US OPEN

August 31, 2000

Serena Williams

U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. Flushing Meadows, New York

MODERATOR: Questions, please, for Serena.

Q. How critical was that third game in the second set, Love-40?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, that was pretty important. I needed to win that game
to keep the momentum, to keep myself holding serve. Usually I never lose
serve. Usually I really never lose serve. Already in this tournament I've
lost twice. That's more than I've lost in the past two tournaments combined.
It was important for me to win that game.

Q. What is it about your serve?

SERENA WILLIAMS: It will come around. This is only the second round. I'm
going to serve better in the next round because I know I'm going to serve
better, I feel that I'm going to serve better.

Q. Who has a better serve, you or Venus? What are the strengths and
weaknesses of each?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I'm not -- I don't know. I'm not going to
comment on that.

Q. What do you like about the way Venus serves? When you watch her, what
appeals to you most about her first serve and also her second serve?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, Venus has a nice, big serve, really nice, really big.
She hits it bigger than what I'm able to hit mine, for sure. She's taller, so.

Q. Is hers the most powerful serve on the women's tour right now?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Venus'? Yes, because she definitely has the hardest serve on
the tour. Definitely, for sure. My serve, the highest I ever got was 121.
That's pretty remarkable for my size. I can get there again. I'm just not
really hitting them that hard lately.

Q. You practice with Venus all the time. What do you think are the things
that she needs to do to raise her serve to the best she could possibly raise
it to?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, she served well in her last match. Whatever she did
there, she should do it again.

Q. Are you having fun with the idea of playing --?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Is this a one-on-one?

Q. Are you having fun with the idea of playing against John McEnroe or
another man? What do you think would happen if you got the opportunity?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, well, you know, they're not making this challenge
against other people. I don't know why. I have no idea why. Why doesn't he
want to play Martina or Lindsay? Why us?

Q. How would you do?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Who knows. Who knows. I'm not here to talk about it. I think
he wants to get a rivalry going. I think maybe he wants to play us. Just by
chance, maybe he wants to play us. I'm here to concentrate right now on my
singles and doubles, and that's what's most important.

Q. Does John maybe not have as much respect for women tennis players?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think in the beginning maybe he didn't, but now he's
really grown to see it and to respect it, to have a lot of insight in it.

Q. Zina Garrison was in the broadcast booth during your match. How much of a
mentor has she been to you and your sister?

SERENA WILLIAMS: She was actually my mentor -- we have mentors. She was my
mentor. Obviously she was a very good player. Some of the things she say is
just something we can definitely take to heart and learn.

Q. For instance? Is that personal?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't really want to talk about that right now. I don't
want to talk tonight, guys (laughter).

Q. Your father keeps saying that he has to consult the 'magic cat' in
Compton? Is that an inside joke?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, actually I have not heard that.

Q. He has to consult the 'magic cat.'

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't believe in magic, you know. If so, then I would be
dominating really, singles, doubles, everything.

Q. Are you glad he hasn't made a prediction this time?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I haven't heard him make any predictions. I
don't read the papers that much. I just keep it on the down. My dad doesn't
bring that with us. He makes sure we have a good practice and we practice
really hard.

Q. Can you share with us - you're net savvy - your favorite websites that you
go to?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Actually, there's a nice website out there,
Williamssisters.com. We don't own it, but someone put it up. It's really
nice. Also UBO is starting a new website for the Williams sisters. It's for
our newsletter. It's listed on UBO.com. That's Urban Box Office. Where else
do I go? I usually just check my mail.

Q. Venus said yesterday that you're muscular just out of genetics, that you
don't work out at all. Is that true? It looks like you've been working out,
just the way you're built.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm in the gym every day. I'm about to go to the gym right
now, as a matter of fact (laughter). That's a joke. No, when I was born, I
was 'little baby muscles.' That's just the way I came. I do go to the gym.
Actually I go to the gym a little more than Venus. When I go home, I might go
a little more. I've always been this way, but just to keep myself toned, I'll
go to the gym. I don't want to get any bigger because it will be very
unattractive. Right now it's perfect.

Q. During the first set, it looked like you turned a little bit awkwardly,
sort of yelled out. Is anything wrong with your knee or ankle?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, not that I'm aware of. I'm fine right now. I'm doing
good.

Q. Being defending champion, do you feel any added pressure compared to last
year?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I don't feel any added pressure. I have hopefully five
more matches to play. I would love to play five more matches, in singles,
that is.

Q. Have you found that players have treated you differently because you are
the defending champion? If so, how so?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I have not been around much. I'm only here to play my
match. Actually, the first time Venus played her night match, I was not here.
Whether they treat me different or not, I really don't know. I don't take
notice to it because I have not been around.

Q. How does playing on alternate days with Venus affect your practice
schedule? Do you still just practice together early in the morning regardless
of who's going to play that day?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, we'll practice together early in the morning. Like
today, I practiced with Venus. But we also have a hitting partner here. Like
tomorrow I want to practice more, Venus might want to just practice for 30
minutes in the morning, a little warm-up before her match, but I want to get
a full practice. I might come out a little earlier, hit with her for her
warm-up, then we'll both leave. So that's how it works out.