MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAU

March 30, 2015

Serena Williams

MIAMI, FLORIDA

S. WILLIAMS/S. Kuznetsova
6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  It looks like it's as if you're cruising along in this tournament.  Is it
that way?  When is it going to get any harder for you to compete in this
tournament?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, I mean, it seems like I'm cruising.  I don't think
I'm cruising.  I have my matches, and I'm really focused in my matches
because all these players I play are really good.
So, yeah, I'm just doing the best I can in terms of that.

Q.  I'm wondering, when Venus plays right before you, how does that affect
your concentration?  If you did know that she won - I'm sure you did - does
that give you kind of, I don't know, just an excitement or inspiration to see
her still winning and playing so well?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, when she's playing before me I'm always excited to
see her results and hopefully a win.  I don't usually watch the match because
I'm trying to focus on mine.
Then I just stay focused and go out and have the same warmup.  I don't really
change much.

Q.  Are you surprised or just proud of the fact that she's overcome what
she's dealt with with the disease, and right now she seems to be really
playing as good as she has in five, six years?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, she's playing really well.  She's playing really
aggressive.  I have always said what Venus has gone through has really
motivated me.
I think a lot of the things happened to help me become a better player in the
past few years.  You know, that's another thing.  I was really motivated by
her and her spirit and her fight.
I thought that I was doing really well, that I could --I thought since she
was doing really well, I could, as well.

Q.  Sorry to come with another Venus question, but Venus was in here earlier
and just saying she would consider playing Indian Wells next year if the
schedule worked out.  Is that something after what happened this year that
you'd welcome, be happy to see?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, no, she would get a wonderful welcome, I would think.
 I mean, we will see how the schedule works out for her and for me both, you
know.  We are at a point in our careers where we are just having fun and
doing the best that we can now.

Q.  Talk a little bit about today's match.  Can you talk about playing
Kuznetsova?  You alluded to it out there.  A lot of tough matches with her,
especially the last one.  What was your mentality going in?  Also, just the
fact that she's still out there.  You guys have both been out there a really
long time.  Talk about her and the way she plays.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, she's been playing well, especially recently.  She's
picked up the level of her play; she's a great player.  We always have some
great matches; she's beaten mere a few times.  Whenever I play a player
that's beaten me, I just am really, really focused.
Today I was super focused as I had to be.  She's won two Grand Slams and she
almost beat me the last time we played, really.
So I just had to really go out and do the best I could today.

Q.  What do you think about your next opponent, Sabine or the other one,
Errani.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I have a tough match whether I play Lisicki or
Errani.  So whatever happens, I just have to go out there and enjoy myself.
 Sabine is playing really well; Sara is playing well, as always.
I look forward to it.  I don't think it will be easy, but just gotta be ready.

Q.  Rafa talked yesterday about being nervous and losing confidence.  I'm
just wondering if all the greats go through this.  Have you gone through that
in your career?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I can barely hear you.

Q.  Rafa talked yesterday about losing confidence and being nervous in his
match.  I'm just wondering if all the greats go through something like that.
 Have you gone through something like that in your career before?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I mean, of course.  I think everyone at some point feels a
certain kind of way.  It's hard for me to sit here and believe that Rafa
doesn't have confidence.  I think he's one of the best players to ever play
tennis.
I'm sure he'll be fine.  It's just one loss.

Q.  You have won everything that there is to win for a tennis player.  You
have been ranked No. 1 for such a long time.  Do you still see all of these
tournaments as a challenge?  Is it still hard for you, I guess, mentally?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I'd say it's definitely still a challenge for me.  I
think my matches are so mental, mentally involved hours before the match
starts.  I'm mentally still so involved.  Once the match is over I have a
little down, but only to get prepared for the next one.

Q.  I know that this is a special tournament for you and your sister.  I'd
like to know in particular what you think they do really well at this
tournament for all the players, not just you.  And then the other part of the
question would be what improvements, you know, would you like to see in this
tournament compared to other Premier events?  Kind of look at both sides of
the picture.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I don't know.  I think this tournament is just --it's just
a home event and they have always been really catering and open to all of the
players.
I'm not here to pick and point about what can be improved.  If so, I'm going
to talk about it on council.

Q.  Are you feeling okay?  How's it going?  Obviously you look pretty good.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Thank you.  Yeah, I'm feeling okay.  I'm shocked I'm just
still walking straight.  So I feel good for now, and hopefully I can keep it
up.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports