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WIMBLEDONJuly 11, 2015Serena WilliamsLONDON, ENGLAND S. WILLIAMS/G. Muguruza THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Must be an unbelievable feeling right now. Can you describe the emotions getting to this point from the start of the day? What do you think of the term 'Serena Slam' now? SERENA WILLIAMS: Man, it is really a great feeling. Just the moment is still setting in a little bit. I'm just really excited about it because I didn't want to talk about the Serena Slam. I honestly wouldn't have thought last year after winning the US Open I would win the Serena Slam at all. It's super exciting. I just knew I wanted to win Wimbledon this year. Of all the Grand Slams, it was the one I hadn't won in a while. It was like, I really want to win Wimbledon. It happened. Just amazing. It feels really, really good. Q. How can you make the mental switch after a tough Roland Garros? SERENA WILLIAMS: I definitely think the extra week helped. I took a week off after Roland Garros because I wasn't feeling that great. I just kind of trained and practiced and practiced. You know, then the moment happened. Yeah, I really think that week in between helped me a lot. Q. You come across to us as kind of ageless. SERENA WILLIAMS: That's a good thing (smiling). Q. Do you notice any difference in your body or your ability, work ethic, from years ago? SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, I feel almost better now. I mean, I do have some aches and pains. But overall physically I feel like I'm better. I feel like I'm more fit. I feel like I can do more than I did 10, 12, whatever years ago. Yeah, I just think, you know, like I said, I just keep reinventing myself in terms of working out, in terms of my game. It's been working. Q. Can you give us a word on Garbine Muguruza and what you see for her future? SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, my gosh. I think she's such a great player. Like I said, she's beaten me before. I think she really stepped up to the plate today. She was determined to do well and to win. She came out there to win. She wasn't out there just to play a final. I think that says a lot about her and her future. She never gave up literally ever. Q. You've won 88% in the first five rounds, 87% in the last five rounds. You're basically just as good against the best players in semis and finals as earlier. Why do you think that is? SERENA WILLIAMS: I feel like I'm in the semis, only one more match to go. That's how I think. I may as well give it my all. Obviously, I don't want to lose in the first round or early. I have a lot, but I never really want to. I always try my best. I don't think there's any reason in particular. I just think it kind of happens. I just try to do the best I can for every single match. Q. I know you stay in the present or do your best to stay in the present... SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, gosh. Q. When did you first think of New York or have you not maybe? SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, c'mon (smiling). You know, it took me a little while. I think when I did my interview for BBC after the match, I did the whole presentation, I did the whole walk around the court. I was peaceful, feeling really good. Maybe a little after that I started thinking about New York. Q. Could you give us a bit of detail? When you said you reinvented your workouts? I've been reinventing mine for a long time. SERENA WILLIAMS: You got to get on the Serena plan (laughter). No, because I've never loved working out. When I first started, I would always ride the bike, work on my legs. Then I started doing more running. Then I started doing more sprint work. At one point I was boxing. Every few years I'm always doing something physically‑wise. I mean, there's so many sports you can do to stay physically fit. Like if I was still running, I think I would just not want to do it anymore. I wouldn't want to stay fit. There's so many things you can do to stay fit and it works. Q. What's the latest you've done? SERENA WILLIAMS: Right now I'm dancing a lot, so... Q. Any particular style? SERENA WILLIAMS: Contemporary. Q. Describe that a bit to me. I don't do that, I'm too old. SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, contemporary is like, I don't know how to describe it. It's just lots of movements. It's not like super fast. It's slow, not too slow. Sometimes a lot of floor work, so... Yeah, I'm serious (smiling). Q. When you were dancing around Centre Court after you won, you thought of New York, what were you thinking? SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, actually I didn't think about it till the interview. Then I just thought, Oh, man, I've won New York three times in a row. I hope this isn't the year that I go down. I want to do well there. We'll see. I mean, I've won three, so that's not bad. Q. What's been the key of winning four majors in a row? SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I know just last year I was just so down because I lost so early in three of the Grand Slams. By the time New York came around, I was like, I just want to get to the quarterfinal of a Grand Slam. When I won my fourth round match, I was elated. I was like, Yeah, finally. I've just been super relaxed. I've been taking time every match. I didn't have an easy go this tournament, but I still just take it one match at a time. Q. What has this process of the Serena Slam, what has it taught you about yourself? SERENA WILLIAMS: I've learned a lot. That I'm able to do anything. Anyone's able to do anything they really set their mind to. I also learned it takes teamwork. By the way, it's not me. It's a lot of people behind me, from my coach, who I think does a wonderful job keeping me consistent in not only all the Grand Slams, but all the tournaments in between as well, which I think helps me for the slams. The physical work, the training. So it's a lot of work. You know, I think nowadays, more than anytime before, it's really a team effort. Q. After the last point of the match, there was a pause. It seemed like there was a little bit of confusion as to what was happening. What did you think was happening in that moment? What did it feel like? SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I wasn't sure, 'cause I won the point, but I was looking at the umpire, I was so focused. She had started playing really well. I wasn't sure if I was going to serve again. I was so focused. I was like, Okay, is that the match? Is that it? Plus she didn't say, Game, set, match really loud, so I wasn't sure if there was some type of call or something. I didn't hear her at all say, Game, set, match. So I was just really confused. Q. There's a lot of aspects to this victory, history made. 21, six Wimbledons, Serena Slam. What speaks loudest to you? SERENA WILLIAMS: For sure the Serena Slam. I mean, I've been trying to win four in a row for 12 years, and it hasn't happened. I've had a couple injuries. You know, it's been an up‑and‑down process. I honestly can't say that last year or two years ago or even five years ago I would have thought that I would have won four in a row. So just starting this journey, having all four trophies at home, is incredible. You know, that for me stands out the most. Q. With all that you've achieved, with what you might achieve in the future, what do you consider the toughest thing to accomplish? SERENA WILLIAMS: Uhm, the toughest thing to accomplish is just to stay in the moment. It's easy to go out there and say, I want to win, then try to win. But you have to win seven matches. You have to win each match, you have to win each set, you have to win each point. It's not anything that's super easy, but, you know, you just have to stay in the moment and do your best. Q. How do you do it? SERENA WILLIAMS: Just do it (laughter). Q. Throughout the match today, at any stage did you feel or think, I'm going to lose this? SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, she started out playing really well. But then I knew, okay, I started to understand what she was doing better. I thought, I need to do this. I had to problem solve. My thing was just get up two breaks, just do the best you can. That's all. Q. Which one was the toughest, this one or Watson? SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't think you can compare 'em. You know, I think both matches were definitely very interesting. I think one was a third round and one is a final. You really can't compare a final to a third‑round match. Q. It's been a long time in tennis, 27 years, since we've had someone going to New York with a chance to win the Grand Slam. A lot of attention and hype. What are you expecting from that? SERENA WILLIAMS: You know what, I feel like I'll be okay. I feel like if I can do the Serena Slam, I will be okay heading into the Grand Slam. Like I always say, there's 127 other people that don't want to see me win. Nothing personal, they just want to win. So it's just, you know, going to go in there. I had a really tough draw. This gives me confidence that if I had this draw, I can do it again. I'll just do the best I can. You know, I really don't feel like I have anything to lose. I've kind of solidified my place at No.1. My goal is always to end the year at No.1. I just want to make sure when I play Australia, I don't have pressure going into that. Yeah, I feel like I've kind of knocked all that out and we'll just go from there. Q. In terms of all‑time great sporting accomplishments, how much are you able to put into perspective what you're in the midst of? SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's huge. It's really, really huge. But I haven't done it. I have the Serena Slam now, which is amazing. But, you know, it's different to actually have something and then try to accomplish it. Of course I'm going to try to do the best I can, but I don't have the Grand Slam in my hands. I can't really feel that if it's not there. You know, hopefully I'll do well at the Open and then I can answer that question. Q. You mentioned your coach. What has he brought to everything that you do that you didn't have before? SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, obviously something's working. You can't argue with results. I think he does a really great job with keeping me focused. I have really great strategies when I go out there on the court. I kind of know what to expect, I know what to do. You know, for every match, I'm in it. I'm not halfway there or halfway not there. So I think it's just been consistency and just keeping that for every single match. Q. Is it difficult to get to that position? Easy to say. How difficult is it to keep that focus all year round? SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's actually easier than one would think. Well, it's easier for me because it doesn't matter where I go, I don't necessarily like the loss. But sometimes losses do help me. But, yeah, so it definitely keeps me motivated. But I've always been like that my whole career. I just feel like I have a little more bigger game plan going out there. You know, yeah. Q. It took you some time before you were finally able to win one more Wimbledon than Venus. I'd like to know to remind you with your age, there will be somebody that tomorrow could be 33 years old and win Wimbledon. Do you think that is probable or difficult? SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't understand. You think tomorrow there's going to be... Q. Roger. Another guy who is same age as you. He may win Wimbledon, too. Is it probable? SERENA WILLIAMS: Absolutely. If I can do it, God knows he can do it. I saw his semifinal match. He was playing unbelievable. I was totally inspired by that. Q. Favorite or not? SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, he's playing Novak. He's strong No.1. He's defending champ. You know, it's tough to say. But I think it's going to be an unbelievable match. I really look forward to watching it. I'm glad I'm not playing either one of them. Q. You wear very pretty outfits the days after and the parties. When you're choosing the outfit, did you have doubts, if I don't win, I'll wear that outfit someplace else? SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I always bring a dress just in case, always. I found out the better dresses I bring, I usually win. If I bring a not‑so‑nice one, I don't win. I brought a really nice one this time. I'm not sure. Try to think positive, you know. Try to think positive. Q. 5‑1 in the second set, a game away, you wound up serving twice, getting broken. Came to 5‑4. What was that like for you? Was it sort of nerves at being that close? What happened there from 5‑1 in the second set? SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, I think she returned really well today. How many double‑faults did I hit? I had a lot of double‑faults. Eight. Oh, my gosh. I hit a lot of double‑faults, so that doesn't really help you. In warmup today my serve was off. I probably served more than usual because I didn't get it right and I kept going, kept going. I just didn't feel my serve today. I think if I had felt it better during the match, maybe I would have been able to close it out. She also returned really well, so I think that helped her out and helped her get back in it. She also never gave up. She never gave up hope of raising the trophy. Q. A pretty remarkable week for American sportswomen, you and the soccer team, as well. What is your take on what it all mean in terms of being a female playing sports in America? SERENA WILLIAMS: Olympics, baby. USA at the Olympics. I was so happy for the USA women to win the soccer. I was cheering them on. It was great. They always do really well. A little nervous sometimes. It was so wonderful to see the ladies win the soccer. I'm just riding their wave, you know. Q. Sorry to be blunt. Does being the oldest Grand Slam winner fill you with pride or does it frighten you a little bit? SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm officially the eldest? Q. Yes. SERENA WILLIAMS: Cool. I mean, no, I feel great. I definitely don't feel old. I think in life I'm still pretty young. You know, I think, like I always say, with new technology, new workouts, all this other stuff, I think the life of an athlete is changing and the longevity is becoming longer. Q. How many more Wimbledons do you have left in you? SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, gosh. I'm just living for the moment. Obviously I'll be here next year, God willing, to try to defend my title. But we'll see. Q. Can the elder you look back and find deep inside that little girl that had these dreams? Do you think, Wow, look what I've done here? SERENA WILLIAMS: Not yet. One day, if I ever retire, I'll definitely look back. I'll be like, Oh, I did a good job. Right now I'm really into just continuing to be the greatest champion that I can be and the best player and the best role model that I can be. I just really try to stay focused on that. Q. Do you not enjoy the ride as much now, at the end you'll enjoy it later? SERENA WILLIAMS: I definitely enjoy the ride, but I'm also not looking back. You know, I'll be like, Wow, I did so good. If you look back, it's so easy to become satisfied and complacent. That's one thing I don't want to have. Q. Throughout the match you always were focused. You said you tried to kind of stay in the moment. What is your inner voice saying while you're trying to be focused? SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. Usually I'm singing a song in my head. Then if I stop singing it, I usually start losing, then I go back to singing. It's crazy up there. You don't want to be up there (smiling). FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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