be like me.
It gives me chill bumps to know that they feel that way and that I can
inspire people. That's kind of how it's been.

Q. You did karaoke last night. You said you were trying to blow off some
steam. I think you described it as almost like the elephant in the room.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes.

Q. Is that a kind of strategy going into the tournament?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think so. And I have to say that I think Wimbledon gave me
unbelievable practice for this. At Wimbledon I was going for the second
Serena Slam. That is rare.
So, yeah, that really gave me the best practice and preparation in terms of
going for the Grand Slam.

Q. No other man or woman has won seven US Opens. Are you aware of that? Are
you conscious of records at this point in your career or is that something
that we as writers obsess about?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I definitely think that's something that the writers focus
on a little more. I had no idea of that. That sounds really cool, you know.
But hopefully if things don't work out this year, I'm obviously going to be
here next year and have another chance to do that.

Q. When you were a kid, what did you dream about when you were first starting
playing? Did you dream about winning one US Open or a Grand Slam?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I always dreamt of winning the US Open. I have always
dreamt of winning the Grand Slam. Again, it was just a dream. I never thought
I would be close to doing something like that.
So, yeah, my dream originally was always to win here in New York.

Q. Do you remember the first time you came to the US Open, how old you were?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think the first time I came, I watched Venus play. It was
an incredible experience for me because she actually made it to the final.
That was great. That was great to see and to be a part of that moment, to
kind of get experience. Even though I wasn't playing, I got experience by
watching her. I learned so much. It was I think the best experience anyone my
age could have.

Q. We're talking a lot about the pressure you're facing now. Basically
there's always pressure.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Exactly.

Q. After this it would be Steffi Graf, then Margaret Court. So is this just
something you're convinced you can go through the rest of your career facing
this stuff?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes, I feel like there's always another record, then there's
always another person to catch up with or to pass.
I never really thought I would be in this position where I would even be
talking about, you know, records, talking about passing Steffi Graf or even
mentioning Margaret Court.
I mean, I just grew up trying to be the best that I could and do the best
that I could. I worked really hard for everything. So to even be mentioned in
that conversation is great.
But like I said, I feel like I don't put that pressure on myself to do
anything here 'cause I'm obviously going to be excited to compete next year
and just keep going and have fun.

Q. You've been winning Grand Slams for many, many years now. The last three
years you've been much more consistently successful. What has been the
difference in those three years compared with before that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think I won 13 before, and then I won in the last
three years eight. So that's a lot, and I think just more consistently.
Also clearly working with Patrick has helped me a lot and helped me to
achieve that consistency and have different goals, you know, change different
elements in my game, ameliorate them, and also just be overall a better
competitor on every single surface and every single match that I play.
I think in the long run, that's really been able to help me to get better.

Q. Venus is in your quarter. How crazy would it be if you would have to face
Venus at this stage, at this moment, in the quarterfinals?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's better than the Round of 16, so... That's how I
look at it.

Q. How has she been supporting you during this?
SERENA WILLIAMS: We don't talk about tennis. I mean, I don't think we ever
talk about tennis outside of maybe doubles. We talk about tennis a lot during
doubles. I mean, even at tournaments I'll go to her room and we just talk
about life.
We're tennis players, we love what we do. We've been groomed since so young
to play tennis. At the end of the day we're sisters and we do a lot of other
things, as well.

Q. Are you aware that nine players your quarter, including yourself, are
Americans? It's an American quarter. Are you looking forward to that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I don't know. We'll have to see. I don't look at the
draw. I didn't see the American quarter.
You have Sloane, I seem to play her every tournament. Madison is playing
really well. So is Sloane actually, she's playing excellent. So it's not
anything simple or easy to go through.

Q. (Question regarding two favorite things about all the Grand Slams.)
SERENA WILLIAMS: That's really hard to say. It's really hard to say because
I've done well at all of them. You always hate a tournament until you win it.
When you win it, you just kind of fall in love with it.
So definitely hard to say.

Q. Have you talked to Steffi this year? If so, has she said anything about
the record?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I've seen a lot of things that she's posted. She's
always been so supportive. I know her husband, Andre, who has been incredibly
supportive.
So, yeah, I feel that love and support. I really love that, when someone is
trying to do the best that they can, that someone as great as Steffi is there
to be supportive and be happy more than anything for the next person.

Q. How would you say age or experience has helped you?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I think being experienced has really helped me a lot,
helped me get through a lot of matches. It's helped me overcome a lot of
things.
Yeah, it's been great. I've really enjoyed it. I know some matches I got
through just on my experience alone, so that's been really able to help me
out.

Q. This is probably the busiest summer in terms of photo shoots and
interviews. How have you managed your schedule to make sure you're
well-rested and ready for these big matches?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, it's not been. This is pretty normal. No, I haven't had
anything extra. It's maybe just more covers.
But I call myself 'the hardest working woman in tennis' because I'm always
between the fashion, between everything that I'm doing. It's always a lot.

Q. So it feels normal?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah.

Q. In your heart and in your mind, do you believe you're the greatest woman
to have played this game?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I can't sit here and say that. But I can sit here and
say that I'm the greatest player that I've been able to be. I do read numbers
and I do see numbers. I believe in those numbers.
I think, you know, different generations and different times have different
champions, have different greats, have different levels of players. It's
really difficult to compare, you know, one generation to another, generations
several ago. Things change: power, technique, technology. A lot of things
have contributed to that.

Q. When you look back at some turning points in your career, losses at two
straight Opens, did you learn from that and how did that affect you?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was I think two straight Opens where I had really
awful calls happen. Yeah, I just learned that sometimes in life things don't
go right for you. It's about recovering from that, making a joke out of it
sometimes.

Q. (Question regarding being an inspiration for the next generation.)
SERENA WILLIAMS: I have not seen it yet. I knew it was coming out around the
Open. I'll definitely check that out.

Q. Everybody talks about the pressure. Is that something, seeing those
previous players, allows you to bear this easier?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I just look at someone like Althea and Zina. Let's
face it, I have it a lot easier than them. There are so many barriers that
have been broken.
When I look at it in that point of view, that aspect, a whole weight is like
lifted off my shoulders. I feel like I have nothing to complain about. I'm
doing well and I'm really happy to be here.

Q. You have so many passions, Miami Dolphins, your foundation. Is there
comfort knowing that when you decide your tennis career is done, you have all
these other opportunities waiting for you?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, there's a little comfort in that. Sometimes when I'm
doing fashion, there's stress in that, too. Makes me want to play a little
longer. Playing tennis could possibly be easier.
But it's still fun. I work really hard. I'm super hands-on with what I do,
especially in the design world. My charity, I'm incredibly hands-on. But
those things really make me happy.
I definitely look forward to, for instance, opening more schools around the
world, providing more information for people, just building the Serena
Williams Foundation even bigger. Those are things I look forward to. But
right now I'm just looking forward to playing tennis.

Q. Ashe opened in '97, your first Open was '98. Is there certain energy you
get from Ashe? What makes that a special place for you to play?
SERENA WILLIAMS: It's the biggest stadium for tennis players in the world.
It's the biggest stage in the world, in New York. It doesn't get any bigger
or better than this. I think that kind of speaks to itself.

Q. Your new coach Patrick gets a tremendous amount of credit. Do you think
your father actually doesn't get enough credit for your career?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I think my father is probably the best coach ever
because, I mean, if we talk about numbers, he's got a lot and he's only had
two players. So, you know, imagine if he had three (laughter).
So, yeah, if you average that out, you just stick with numbers, it doesn't
get better or bigger than that. I'm trying to add it up in my head. I'm
thinking 18 slams, not including doubles and the medals, so it's a lot,
definitely a lot.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Thank you.

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