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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 20, 2015

Serena Williams

CINCINNATI, OHIO

S. WILLIAMS/K. Knapp
6‑0, 6‑2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You really dominated that match. Can you just talk about what was working well for you out there?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I think what worked really well was just composure for me today, getting back in that state of being poised.

Q. Do you enjoy the easier matches or do you want to be tested as you go deeper in the tournament?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think everyone enjoys easier matches. I think testing is also really important, but at the end of the day if you could have only easy matches for the whole tournament, I don't think anyone would object to that.

Q. Rematch next round with Ivanovic. That was last year's final. Your thoughts on that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, she's a fighter. I just saw her match today. It will be a really good match for me and kind of test where I am, you know, just in general. Yeah, so I look forward to that.

Q. Is it safe to say that kind of a step forward in confidence and all that sort of stuff after this match just the way you were able to play and everything like that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes, in terms of mental confidence, yes. Keeping poise, yes. No matter what happens in my next round, I just want to be able to stay calm and focused.

Q. In the leadup to slams, any slam, is it important to you to face top players, or do you just want match play, wins and don't care who it is across the net? Do you have a kind of a preference?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think it's important to play top players, you know. I think that's pretty important. You don't to go through and not play too many top players. But either way, everyone that plays me place like a top player, so no really big, huge difference.

Q. Bencic is out of the tournament. Were you looking forward to playing her again?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, yeah. I really was looking forward to that, but we will meet very soon. She's playing really well. I'm sure she will get deep in the tournaments.
Yeah, I really look forward to that.

Q. Along those lines, you were really hard on yourself last week saying you played like an amateur. How would you characterize your play this week? I know you're a perfectionist.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I didn't play well last year. I hit more double faults in one match than I have in tournaments.
Grand Slams, even.
Singles and doubles. But no joke. (Laughter.)
No joke. That's not ‑‑usually I play more better. Yeah, I think just this week‑‑ last week I just felt, I don't know, I just put too much pressure on myself.
Then I usually play Stanford. That's my tournament where I'm all stressed out. Then I go to Toronto and I feel better. By the time I get to Cincy I'm cruising. I didn't play Stanford this year, so it was a little different.

Q. Vicky Duval is playing her first Grand Slam after beating lymphoma. What do you remember about her run and her comeback?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, she plays great tennis. I saw her in Miami. Obviously you remember the important things in life when you see someone like Vicky who was just really doing so well and so young, and then to be sick like she was, but then to be able to have the courage to come back.
She still obviously has so much talent. And by the way, she's still super young. She still has her whole future ahead of her, and it really is so inspiring for someone like me to see her do well and have the courage to come back and be the best she can be.

Q. She asked for a main draw wildcard, but US Open only gave her qualifying. Does that surprise you, knowing everything you know about her?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I don't really know. I think that, you know, if she wanted a main draw that ‑‑ if she asked for it, then I would have thought they would have given it to her since she's played wonderful matches there and done so well there.

Q. You talk about some serving difficulties last week. A lot of aces last match; played a clean match today. Is your serve where you want it to be, or do you think it still needs work before NewYork?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, it's not where I want it to be. I don't want it to be there yet. I hope to get it there closer to where I want it to be in NewYork.

Q. Obviously you have a lot of experience and you have been through ups and downs. I was wondering, what advice you would have to a girl like Genie Bouchard who has had a lot of struggles for the last year, and if you think that she could start playing doubles would help her game?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think she's doing better, actually. I think ‑‑I guess she wasn't winning matches, but now the matches are closer and it's just a matter of time. It's gonna come. I really like her so I always root for her.
Yeah, she will be fine. She's super young. She will totally be fine.

Q. And for the doubles?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know.

Q. Has there been any contact between you and Steffi Graf? Has she reached out as you come close to this record that she set so many years ago?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I see her post things about me, and that's pretty awesome. I really am still like a kid when I see her or I see posts. I get super excited. I'm still living the dream.
Yeah, she's been really supportive, which is so great to see, you know, and to feel that support.

Q. If you could ask her one thing heading into the US Open, what might that be?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I would just ask her what does it feel like, just in case it doesn't happen? (Laughter.)
Q.Hair flowed free today. Bun or ponytail decision?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. The wind. It's been really windy. Just, still trying to find a happy medium with this.

Q. You talk about your usual course: Stanford, Canada, here before NewYork. You didn't play Stanford. Did you then feel last week you had to fast forward down a little bit because of lack of play in Stanford?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, because I'm usually starting in Stanford rusty, and I get through a lot of matches, three sets, and finally I usually able to go deep in Stanford.
Then by the time I play the next tournament I'm a little better. As time gets on, I get better and better.
Yeah, I just didn't kick that rust off this year.

Q. Everyone talks about you playing against the past, Evert, Navratilova, Margaret Court, and at some point you will stop and kids now who aren't even born yet will be chasing your records. Looking decades ahead, how will you feel, like being in Steffi's or Martina's shoes? What are your thoughts on that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I think it will be great. I think it's amazing. I think I would be really supportive, like Steffi is of me. It's such a great feeling.
I always want to see people do well and be successful and be the best that they can be. I think it will be really cool.

Q. I know it's been a couple of days, but how is Venus doing?
SERENA WILLIAMS: She's good.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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