WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 22, 2015

Serena Williams

CINCINNATI, OHIO

S. WILLIAMS/E. Svitolina
6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Most dominant serve in women's tennis. You feel like you've had a record
season in double faults though?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think I-- yeah, probably for sure. I had a record last
year, too, so...

Q. What do you think is going on there?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I just need to serve with aplomb, and I'm not
doing that right now.

Q. Is it like a rhythm issue with your serve do you think right now? Are you
feeling it in practice and just not happening in matches?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I haven't served much since the French Open because I've had
an elbow problem. When you don't serve much-- you know, I think people forget
that I've been out.
Even before French I didn't serve much until like the day before the
tournament started. So I've been dealing with that for a long time.
It is what it is. Hopefully I'll get through it. If not, I'll get through
regardless. Things could be worse.

Q. Talk about your game otherwise. Other than the serve, how do you feel
going into your final tomorrow?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I've felt better, but I'm in the final playing the way I've
played, so I feel like I'm okay with that. I know I can play so much better.
Some matches I've played better here, and I really felt the connection and
that was really good to feel.
But, yeah, so I'm just moving on with that.

Q. I guess everywhere suits your game, but third consecutive final in
Cincinnati. What is about the conditions here that you enjoy?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Nothing in particular. It's a lot like Florida, but no real
difference here.

Q. I want to ask you going back a little bit. Fed Cup you played doubles with
somebody other than than Venus in forever. What was that like?
SERENA WILLIAMS: It's always weird because Venus hits big serves and returns
and she has a huge game.
We've played with each other since I was like six, so it's always different
playing with someone else.

Q. There was a great crowd tonight for a women's-only session. Obviously the
WTA has made great strides at Grand Slams getting equal pay. Should this
level be a priority for the tour?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Getting?

Q. Equal pay.
SERENA WILLIAMS: In this event?

Q. And this level event.
SERENA WILLIAMS: There is not equal pay at this event?

Q. No.
SERENA WILLIAMS: That's news to me.

Q. It's a pretty big gap. It's $236,000.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh.

Q. Just wanted to ask another question, if I may, about the double faults. I
know you're a perfectionist, but you hit three in a row. Do you ever remember
doing anything like that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Not in professionals.

Q. Tomorrow we don't know who you're playing, but Simona just took the first
set. Can you talk about the matchups?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I'll probably play Simona. She's playing well. She was in
the finals just last week and she's just going hard and going steady.
Yeah, so I just want to just continue to get better and continue do to better
and see what happens.

Q. Have you been limiting your practices as well like here in Cincinnati for
example or last week as well? Managing that time on the court to keep your
body healthy, or is it pretty much full force?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I took some days off after Toronto because that whole
Fingergate. I just ran into a lot of bad luck recently. I'm just trying to
manage it.

Q. That first match you played in Singapore against Simona, how much did she
surprise you? Obviously you were ready the second time. You hadn't played her
in a while before that.
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, she played me well. She came out with an incredible
vengeance. Hopefully I'll be ready for that tomorrow if she decides to do
that again.
You got to be ready. Maybe I wasn't ready. Hopefully I can be able to play
well tomorrow.

Q. Most likely Simona will be No. 2 in the world, but when she was asked
about the possibility to become ever No. 1, she says it's almost impossible
until you are not playing. What do you think about that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I don't know. She has a great game. Obviously I want
to be on top of the rankings when I'm here, and I'm sure she does, too.
I think she definitely has a chance, but there are a lot of people that want
to be there. I'm always fighting to do the best and do anything in terms of
hard work to get there.

Q. You said earlier in the week your serve wasn't where you wanted it to be,
but you were okay with that because you wanted to be peaking in New York.
You've got one more match here. Is this something you'll look to get done
tomorrow, or do you look to flip a switch and make it happen in New York?
SERENA WILLIAMS: It's just practice. I haven't been able to practice my serve
enough. Hopefully in the next week I'll be able to hit some in practice.

Q. With so much on the line in New York, last year you did Fashion Week. This
year will you do anything for Fashion Week?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I have another fashion show on I want to say the 15th
of September.

Q. You talked about the importance of staying calm and poised earlier in the
week. When you're in a tournament and your serve is not what you want it to
be, how do you make that...
SERENA WILLIAMS: I haven't had to deal with it too much, but just I realize
that I have great returns, too, so I just to have key in and focus on hitting
some returns in the court.
That's kind of what I focus on.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports