U.S. OPEN

September 8, 2013

Serena Williams

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

S. WILLIAMS/V. Azarenka
7-5, 6-7, 6-1

THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  Can you just talk about the bout of nerves when you served for the match
twice in that second set?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I think I got a little uptight, which probably wasn't
the best thing at that moment.  I started to try to --I wasn't playing very
smart tennis then, so I just had to relax and not do that again.
But I did it again.  I don't know.

Q.  Beginning of the tournament, any pressure on you to defend your title?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, there's always pressure to defend your title.  I
didn't feel a lot of pressure, but I knew I wanted to win.  But I think, you
know, losing a match before I got to the Open actually took a little bit of
the pressure that was on me off of me, so it made it a little better.

Q.  It's obvious that winning Grand Slams, they're all special experiences.
 But to win it having to sort of face that adversity that you did in the
second set, overcome whatever hiccups were there and come back and win
dominantly like that in the third, do you relish it all the more to have done
it that way?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I think at that point just getting the win under your
belt is awesome.  I obviously would have preferred to close it out in
straight sets.  But going against a great opponent like Victoria, you have to
be able to realize that that can happen, and, you know, you have to keep
fighting for everything.

Q.  What are your thoughts on the milestones that are ahead of you in terms
of majors, including Steffi Graf's 22, given that you're only almost 32 years
old?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I don't think about it.  I always said recently like
age for me is -- I feel great.  I have never felt better.  I feel really fit.
 I can play a tournament like this, singles, doubles, with tough, tough
schedules.  For the most part, I felt really good.
You know, I haven't felt like this in a number of years.  I'm excited about
the possibilities.  I don't know what can happen.  I just keep playing and do
the best that I can.

Q.  How does the way you're playing right now compare with any other time in
your career?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, I think I played pretty solid in the tournament.  You
know, today wasn't probably my best tennis of the tournament, but it was a
lot of things going on going against a good player.
But it was good just to get through that.

Q.  You have been so dominant this year.  Did you feel like you kind of
needed a second Grand Slam title?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Absolutely.  Absolutely.  I felt almost disappointed with
my year, to be honest.  I felt like, yeah, I won the French Open, but I
wasn't happy with my performances in the other two slams, and, you know, not
even making it to the quarterfinals of one.
So I definitely feel a lot better with at least a second Grand Slam under my
belt this year.

Q.  Earlier this week Victoria was talking about her X Factor.  Help us out.
 What's Serena's X Factor?  What makes you so special as a champion on court?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, I don't know.  I can't talk about that myself.  I
think that's a better question for someone else to answer.  I don't know what
makes me special.  I consider myself just like everyone else.  I just play.

Q.  What was it like to meet President Clinton?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I have met him several times.  Kind of we reminisced about
when I was a teenager and how he first saw me then coming to the White House
and several times at the US Open.
So it was interesting, because we actually have a history.  That's kind of
unique to have a history with a former president of the United States of
America.

Q.  After the second set, what was your game plan or mentality going into the
third?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, I thought, you know, I have to stay positive.  It was
very easy to get down.  I didn't want to get down on myself.
I wanted to be a little strict with myself so I could play better.  I wanted
to do different things and try to have a better performance.

Q.  Everyone talks about Crissy and Martina's numbers and Steffi and whatnot.
 You also just tied Federer, someone in your era.  Does that mean anything to
you?  And did you ever think about changing your dress?  In the wind seemed
to be causing you some problems.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  It's an honor to be even with Roger.  He's been such a
great champion throughout the years, and he's just an unbelievable competitor
and he's still playing still, and he can probably still win more.
So it feels really good to be, you know, in that same league as him.  He's
just been so incredibly consistent, so we have had really different careers.
Then to be compared with Crissy and Martina, not yet, because I'm still not
quite there yet.  I can't necessarily compare myself to them, because, you
know, numbers-wise they're still greater.
No, I didn't think about changing.  Not at all.

Q.  How much were you bothered by the wind out there?  And also, what do you
think for you was the key in the third set?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  The wind was unbelievable today.  It just got worse and
worse.  It just never let up.
But at this point you have to be able to play under any circumstances.  It
wasn't very easy.  I think I made a lot of errors because of that.
But, you know, maybe I could have done --I definitely could have moved my
feet better or gotten into position better, which I didn't do at all.
Next time I'll have to remember that, you know, I just have to move more in
order to adjust better.

Q.  What was particularly unique about this Grand Slam journey?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, I don't know.  I just felt so good playing the
doubles.  I felt like it really was able to help me a lot in my singles
matches.
I was so focused these two-and-a-half, three weeks really.  I have just been
so focused and so, you know, just really kind of crazy where I'm not losing
--I'm never leaving my room and just really trying to stay in the zone and
stay in the spirit.
What's unique is just the fact of finally reaching No. 5 at the Open, so
that's pretty cool.

Q.  Getting back to your strategy, your game plan for that third set, it
appeared that you were deliberately taking some pace off the ball, making her
generate the pace, substantially cutting down your unforced errors.  Was that
part of it, or was I just seeing something that wasn't quite there?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Definitely something you saw.  I definitely didn't try to
hit softer, but maybe I did.  I'm not saying it didn't happen, but I tried to
make less errors.
I thought, This is outrageous that I'm still out here, because I had a great
opportunity to win already.
So I thought, You know what?  I just have to relax, calm down, and play
smarter tennis.  The whole match I wasn't playing smart, and I needed to play
better.

Q.  I asked her that question, and she sensed you were taking some pace down,
cutting down your unforced errors, and she said she didn't see that.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  So maybe I didn't.

Q.  You and I saw it.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, you was out there, so you saw what you saw.  I know
that's right.

Q.  Don't you think I was out there with you, too?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yes, I do (laughter).

Q.  They were playing Party Like It's 1999 on the sound system after you won.
 I'm curious if you could describe the difference between winning tonight and
winning in 1999 as a 17 year old, what you learned through that whole process.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Gosh, it was amazing winning like at 17.  It was just a
great feeling.  For whatever reason, I never thought I was going to lose that
year.  I just knew I was going to win it.
The difference is it hasn't settled in yet.  I think because I was up so much
in the second, and, you know, I didn't quite take my opportunities, I feel--
I'm thinking still about what I could have done better and why I didn't do
that.
So when I was 17 I remember I took my opportunity right then and there, and I
made some shots and I wasn't making as many errors.  It was great.
But, you know, being older, it's always awesome and such a great honor,
because I don't know if I'll ever win another Grand Slam.  Obviously I hope
so.  I say that every time I win one.
But, you know, I'm really excited about this.

Q.  Which is basically the same question I was going to ask.  You mentioned
going to see Clinton, and that would have been towards the end of his
presidency, around the time you won this the first time.  Your appreciation
for winning a Grand Slam, is it greater now than it was back at that time of
your life?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  It's different now, because when I won earlier it was just
one or two or three or four.  Now it's like sixteen, seventeen.  You know, it
has more meaning into history as opposed to just winning a few.
It definitely has a different feeling.

Q.  Going back to 1999, hypothetical question:  If a 17 year old Serena
Williams played a 31 year old Serena Williams, who would win it and why?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I don't know.  I have been looking at film when I was 17.
 I remember I played Steffi Graf in Indian Wells, and, gosh, I was good
(laughter).
I was really --I had no idea.  I came to the net, and I'm like, Me?  I had
volleys.  I was like, I hit volleys?
Yeah, so, I mean, I don't know.  Both of us are fighters.  We both never give
up.  So it would be interesting to see.

Q.  A few moments ago, Victoria said when two great champions meet the one
who is more brave will prevail.  If you could talk about that desire you had
and the intensity with an opponent like Victoria, what it takes to get over
the top.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I don't necessarily think I was more brave than Victoria
was tonight.  I felt she went for broke a lot.  She changed her game and she
kept going and doing the right things.
But I think, you know, I just pulled myself together and just started playing
tennis that I know I can play.

Q.  When you're presented with the types of checks that you were tonight,
what sense do you have of how much money you have earned in your career and
what meaning does it have for you?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I never, never, in my life have picked up a check.  I
don't play tennis for the money.  I honestly love to play.  I love Grand
Slams.
When I grew up playing tennis in Compton, I just never thought about any of
this.  I didn't think about the press.  I didn't think about --I didn't even
know all this came with everything.
I think my dad got me into tennis because of the money, but me being naive
and silly, I never thought about it.
I just thought, I want to win.  I wanted to do what Venus does.  I want to
win and I want to do more and I want to do more.
To this day I have never ever picked up a check in my life.  I remember back
in the day before wiring they used to mail it because I just would forget it.
So, yeah, I didn't pick it up tonight.  I'm just really more happy about the
opportunity that I had because of my sister, because of Billie Jean King,
because of so many pioneers to have an opportunity to win some money like
this.
But for me, I play for the love of tennis.

Q.  Do you have a sense of what your career earnings are?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, someone told me today I passed 50, but half of that
goes to my Uncle Sam (laughter).  I love him.  I'm always giving him half my
money.

Q.  During the tiebreaker when you were changing sides, you really slowed
down, took small steps.  You were almost meditative in a way.  What was going
through your mind?  What were you reflecting on?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I tried to get myself to cut down, and I said, Serena, you
just played a good point.  You can do this.  You just have to play better.
That didn't work.

Q.  You're a pretty emotional person.  Can you just talk about the range of
emotions you go through on court, celebrating, yelling, what you're talking
about when you seem super calm?  It seems like you're trying to be real quiet.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I just think sometimes when I say, Come on too much,
I get out of breath actually.  So I really try to pace myself in terms of
that.  I try to keep everything to a minimum, but not always -- I do have to
be me, too.  I do say, Come on a lot.  Since I can remember.  I'm pumped up
on the court a lot.
And also, I realize that if I'm not doing that I don't tend to do as well
either.  I just have find a happy medium.

Q.  Do you think there will ever come a time when the USTA will permit a
coach to come down and calm you down for a moment in the game?  Do you think
there will ever come a time when a coach can come down maybe one time during
the course of a match?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, they have that in regular tournaments, just not in
Grand Slams.
As for me, I don't want anyone out there on the court with me.  It's my
moment.  I grew up when tennis was just about you.  I'm going to leave the
sport with it just being about me.

Q.  Any specific goals you have for yourself for this year?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Um, well, I still have some goals left.  I don't really
talk about my goals, but I'm glad to win the US Open this year.

Q.  How long do you savor a slam victory before you kind of shift your
thinking to the next match?  Do you enjoy it for a while, or is it like...
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I don't know.  I'm already thinking about what I could have
done better.  I think I'm a little crazy in that part, like something must be
not right because I don't even relish the moment enough.  I just
automatically think, What's next?

Q.  When the nerves come, is there any element that maybe as a 31 year old
player you realize how special the opportunity is and maybe you're more
nervous than you would have been ten years ago?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, maybe.  You know, when you're always trying to write
history, or join history in my case, maybe you just get a little more nervous
than you should.
I also think it's kind of cool because it means that it means a lot to you.
 It means a lot to me, this trophy, and every single trophy that I have.  It
makes me feel that I'm still fighting just to be a part of this fabulous
sport.

Q.  Clinton said tonight that your greatest quality was that you never give
up.  Do you think that's true?  Could you talk about that?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  I don't.  I just keep trying and I keep fighting.  I
have that spirit just to keep going.

Q.  The journey from the 17 years old Serena winning the 17th single Grand
Slam is long journey.  How do you see-- looking back, how much you sacrifice
14 years ago winning a Grand Slam?  Because you are an insider.  You
experience everything on the court.  How much you have to sacrifice for this
moment?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I don't see it as a sacrifice for me.  I see it as an
opportunity to be here and to do the best that you can.
I mean, maybe I didn't hang out with people or go out as a kid, maybe I
didn't experience that, but I wouldn't trade it in for anything.  I feel it's
more of an opportunity that I have had.  You know, I was given an opportunity
where I could play tennis and I could be good at it.
Maybe, for me, it wasn't a sacrifice.

Q.  Can you just say a couple words about each member of your team who are
here I think tonight?  All your sisters were here?  Jill is here; Sascha is
here; Patrick is here; your physio is here.  Looks like they're all packed
in.  Just a word or two about each of them.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I can't about each of them, but in general, they all really
love me.  You know, they all want to see me do great.  That's everybody:  my
mom, my sisters, coach, everyone.  And they get just as nervous I think as I
do.
They believe in me even more than I do.  That's a great feeling.

Q.  You have now won US Open, Wimbledon, Australia each five times each.  How
do you sort of compare your road to those three tournaments?  Are you
surprised this one is sort of on level with those?  Is this one that was sort
of lagging behind?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  You know, I have been to finals the last three years
here, and that's been really kind of cool.  You know, I never thought I would
win Australia five times.  That's been really cool.
Wimbledon is a little different.
But, you know, this one I never seem to have won a lot before.  Now I'm like,
yes, I can finally say I have won this one a few times, too.
Overall, it feels really good to have those multiple titles in each of those
three, actually.

Q.  Does something click for you here?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I think I just got better with the conditions here.
 Obviously the weather changed, but I just had to readjust and get used to
it.  It's not easy.  This is one of the toughest ones because it's so windy
down there.

Q.  Wondering if you were following the men's side and if you have any
predictions for tomorrow.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I have been following really closely.  I definitely
want to watch tomorrow.
It's tough to say.  You know, it's tough to say anything against Nadal
because he's been doing so well and he's lost like never this year (laughter).
Djokovic this is his fourth time in the final, and he has a good record
against Rafael.  It's going to be an interesting match.

Q.  Great couple of weeks you have had here at the US Open.  I'm wondering
from a different perspective, as a woman, I think sometimes we are kind of
conditioned to sort of hide our age or maybe lie about our age.  You have
been so successful for so long.  Do you feel weird or have any feelings
towards when people reference you as sort of one of the older players or one
of the veterans?  And what do you see for yourself in the next couple of
years as well, still playing phenomenal tennis as you have described yourself?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I feel great.  I'm happy that I'm first of all able to get
to this age.  A lot of people don't make it this far in our world and our
society.  So it's an honor.  God willing, I will be 32 soon.  I embrace it.
 I think it's awesome.  There is a whole new level of sport.  Technology and
things are different.  You can continue to play for so many years and be
successful for so many years.
I have won this tournament over three decades, '90s, the 2000s, and this one.
 You can only do that when you're younger and older, so I'm happy that I have
had this opportunity.

Q.  I know you said you couldn't talk about all the family members and what
they tell you, but your sister, Venus, how much of a contribution does she
continue to make?  What does she talk to you about before you go out to play?
 How do you share things about careers?  She's been there.  That's a real
advantage.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  She's been really great.  She's so positive in the box.
 Out of every voice, I single hers out.  Often hers is the only one I hear.
 I don't know why.  I can just hear her being so positive and so --that's
really, really good for me, because I tend to be hard on myself and I can get
negative at times.
And so, you know, just to hear her always out there and always supporting no
matter what, it's such a great feeling.
Again, my career wouldn't be what it is without her, because every time when
she was growing up and playing, you know, every time she lost I lost.
So I felt like I was able to mature so much faster because I saw her going
through those wins and going through those losses, and so I didn't have to
have those same losses and I was able to develop faster.  It was just a great
opportunity for me.

Q.  You have played a lot of tournaments this year, especially in the past
few months.  But the season hasn't been finished yet.  Do you think you will
be physically okay to play Asian season coming up?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah.  I actually look forward to it.  Venus and I actually
look forward to playing.  V-rena is coming back.  We are excited to play
doubles there.  And we want to get some more practice.  We haven't practiced
enough this year.
So that's all we have been talking about, so it will be fun.
(Applause.)

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