AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 16, 2008

Serena Williams

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

THE MODERATOR: First question?

Q. You must be satisfied with that.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was a satisfying win.

Q. Talk about the match a little bit.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I felt like I got a lot of groundstrokes in, and I was
able to get a lot of balls in play. I was able to practice my groundstroke
game a lot. I felt like a played better groundstroke-wise than I did in my
first match.

Q. What were the conditions like out there? It seemed like it was pretty
breezy.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Some points I could definitely feel it was breezy. I could
definitely feel that other points, you know, the wind slowed down a lot. So
it was a little bit on and off wind-wise.

Q. You also play doubles in the tournament. Do you take it as the preparation
for the big game? And also, do you feel you are a favorite to win the doubles
in Olympics no matter how low you're ranked in the doubles?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Right now Venus and I are focused on the Australian Open. We
would of love to go to the Beijing Olympics and play doubles. We had a good
record in the Olympics thus far, and we just look forward to continuing that
hopefully.
We're mainly playing because we enjoy it and we have a lot of fun.

Q. Another question about doubles. I'm wondering, because you two are very
strong in the singles and know so well each other, do you actually play as a
team for doubles, or do you go to the court to play doubles?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, no, we definitely play as a team. When I'm out there on
the doubles court I definitely do focus on my singles, but at the same time
we do play, you know, a solid doubles game.

Q. When you look back at least year at the Grand Slams, obviously you were
great here, you performed well, you did well in Miami. But at the French Open
would it be fair to say you played a poor match against Justine, and then at
Wimbledon you had the thumb? Was the knee bothering you in the US Open? Was
it sort of disappointing the way it sort of went after a promising start of
the year?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was definitely very disappointing. I think Justine
played really well in Paris, and I think I just maybe got negative and I
couldn't quite recover from that. Then everything just kind of went downhill
a little bit. With my thumb, I mean, I took seven weeks where I didn't hit a
single backhand.
Just kind of went to New York and played, and that was definitely not easy.
So it took me a while to get over that.

Q. How did you get over it? End of the year was a struggle too in Madrid.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, but that was then and this is now, and I live for the
moment.

Q. Do you think that your game was particularly suited for playing someone
like Yuan? She didn't have a whole lot of offense, but she hit the ball hard
and sort of played right into your strengths.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I mean, my game was definitely a good game to play
someone like her. I enjoyed that a lot.

Q. Have you looked ahead to your next matchup?
SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, I never look ahead. I mean, I just play it every
day, go every day.

Q. Have you thought about sort of how much tougher it's going to get from
here on?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I always say I take every match really tough. Everyone I'm
playing is fighting to win as well as I am, so I'm really serious and focused
on every match.

Q. You had some pretty good support out there. Does that really get you
psyched up during the match?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's so cool. It's why I love Australia. I have a lot
of support here for whatever reason. I just love that, and so it's really
cool.

Q. How much of a difference does it make, just the whole feeling of the
tournament, when Venus is on the other half?
SERENA WILLIAMS: It definitely makes a big difference, you know, knowing
that, first of all, I don't have to play her in my half. Knowing that, you
know, only time I'll see her is in the final if we both make it there.
Obviously we both want that goal, but it's good, you know. I learn a lot from
her game and we motivate each other. She does well I want to do well; if I do
well, she wants to do well. So it's definitely a positive.

Q. How much do you coach each other in practice? Do you say things to her and
she says things to you that will help you?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Every now and then I'll say something to her. I'll just be,
you know, not too much in practice. Not too much.

Q. Are you looking forward to getting back on the court with Venus? You
haven't played together for quite a while.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I am. We played at Wimbledon and our Wimbledon career
was cut short this year, or last year. I definitely look forward -- I love
playing doubles.

Q. Given me your relationship with your sister, have you got any comment
about the behavior of an Australian TV tennis commentator last night who
slow-mo'd action of Venus' posterior on television and told a national
viewing audience that he thought it looked pretty good?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Posterior?

Q. Her butt.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah, we say booty (laughter.) I'm not quite sure about
posterior. I'll try to keep that in the back of my mind. What are you doing?
I'm shaking my posterior.
Venus definitely has a great posterior. I'm sure it looked nice.

Q. Do you feel at all like last year here?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, not at all. It feels nothing like last year. It's so
different. I'm still enjoying every moment like I was last year.

Q. How many doubts would you have had at this stage in the event last year as
compared to this year?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I mean, I was going in No. 3 seed this time last year,
so that was definitely tough. I don't think I had doubts. I just wanted to
win. I just wanted to fight. That's how I always am.

Q. Giants or Packers?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Go Giants, because I like Eli Manning. He's a younger
brother. Younger brothers rock.

Q. What about Patriots/Chargers?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Patriots. Patriots/Giants.

Q. And then?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I have to go with Eli. I have to go for the younger sibling.
I am always rooting for the younger sinling. Although I love Brett Favre.

Q. Are you going to be watching the games?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Of course. Thank you guys.