US OPEN

August 28, 2004

Serena Williams

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's an amazing feeling. I am so excited and so happy. I feel like it's been a while since I played here, so I am just really ready to be performing here.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's doing a lot better. It was really tough for me to make that decision not to go to the Olympics, but at the end of the day I had to do it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was kind of, sort of. I was playing a match and I felt it. Thank God I didn't continue on throughout the tournament because the doctors didn't want me to go on.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, I just -- the very next day, after, I just started working harder. I don't remember when it started feeling good. I just was at the gym two times a day, just working out every day.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Uhm... the week after the Olympics, first weekend.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, I kind of got a late start on this year, but I think I did okay so far. It's not over yet. I have a lot to add to my resume this year.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I tweaked it again. I don't want to get into too many details because I try to forget about it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It had a lot of swelling. It was a little discouraging, but then I thought, "I just have to stay positive."

SERENA WILLIAMS: I didn't watch. I didn't watch. I just watched the swimming. They didn't show the tennis -- I didn't see any of the tennis. After Venus came home, I didn't watch any more of the tennis. I was really into Michael Phelps and Paul Hamm and then the other little gymnast girl.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Carly. Carly Patterson (smiling).

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't think it would hurt or influence in any way.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, she's doing good, and I'm really happy to see her back. So I think that's great. Especially coming into the Open, she's defending champion. I know she wants to do really well. So good for her.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I haven't even thought about it too much really.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I haven't really thought about that. I'm just here right now. I haven't thought about much of anything. I'm not -- theoretically, I'm not, but I kind of am (smiling).

SERENA WILLIAMS: Right now, where's my game? It's solid.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I'm running. I'm just doing the best I can right now.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I said, "There's no way I can miss this tournament again." I wanted to do everything I could to make sure that I was here, playing and competing.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think I definitely felt that I didn't want to come here thinking I could win a round and have to go home.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I was advised by several - like five different doctors - not to go to the Olympics so... It was really just -- it was pretty much "Don't go. Just don't go."

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, definitely.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's fun. I love the atmosphere. I love the kids out there. They always have a great showing for the kids' day. They come out here and get to see some of their favorite tennis players play. They have some wonderful music acts every year. So I love it out here.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, the kids aren't like you guys (laughter).

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I have a lot of exciting outfits this year. I have this black mesh dress that's kind of see-through that I was gonna wear but I decided not to. There were kids today, so (smiling)... Then I have the shorts, the other short outfit they wouldn't let me wear at Wimbledon because it "wasn't proper attire." I'm wearing it here, but it's all in black. I have the jean outfit, the jean skirt and the jean jacket. It's cool. And, of course, the boots. I have some -- I have a pair of boots.

SERENA WILLIAMS: What?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think I should wear the smaller and cooler ones during the day sessions, right (smiling)?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Uhm... gosh. I'm not even -- as usual, I'm not thinking about that. I'm just thinking about performing the best of myself. And, obviously, I want to win, but I'm taking it one round at a time.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, definitely. I'm kind of -- I hate to be, but I'm a little superstitious. If I like one outfit, I'll just keep wearing it over and over again.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Not yet. I haven't played in them yet. I'm already leaning towards one.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It would be a mediocre season.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, no, the cat suit, he's no longer going to come back. He decided to retire after all.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I haven't seen her draw, haven't seen my draw. Don't want to know her draw, don't want to know my draw just in case you're going to tell me.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think she's positive, but it would be best if you ask her.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, she's feeling great. She's excited to be here, too. We both missed it last year.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It hasn't been easy at all. I've had a really tough 12 months. I'm just rolling with the flow, and I realize there's a lot of stuff I enjoy doing off the tennis court and a lot of things I take more seriously in my life, just my family and things like that. When I think about that, I really am able to relax even more on the court and enjoy myself even more than what I did before.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, it obviously could be frustrating, because I'm working my way to that point.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Uhm... I don't know what to say.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm getting there.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think most of my game is confidence, so I think that that probably will be the best thing for me, is to have a lot of confidence.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes.

SERENA WILLIAMS: We'll see (smiling).