AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2005

Serena Williams

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Serena, please.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it looked - did it?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I didn't expect it to be easy. I mean, she beat me before. For some reason when she plays me, she hits these unbelievable serves, like 198 even I saw one was hit. So it's just I have to be ready to play when I play her.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. I made errors. I didn't play well. I didn't, you know, hit my shots right. It's going to be a struggle if I, you know, play like that.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I'm feeling fine. I'm okay. My health is great. I'm feeling great.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I thought they were out but maybe they weren't. I mean, I think I won pretty much all the points anyway except for one. I don't know. But I try to play every ball anyway. Did anyone see them on TV? Doesn't matter. They probably were in.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, not at all. Like I said, I won all the points but one anyway. I just -- I didn't feel it was a struggle to focus. That wasn't the reason.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, everything. I'm practicing really hard. I never usually practice this hard. So, you know, I mean, hopefully it will come together tomorrow, whenever I play again.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, for sure I'm playing a tough opponent, I'd imagine. I'm playing Mauresmo, right?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, so she plays great tennis. I actually really like playing her. She wants to win and she's going to be really ready and well-rested, so I'm going to have to, obviously, improve better, play better.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Who?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, I definitely think we've had some great matches. And she definitely brings out some great shots. She hits some great shots and plays some great tennis. I definitely think I bring out the best in her as well.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. I feel -- I mean, my serve was horrible. I've been working really hard on it. It's just, you know, I'm a perfectionist, and I played a really bad game today. I, you know, to be honest, didn't deserve to win the way I played. But I guess I have to get over it and play better in the next round.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I mean, I should, and I should try. But I don't really see too many positives out of the match today except I think I ran well for it on some dropshots. That's about it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: See Mariana?

SERENA WILLIAMS: She was on the court today?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I saw her in Beijing and then I saw her again in Linz, so...

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, definitely have to improve my serve. I mean, every aspect. I didn't play like this in the first three matches, so there's no need for me to go out there and perform at such a low level.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I expect her to play very good and better. You know, I expect her to come out and perform extremely well, like she normally does. But, you know, I really like playing her. I mean, it's really fun tennis. We have a good time out there.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I talked to her because I wanted to know what the problem was, and I never received an apology or anything. So I just wanted to know was that professional not to even -- because I requested a written apology or something because I just thought it was pretty much outrageous. And I didn't even want to talk about that. I ran into some bad luck during that tournament, but that's the past. We talked about it, and I think she was really happy afterwards because she wanted to talk to me about it. I don't know if she could. So, yeah, I had to confront her. She was fine and we both feel better about the situation.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, preferably I wouldn't want her on my court, but that's just my preference. I know I wouldn't be happy. I have too many demons still. Maybe I have to -- I have to continue to go through my rehab and try to get over it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah. When I talked with her, she said she didn't do it on purpose, and that's just the way she saw the ball, although everyone else in the world saw it different. But that's just -- that's way in the past, though. That's like six months ago, four months ago.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I didn't see it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think I have great gamesmanship and I try to be professional out there. I know that's just the type of person that I am, because at the end of the day it's a game and it's not the rest of your life. You know, you have the rest of your life to live. But I don't know if everyone feels that way. I can only speak for myself and my sister, but that's how we feel.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. Fortunately enough, I've only ran into a little bit of it. I don't really know if it's... People will do anything to win and, you know, maybe sometimes that's the attitude you have to have. But it didn't -- I've never done anything, and I've won a lot.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. There's a tremendous amount of coaching on, and I don't get coached out there because when I'm out there, I really believe in being professional, you know, unless they approve coaching. But other than that, huh-uh. That's just how people are. You know, people just want to win so bad.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, of course. Pretty much everyone gets coached, you know. It's standard. Except for me, I don't get coached.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, really?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, my God. Are you kidding? I mean, I would love to look like Tina Turner, and she's like 60-something. She's amazing. She's like incredible. Her body is like ridiculous for her age. She's like on a totally different level. She's incredible.

SERENA WILLIAMS: (Laughing). Now that you reminded me, of course. Maybe if you hadn't of reminded me, I wouldn't. But definitely I'm going to think about that. I'm still a little bitter about the situation - very bitter, actually.