NASDAQ-100 OPEN

April 1, 2004

Serena Williams

SERENA WILLIAMS: Uhm, I guess. I'm just playing my matches. Ready for my next match.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Today I digressed a little bit, I went backwards a little bit. I didn't play so well. But, you know, it's okay. I can't look in the past. I'm only looking forward to see what I can do better in my next round.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I always expect the best of myself. I can't say that I didn't expect to reach the final. I do know what I didn't want to do is lose in the first round of my first tournament back. I wanted to have a steel, strong present. I think that's really good.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think I made a lot of errors today. She's up, she's improved a great deal, her serve especially. She's really, really, really improved. I just kept making mistakes. She ran a lot of balls down, too, so she was doing really good.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I don't know. Just slacking off a little bit today. No need to make excuses.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, no, I'm not tired at all. I just... I don't know.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I thought it would be -- most of the time when I take off from Wimbledon I don't play a game until the LA tournament. Usually it's more mental. But, now I thought it would be more mental as well, but I think I'm pretty much able to close them out. I think I'm not selecting my shots as well as I should be. I didn't play that many points off, I just practiced and practiced and drilled and drilled. I didn't play too many points out or any sets at all. So I think that next time if I'm going to take some time off, I'm going to try and do that.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Played them both, so I have a pretty good knowledge of what they're going to play like, especially playing me. I think I'll know what they'll play like, so that's always good going into a match.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I've just been fortunate enough to play during the day. It's been great. Maybe they're trying to wear me out with the sun, but... (Smiling). I just so happen to love the sun. I was really excited. I was nervous, I thought I was going to have to play tonight, but I didn't. I was going to watch "The Apprentice," that's my show. I'm a reality freak. And, you know, when I heard that I might be playing a night match, I was so nervous, just thinking to myself, "Oh, my God. Do not play me at night. Do not play me at night." Thank God I didn't, so...

SERENA WILLIAMS: Of course, tonight.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I am a reality just -- I was really into "Top Model." I started out with "The Bachelor" a few years ago here. And ever since then, I don't know, I just like, "You're fired." I've watched it since the first episode. I was like, "Oh, wow, this is a good show." I'm really into all the reality shows.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I like to see them live. It's not fair, a tape delay. People already know what happened. It's not fair. I feel cheated (smiling).

SERENA WILLIAMS: I like Bill. I like Bill a lot (smiling).

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know, just, I guess, because it's like you can really see the reality of things, how it's going. I mean, a lot of stuff is cut out, and you really -- can't really see it all. But I just think it's fab. It's not good for us actresses and stuff, it's tough, but I figure we can enjoy it while we can.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It would be a really exciting life (smiling). You guys can't believe the life I live. I'm so busy, I never stop. I don't even like getting massages because I'm always going. I'm like, "I can't stay. Okay, I need five minutes." I got to move, I got to move. I'm always moving.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think I might have just collapsed. Maybe got a little too comfortable, figured I'm up 5-3, "I can close this out." You can never get comfortable. You've got to keep moving your feet, keep motivated. I think I let myself down. I'm glad it happened because now I know not to do it anymore.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Otherwise, yeah. My first serve percentage today, I think, was a bit low. But, I mean, considering, I mean, the amount of time I spent off, I didn't really work too much on my serve -- I worked hard and a lot on it, but not as much as I wanted to. So I'm pretty impressed.

SERENA WILLIAMS: "Hit another ace."

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I had to get myself motivated in some kind of way. I was like, "Okay, Serena, this is outrageous. You need to get your feet moving." I just was being lazy out there.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think as far as I got right now, it's a major confidence boost regardless to what happens. Honestly, I think that, physically, it's just a great boost. Mentally, it's awesome to be in the final here my first time back since Wimbledon. It's great. And, you know, I just really, really am proud of myself because it's hard to come back. It's nerve-wracking. I kept saying, "Okay, I'm not ready," and I wanted to make sure when I came back that I would be able to do well. So I'm glad that I was able to wait.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I hope and I like to believe I'm 100 percent.