WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 20, 2015

Serena Williams

CINCINNATI, OHIO

S. WILLIAMS/K. Knapp
6-0, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You really dominated that match. Can you just talk about what was working
well for you out there?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I think what worked really well was just composure for
me today, getting back in that state of being poised.

Q. Do you enjoy the easier matches or do you want to be tested as you go
deeper in the tournament?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think everyone enjoys easier matches. I think testing is
also really important, but at the end of the day if you could have only easy
matches for the whole tournament, I don't think anyone would object to that.

Q. Rematch next round with Ivanovic. That was last year's final. Your
thoughts on that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, she's a fighter. I just saw her match today. It will
be a really good match for me and kind of test where I am, you know, just in
general. Yeah, so I look forward to that.

Q. Is it safe to say that kind of a step forward in confidence and all that
sort of stuff after this match just the way you were able to play and
everything like that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes, in terms of mental confidence, yes. Keeping poise, yes.
No matter what happens in my next round, I just want to be able to stay calm
and focused.

Q. In the leadup to slams, any slam, is it important to you to face top
players, or do you just want match play, wins and don't care who it is across
the net? Do you have a kind of a preference?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think it's important to play top players, you know. I
think that's pretty important. You don't to go through and not play too many
top players. But either way, everyone that plays me place like a top player,
so no really big, huge difference.

Q. Bencic is out of the tournament. Were you looking forward to playing her
again?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, yeah. I really was looking forward to that, but we
will meet very soon. She's playing really well. I'm sure she will get deep in
the tournaments.
Yeah, I really look forward to that.

Q. Along those lines, you were really hard on yourself last week saying you
played like an amateur. How would you characterize your play this week? I
know you're a perfectionist.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I didn't play well last year. I hit more double faults
in one match than I have in tournaments.
Grand Slams, even.
Singles and doubles. But no joke. (Laughter.)
No joke. That's not --usually I play more better. Yeah, I think just this
week-- last week I just felt, I don't know, I just put too much pressure on
myself.
Then I usually play Stanford. That's my tournament where I'm all stressed
out. Then I go to Toronto and I feel better. By the time I get to Cincy I'm
cruising. I didn't play Stanford this year, so it was a little different.

Q. Vicky Duval is playing her first Grand Slam after beating lymphoma. What
do you remember about her run and her comeback?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, she plays great tennis. I saw her in Miami. Obviously
you remember the important things in life when you see someone like Vicky who
was just really doing so well and so young, and then to be sick like she was,
but then to be able to have the courage to come back.
She still obviously has so much talent. And by the way, she's still super
young. She still has her whole future ahead of her, and it really is so
inspiring for someone like me to see her do well and have the courage to come
back and be the best she can be.

Q. She asked for a main draw wildcard, but US Open only gave her qualifying.
Does that surprise you, knowing everything you know about her?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I don't really know. I think that, you know, if she
wanted a main draw that -- if she asked for it, then I would have thought
they would have given it to her since she's played wonderful matches there
and done so well there.

Q. You talk about some serving difficulties last week. A lot of aces last
match; played a clean match today. Is your serve where you want it to be, or
do you think it still needs work before NewYork?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, it's not where I want it to be. I don't want it to be
there yet. I hope to get it there closer to where I want it to be in NewYork.

Q. Obviously you have a lot of experience and you have been through ups and
downs. I was wondering, what advice you would have to a girl like Genie
Bouchard who has had a lot of struggles for the last year, and if you think
that she could start playing doubles would help her game?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think she's doing better, actually. I think --I guess she
wasn't winning matches, but now the matches are closer and it's just a matter
of time. It's gonna come. I really like her so I always root for her.
Yeah, she will be fine. She's super young. She will totally be fine.

Q. And for the doubles?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know.

Q. Has there been any contact between you and Steffi Graf? Has she reached
out as you come close to this record that she set so many years ago?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I see her post things about me, and that's pretty awesome. I
really am still like a kid when I see her or I see posts. I get super
excited. I'm still living the dream.
Yeah, she's been really supportive, which is so great to see, you know, and
to feel that support.

Q. If you could ask her one thing heading into the US Open, what might that
be?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I would just ask her what does it feel like, just in
case it doesn't happen? (Laughter.)
Q.Hair flowed free today. Bun or ponytail decision?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. The wind. It's been really windy. Just, still
trying to find a happy medium with this.

Q. You talk about your usual course: Stanford, Canada, here before NewYork.
You didn't play Stanford. Did you then feel last week you had to fast forward
down a little bit because of lack of play in Stanford?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, because I'm usually starting in Stanford rusty, and I
get through a lot of matches, three sets, and finally I usually able to go
deep in Stanford.
Then by the time I play the next tournament I'm a little better. As time gets
on, I get better and better.
Yeah, I just didn't kick that rust off this year.

Q. Everyone talks about you playing against the past, Evert, Navratilova,
Margaret Court, and at some point you will stop and kids now who aren't even
born yet will be chasing your records. Looking decades ahead, how will you
feel, like being in Steffi's or Martina's shoes? What are your thoughts on
that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I think it will be great. I think it's amazing. I
think I would be really supportive, like Steffi is of me. It's such a great
feeling.
I always want to see people do well and be successful and be the best that
they can be. I think it will be really cool.

Q. I know it's been a couple of days, but how is Venus doing?
SERENA WILLIAMS: She's good.

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