NASDAQ-100 OPEN

March 28, 2004

Serena Williams

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, didn't play very well today.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I just couldn't get a ball in today. I just kept flying it. But it was okay. I'm glad I had that match, because I've been out of match play for a while. So that was pretty exciting.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, yeah.

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, I never felt as if I was going to lose, I just felt like I needed to win. I felt, "Okay, just right here. When was I gonna win?" Like I said, I'm glad that I had that situation. I think I had a chance to win the second; I kind of just gave it away. Gave away a lot of stuff out there today - too much. So next time I can't do that.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I definitely am. I unfortunately had to do this drug test where you're "randomly selected." Of course I never get -- it's out of a hat, and I'm never selected for the raffle thing. Of course with the drug test I am (laughing). The new rules is they won't let you leave until you complete it. So I lost so much water out there. I'm just sitting there for hours. But I'm sure I'll have to go again in like two minutes now that it's over (laughter).

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know what, I felt good out there. I never was tired. I'm not tired at all. My body feels good. I'm not sore at all. I was playing a point, I'm thinking, "Okay, I'm not tired. Just try a little harder." So I felt really good.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, definitely she was making a lot of shots and she was really playing a lot better and running a few more balls down. Definitely I was missing way too many shots. Then I think I got a little unfocused because maybe I won that set a little too easy. I was just a little here and there, and I wasn't mentally there. Like I said, I just started spraying balls left and right.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, like I said, I couldn't wait to get back. There's other opportunities that I have to be doing other things, but I always turn them down because this is what I really want to do.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Everyone's different. We're all not doing the same thing, so we all can't drive blue cars. We all have to think different.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I think it's just the way -- maybe the way different people were brought up. I know I'm extremely independent; I know my sister is. We were taught all our lives to be independent. We were never taught to rely on anyone else; you have to pretty much rely on you. You can't depend on anyone else.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, it's been better than I thought. I thought I would have more trouble coming back, I thought my knee would hurt. I'm really excited. I'm really happy to be out here. Yeah, it's like, okay, I thought, "Wow, I'm going to be in a lot of pain," but I'm not and that's really exciting for me.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Today I didn't at all and it was three sets. That's why I said I was kind of happy that it went three sets because there's nothing like match play to work your body different ways. I had no pain, so I was really excited.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was angry because I broke my nail. I just got a manicure so... I was pretty upset. It really threw me off (laughing).

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it really threw me off there.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I have to get a new manicure, and I broke it. I've been growing them out. But I guess you got to break a nail sometimes (smiling).

SERENA WILLIAMS: I felt I should have went for it a little more, just got a little lower, tried a little harder and hit a little harder, with more spin as well. But she came up with some good shots but I still feel that I should have just maybe got my first serve. I don't think I got a very high first serve percentage today. Actually, I got a little more first serves in.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, yeah, I kept hitting back to her. Sometimes she'd be on the corner and I'd hit it right back to her. It really annoyed me when I did that. Honestly, each match, I'm getting better. Like I said, I'm really happy to be out here right now.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, no, definitely there's no leeway. You've got to work hard. I've got to be hard on myself because I think that's what got me into the top, is I can't accept anything less than the best. I got to keep it that way.

SERENA WILLIAMS: A lot of...? Excuse me?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, I've been out of competition a while. That's how I usually play. I'm real exciting to watch (laughing). I have a lot of emotion out there; I can't help it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Uh-hmm.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it is definitely a concern of mine. I'd be kind of naive to say it isn't. You've got to be really careful in the world these days. There's so much going on. It's very unfortunate, but it's just either you go or you don't go, and, I mean, hopefully I'll go.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think my security and my safety and my life is a little bit more important than tennis. And so if it became a real concern to where I personally wouldn't feel comfortable, then I wouldn't go to Athens because I like my life, I like to live, you know, like waking up in the morning (smiling).

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I do. I haven't played in a while, so we're really excited. We've been working on our doubles game.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I've played Smashnova, I think, a couple times, I'm not sure. I don't remember; it's been a while. I'm just going to go out there and do the best that I can. I guess Maria is playing well. I haven't really been following too much. She's obviously doing well. She's a very nice girl, so, yeah...

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I do agree with that to some extent. I agree that you can't stop living your life because you're scared something's going to happen. You can't allow that to happen. I've got to be able to keep moving. I'm that kind of person. But at the same time, I'm very aware of things that are going on in the world. I read a lot, so I'm very aware of a lot of stuff.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, but I don't care. If I miss and lose, I'm going to be ready for the next tournament and I'm going to tell her to make sure she has the same attitude. Because this is my first time back, and, obviously, I'm not in my best form. I actually think I'm getting better each round. I can just run all day, it seems. But, obviously, I'm going to miss some shots because I just, you know, haven't been able to hit as much as I would like to. But that's okay. If I have to miss, I'm gonna miss. I'm gonna keep going for it, it doesn't matter to me. I'm gonna just keep doing it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: She had a tough round. I think the girl played really well. She came out just firing balls down the line. I was like, "Wow!" so...