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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 26, 2015

Serena Williams

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

S. WILLIAMS/G. Muguruza
2-6, 6-3, 6-2
An interview with:
SERENA WILLIAMS

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. She made you play very well today and really elevate your game. Talk about the first set in particular, what was she doing?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, yeah, she made me play a lot better. I had to play the best match of the tournament or else I was going to be out. I think she was just hitting winners like left and right. Every shot I hit, she basically hit a winner on. So I had to change my approach. I was hitting a little bit too much to her.

Q. You seemed to go up a level in the second and third sets. When that happens, is that a conscious thing?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think I've been playing for a long time. When I have to go up a level, I have to. I can't afford to stay at the same level or I will be where I was at the French Open. I definitely didn't want to be there without at least trying to give 1000%.

Q. You mentioned on court you were coughing a little bit. Have you been under the weather? There's been a bug.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Has there? I think I caught that bug. Yeah, no, I've just been sick. I've been fighting it with vitamin C and all kinds of stuff. But I just have a really bad cough.

Q. You feel better now?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Definitely better than yesterday. So, yeah, I'm feeling a little better.

Q. You've got Cibulkova next. Finalist last year. What do you have to do to beat her this time?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, she is a really good player. I mean, to be her size, she hits so hard and she plays so well. She's just such a power, compact, great player. I just have to stay focused and not underestimate her. She actually almost beat me before. I want to make sure I come ready and prepared.

Q. When that person in the stands called out, Use some spin, did you follow up on that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I did. I was like, you're right. I'm trying to do that anyway, but I wasn't doing it. So my fan coach was like, Use some spin, Serena. I was like, Okay, okay. It's been like really great. I hear my name throughout the whole stadium like 360. I don't get that everywhere. It feels good.

Q. Why do you think there's such an in and out in terms of getting that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think when you win often, sometimes people want other people to win. They forget that you want to keep winning, too. And that's okay. You know, I'm used to it.

Q. It is nice that you're taken for your results?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I get that every year in Australia. That's one of the reasons this is my favorite place to come. I really love it so much.

Q. Madison Keys is playing right now. She's up in her match. I was curious what you think about her game.
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think she's great. I'm so excited that she's playing well. We're playing Fed Cup next week. Hopefully she can play those matches. If she continues to play really well, I'm going to offer her to play my matches so I can have a little bit of a break. But she's a great girl. I mean, she has such a great spirit about her. She does everything really well. She just has so much unbelievable potential and she's so young. It's so good to see her doing so well.

Q. Do you remember at all that World TeamTennis match when she was 14 years old?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. I think she destroyed me. I just remember her hitting forehand winners, she was hitting so hard. She was so good at that age. It's good to see her still doing well.

Q. Out on the court I think you were joking when you said, There's all these coaches around. What are the one or two things that Patrick has meant for your game? Your dad was with you actively for so long, what were the one or two things he brought?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think Patrick has brought a lot more than one or two things. I think he's brought a lot of consistency to my game, a lot of motivation, a lot of strategy. I go into a match knowing exactly what to expect, what to do. It makes my life a lot easier. The motivation is really unbelievable that he has. We're a lot alike. He's a perfectionist. I'm a perfectionist. So when I'm not where I need to be, he is there. He's like, You have to be better. There's no other option but to be better. If I want to continue to play, we're working on new things. He's like, If you want to continue to play, you have to improve on A, B and C. It's been a really good thing for me.

Q. Is being a perfectionist sometimes a pain in the neck?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, because we're both perfectionists. So it's like he says, You played good. I'm like, I played bad. Then I'm like, I played bad. He's like, No, you played good. So it kind of really works out.

Q. With the Super Bowl coming up this week, what tennis players do you think could translate to play football?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I would be quarterback for sure or linebacker.

Q. Which would you prefer?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, God, I would love to be a linebacker.

Q. You like to hit people?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I just like to block. Okay, I'll be a quarterback. I don't know. Nadal would be a good runningback because he's low and he can run fast. Roger would be a good quarterback. He'd be a great quarterback. What about some of the ladies? Venus, wide receiver. Absolutely wide receiver. I don't know who else. Trying to think of some ladies.

Q. Genie?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Genie would be a good cornerback. Maria, I'm not sure. I don't know. Maybe she's a good cornerback as well because she'd be able to be out in the field, produce some blocks. It would be fun. We should all get together and play.

Q. How much of an influence these days is your older sister on you?
SERENA WILLIAMS: She's a big influence obviously. The way she's playing, her confidence exudes and permeates to me. It's a really good feeling.

Q. She's also come to play in New Zealand the last two years, done well. She keeps telling us she's trying to persuade you to come. Is that going to be possible?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I hope so. I really want to go. Again, she said this year, They really want you there, Serena. You should go. I usually listen to big sis. Yeah, I might be there.

Q. A year ago you did sign up on the Indian Wells list of possible players. Do you think you'd consider doing that again this year?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I like my vacation time that I get at Indian Wells.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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