S. Williams - 4 July
Wednesday, 4 July, 2007


Q. How would you describe the last set?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Uhm, I don't know. I haven't thought about it too much.

Q. How is your health? Did you feel a hundred percent?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Definitely not a hundred percent at all. Not at all.

Q. 90?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. It was probably at 40 or 50 max.

Q. Was it at all about the foot or seemed like maybe your wrist was bothering
you?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, my leg's doing better. In my last match I had fell and
sprained my thumb so I can't really hit backhands.

Q. How much did your calf injury, how much better did it get from Monday to
Tuesday?

SERENA WILLIAMS: My leg's doing really well. It's gotten a lot better. It's
been doing a lot better. I mean, I'm still feeling a lot of pain, but with
the taping that was done, all the treatment I've been doing, it's been doing
a lot, lot better compared to the first day. Yesterday wasn't so good, but
today is much better.

Q. What did you think of the quality of her game?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I thought she played a very high quality game. I thought she
played probably some of her best tennis.

Q. The thumb happened when you fell with the calf injury or was it another
point in the match?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, it happened in the third set and I fell. I felt it, but
it just got worse, got really swollen, yeah.

Q. Your father said both he and the doctor said you shouldn't have gone out
and played. Is that what he told you and why did you decide to go out?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, I hate to not try. I feel like if I could have at
least tried, then maybe I would be able to fight through it or maybe
adrenaline would kick in and it would just get better. I think I would feel
awful just not even trying.

Q. What's the difference playing Justine on grass compared to clay?

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's definitely a faster game on grass, you know, more
winners. It was windy today, so I think we both had some errors.

Q. You always talk about how you feel like you can fight through anything.
How frustrating is it to try to fight through today and to not be able to
physically do it?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, it is a little bit frustrating, I mean, but I think
considering I practically was hitting a one happened backhand, I couldn't
have fought much more. Maybe if I could have made a shot here or there. But
it was kind of hard to make a shot because, you know, my technique was
totally different. My slice is good, but I don't slice that often. You know,
just trying to whatever. I totally lost my thought.

Q. Are you going to be able to play doubles?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I just withdrew from the doubles.

Q. What was the actual technique problems with trying to hit the backhand
because of the thumb?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, like any what is the word I'm looking for? The
contact, like when the ball hit my racquet, the contact vibrated to my hand
and it hurt really bad. I was really just struggling to hit some backhands
out there. You know, I was just fighting. I wasn't even sure if I was going
to go out and play. To be honest, it was because it was hurting so bad in
practice. I didn't even practice yesterday. I just thought, well, it was
literally a last minute decision I would go out and play. I was almost able
to do it.

Q. Are you amazed how well you played?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Considering my circumstances, my leg, and most of all having
no backhand and no shot, I think I did pretty well. I think it's just if I'd
have been healthy, I think I would have won, a hundred percent.

Q. Considering all the circumstances, could you use one word or phrase to
describe this tournament for you?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. Normally I would say I ran into a little bit
of bad luck because I got the calf issue, which I never felt, and then I
slipped and sprained my hand. But, you know what, I don't think like that. I
just think that maybe it was an unfortunate circumstance at the wrong time.
Maybe if I would have been on my toes, I probably wouldn't have slipped and
things probably would have turned out different. I just have to think like
that.

Q. Do you think you can come back and win Wimbledon next year?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm always a competitor to win Wimbledon.

Q. Are you disappointed with some of the comments from some former players
who said you were being overdramatic against Hantuchova? I think Michael
Stich said something like that.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't really read the press. I do know the pain I was in.
I mean, my career is actually more stellar than Michael Stich's, so he can
say whatever he pleases. I'm really excited to say that because, I mean, I
have never experienced that much pain. I've never been overdramatic in my
whole career. I've always been a fighter and I've always fought through
things my whole life. I've never taken a shot at him. So, I mean, I guess I
would say that, too, but if I were in his position to hit on, to make fun of
someone in my position, I would never say that, so...

Q. You came into Australia ranked in the 80s. You won a title. A major this
year. Two quarterfinal finishes against arguably the most consistent player
on the tour. Do you look at this as progress, or how do you assess so far
your season?

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, I can't be too disappointed yet. I obviously
wanted to win here and I really felt like I was going to. But considering
where I was last year, mentally and just everything, I should be proud of
myself because I've really come a long way. I was really pretty much out of
it last year. I was even 140 in the world and everyone had written me off. I
mean, I don't it was just considering I'm even in the top 10 right now is
really awesome. I still have another Grand Slam.

Q. You said it was a last minute decision to play. What factors went into
making that decision?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, one of the doctors I wanted to see couldn't make it in
time. It was like, What am I going to do? You can't keep waiting on 'em. I
guess it's like, Okay, I guess I should go out there and see what happens. I
think mainly that was the main factor (laughter). Yeah, I think that was the
main factor really.

Q. What tournaments are you going to be playing this summer?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm scheduled for Cincinnati and the one after that,
Stanford and L.A. I have a busy summer.

Q. What is your Fed Cup status now? Do you think you'll be healthy enough to
show up?

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know what, I really want to. I had all desires to, so
we'll see. I don't say that I can't show up. I think I'm going to get better.
I think even one day, I'll feel better tomorrow. Each day I'll get better. I
know it's only a couple days away, but I think I'll be okay.

Q. Do you think you lost to the eventual Wimbledon champion, or do you see
your sister beating her?

SERENA WILLIAMS: The eventual Wimbledon champion I saw playing in their
fourth round today, definitely.