BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 13, 2015

Serena Williams

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

S. WILLIAMS/M. Niculescu
7-5, 7-5

THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  How do you feel with that beautiful warm welcome?  How do you feel at
this point, Serena?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I feel really good.  I feel like the nerves have kind of
gone away.  I feel better.  I was a little nervous.  The weeks leading up to
it, days leading up to it, and eventually the hours, it was a little
nerve-wracking.
But now I'm good that I was able to do this.

Q.  A leading person in women's tennis spoke to you a few weeks ago and said,
Listen, Serena, this night is going to be your Martin Luther King Day.  What
were your thoughts when she said that to you, and was this the greatest
moment of your career?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, my thoughts was it was a really big statement.  You
know, I felt like, you know, even to have an opportunity to have someone
mention a statement like that was quite interesting.
But it felt really good.  It definitely feels like one of the biggest moments
and the proudest moments of my career.

Q.  You can start a new chapter; one memory is erased.  Talk about that.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yes, I can definitely start --I think the new chapter
actually already started when I accepted the wildcard into the event.
So I think that was the beginning of the ride.

Q.  What were you telling yourself when you were walking out on to court and
you got that ovation?  What was going through your mind?  Seemed like there
was just kind of a whirlwind of things.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, it was.  It was a bit overwhelming.  I didn't know
what to expect.  In fact, I didn't really think about it too much.  In the
last couple of moments leading up to it I was focused on warming up for the
match and I wasn't really prepared for that.
Like I said, I was overwhelmed by it, and it was such a warm feeling.  It
made me feel incredibly well.

Q.  Did tonight finally exorcise the demons?  Was the scab finally gone?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I can't say.  I can only focus on right now, and it's been
--today was a wonderful day for me, for women's tennis, for tennis in
general, and for everyone.

Q.  You just said how nervous you felt going out for the match and there were
stages of the match.  When was the last time you were as emotional during the
match and felt the way you did tonight?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I don't think I have ever been like that.  Definitely not
before a match, in fact.  So this was for sure the first time.

Q.  Obviously you have never played anyone like Niculescu.  I don't know how
much you knew about her.  What do you make of her and all the weird looks she
threw at you slice-wise?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I know her game.  I think everyone in the locker room knows
her game.
But, boy, she was interesting.  I just never got the same ball or --I did get
that forehand a few times, but it was low, high.  I just wasn't able to get
my rhythm today.  I'm just glad to get through that match.  It was definitely
a super tricky match for me.

Q.  How was it having that opponent paired with this occasion?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I think it made for a great occasion.  I haven't had a
two-hour match in a long time.  Well, I think I did in Hopman --I did in the
Championships.
Well, anyway, I don't usually have two-hour matches.  I think it actually
turned out great.  It was a great atmosphere for everyone, and for me too.

Q.  What did you say to yourself to steady yourself when you got a slow start?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, I just said, You're not going to lose this match.
 You have to figure out a way to win it and find a solution.

Q.  When you were walking out, looked like you were crying quite heavily.
 What kind of tears?  Tears of pride?  Joy?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I think they were tears of overwhelmed --they were just
overwhelming.  At that moment everything had just --I just felt so good to be
out there.  I felt like I made the right decision and I knew I wanted to do
it.  I knew I really wanted to do it.
But up until that moment I didn't really know if it was the right thing for
me to do.  I feel like that's when I felt it was the right thing.
And receiving the love from the crowd here, it really meant a lot to me.

Q.  Did you ever have a chance to hear from your dad or your sister in the
time since the match ended?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Not yet.  I talked to them right before the match -
actually, both of them - but I haven't talked to them after.

Q.  With all of your accomplishments, where does this tournament and this
return place?  Regardless of the outcome whether you're out tomorrow or you
one the championship, where will this fall in your career?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I think it falls super high up.  Definitely up there.
 Really close.  Probably the best, because, you know-- and it's interesting
to say that I feel like I've already won this tournament.  I don't feel like
I have to actually hold the trophy at the end of this.  I feel like I'm
already holding up a trophy.  I have never felt that way before.
I feel like, you know, just being here is a huge win.  Not only for me, but
for so many people.  It's a wonderful feeling.

Q.  You said that tennis in general, the WTA, the tournament officials,
others, have really changed and evolved, progressed, over these 14 years.
 Could you express, explain, what your thinking is on that?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yes.  I think everyone in general has come a really long
way.  Everyone, especially the WTA, USTA, they really step up to the plate.
 I really appreciate all the love, not just for me, but for a lot of other
players that they show.

Q.  Do you think that you can now, with this match behind you, settle into
regular tennis tournament mode, or is it still going to be kind of weirdly
emotional and things like that as you go forward?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I think it's going to be emotional for me regardless.  I
think when I get to Miami I will be a little more relaxed, but I feel like
this for sure will be a little more emotional.
But I embrace it.  I'm ready for it.  I feel like I'm just going to enjoy
every match that comes.

Q.  Were you at all worried about the reaction before you, in the days, hours
before?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I was.  Like the days, the weeks before, even just the
reaction of just being here, I was really a little bit worried about it.
But then the moments before, I was warming up, I was in my match mode, so I
didn't really think about it until I walked out on the court.  It was like,
Oh, it's happening.

Q.  Was there anything you heard in the stands or saw that particularly stood
out to you?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  No.  I mean, I heard so many people say, I love you Serena.
 It was just so much.  It was --yeah, it was really great to be out there.

Q.  Was it important for you to come back here while you're still this
dominant force?  Clearly the world's best player.  Did you want to show these
folks what you were missing?  I'm still Serena?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I think ultimately it was important.  I didn't write the
story this way.  I did not plan to be dominant and playing well or No. 1, if
you say, 15 years, 14 years later.
So, you know, I did not write this story for myself, so I think it was just
an extra bonus and an extra treat that it turned out this way.

Q.  But you wrote that beautiful story in time.com, and in there you said,
Together we can write a new story, a new chapter.  You're quite the writer
now.  How would you write it?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I don't know.  Maybe I'll write a piece and you guys can
see.  I don't want to take any jobs away, though (laughter).

Q.  You had mentioned Moore, Larry Ellison, and some of the other leaders at
this tournament.  Just fill in what has been achieved here and the feeling
you received.  You spoke about forgiveness.  How would you conclude that
sentence as far as, you know, forgiveness and bringing it together with those
leaders that you spoke about?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, I can't conclude it right now because I'm still in
the tournament, but I think if I can finish that later, I would really
appreciate that opportunity.

Q.  What are you most pleased with tonight?  Just taking the court?  How you
actually performed on the court?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, tonight I was able to, even though, I mean, things
were weird and tough, I was able to do the work.  I'm just pleased about that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports