AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 16, 2006

Serena Williams

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. You were there, two points from being down 2-Love in the third set. Did
you get a second wind? What happened?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I just got angry that I was in the situation. I felt as if
the match should have been over and I shouldn't even have been out there at
that point.

Q. Is that a good way to start the tournament?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Uhm, yeah, I guess. I think so because I haven't played in a
while. It was nice -- it wasn't nice, but at least I know what -- yeah, I
lost my thought train.

Q. Does anger propel you?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Does it propel me?

Q. Yes.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, definitely. It makes me play better and stay more
focused.

Q. How do you go from playing as poorly as you were at the end of the second,
beginning of the third, to playing just so well in the last few games, like
you were totally in control?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I play better the longer the match goes on. I just was
able to -- you know, I wasn't hitting out. At one point I started blocking
too many balls. I just decided that I needed to hit out.

Q. Venus' loss earlier in the day, did that put any extra pressure on you
going out there tonight?

SERENA WILLIAMS: It didn't put any extra pressure on me. I felt really bad,
though. I was really sad.

Q. You watched the match, obviously.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't watch. Thank God I didn't watch it. I was at home,
and I can't watch matches that she plays on TV. I get way too nervous.

Q. Were you getting reports from anybody, like she won the first or second
set?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I didn't get any reports. I just figured -- I thought
she won. I think I thought she won the first set, I think. But I don't watch
her matches. I just can't in my heart.

Q. What will you want to do better in the next round?

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, I just want to be able to hit out a little more,
and a lot of other things.

Q. Do you know your next opponent, Camille Pin?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes, I know her. I think I played her last year. Yeah, I
think I played her last year in the first round - I think.

Q. On Venus' game, did you talk to Venus? Did you talk to her before your
match tonight at all?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I went and I talked to her. I asked her how she was
and stuff. I told her I was a bit envious that she gets to go home, so she
could cheer up.

Q. How much better do you feel after you won a first round at Wimbledon, also
won a first round at the US Open last year? Do you feel a lot better than you
did then, generally about your health, how you're playing?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't understand your question.

Q. After you won the first round at Wimbledon last year, after you won the
first round at the US Open, after winning the first round here, how much
better do you feel physically and mentally about your game?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I feel amazing right now. I just feel like dancing. I can
just hear this song, this Beyonce song "Check on It." I just feel like
getting down, doing the eagle. I have a lot of energy right now, it's really
hot. I'm feeling much better than I have at The Open - Wimbledon, too.

Q. You just mentioned that you were envious of Venus getting to go home. Are
you completely sort of focused on being here? Not wandering off anywhere else?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I just said that to cheer her up. She was really sad. I
said, "Cheer up, you get to go home." You know, this is a long trip for us. I
don't want to go home. She said, "You're not really envious." I'm like,
"Na-h." She laughed, at least. By no means am I envious (laughing). I just
was trying to get her to cheer up, that's all.

Q. In here she talked about sticking around to support you.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Awesome.

Q. She said she was eager to watch you play, carry the ball.

SERENA WILLIAMS: So, yeah, that would be awesome.

Q. How do you rate your fitness now?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm feeling pretty good actually. I'm not tired at all. Like
I said, I feel like putting my iPod in my ears and just start dancing. I feel
like dancing for some reason (laughter). I'm feeling pretty good. I'm
surprised -- I'm not surprised that I'm not tired, I'm just surprised I have
so much energy.

Q. You guys got any plans to play doubles again?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I want to play so bad. It's just, you know, between
her and me and injuries, it's so hard. But we definitely -- we love to play
doubles. We have so much fun. It's hard to believe that we've won all the
Grand Slams in doubles. It's like, "Wow!" We definitely want to play doubles
again.

Q. Any shots that were more difficult for you tonight? Things you feel you
have to work on in the ensuing rounds?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, there's definitely a lot of things I'm going to work
on. Instead of going home to dance, I'm going to go home to write down things
I need to work on. That way I can improve for the next round.