NASDAQ-100 OPEN

March 23, 2003

Serena Williams

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Serena, please.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm pretty good. You know, pretty happy. I'm getting better each day, each day the tournament goes on, I'm getting better and feeling better. I'm not 100 percent yet, but maybe tomorrow I'll be, hopefully.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was definitely more comfortable because Tatiana is a really good player. She's been playing well. I was really satisfied to have a solid win like that over her. She was really playing well.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm at peace, I guess. I'm at peace with myself.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's almost there. It will be all right.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, we just -- we're doing a small thing with the -- Tom Joyner does a lot for black history month and black history. We're just doing a slight campaign. I don't know, Doublemint is one of our sponsors. We always try to get together, we don't want to just get paid, we want to actually go out there and give back to communities. That's what we're all about when we try to get different deals.

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, I was debating. Before I won Wimbledon and Venus had one won, I won the US Open, I was trying to debate which one was better. I mean, the US Open pays more. Wimbledon has more history. But, you know, so does the US Open, definitely has a lot of history as well. I would say prestigious, it would have to be.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's just Wimbledon. Now that I've won -- before I won Wimbledon, you know, it was the US Open that was better. But now that I've won Wimbledon, you know, it's more prestigious. But I still love

New York.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, actually, believe it or not, I would consider -- I'd like to take it one at a time. Right now, Paris is really what I would like to focus on. I'd really like to win Wimbledon and the US Open again, but, you know, we'll see.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Hey, I'm just fighting one day at a time. I mean, obviously, I'm sure it's a lot of people's goal this year. I'm just going to go for it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: We're doing pretty good. We're definitely doing really well. The strength of our games, we're the top two in the world. I don't know how many are in the top five. I lost count after No. 1 and 2, I couldn't tell you...

SERENA WILLIAMS: I haven't even been here. I've been ill, so I haven't been around. I got around today a little bit, I came in like around 5ish. If I'm passing by, I watch the results.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I practice in the morning and I was resting. That's my usual schedule for a night match.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I didn't have a solid -- I only had a few smaller gigs here and there, I didn't have a big piece. Who knows, if I get a big part, maybe I will slack off a little bit. No, I'm just kidding, tennis is my main bread maker. I love tennis. I take tennis as number one - not in my life, but just in my career. It's my career. It's my job. I really enjoy it. If I become a successful actress, then we'll see. But right now, tennis is my major success.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I pretty much did the same thing I do every off-season. Actually, I played a tournament earlier. I played in Perth. But, you know, I can't really say I went out and worked much harder.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think more than anything, it was motivating that I was going in the Australian Open trying to win four in a row, seven matches away from making four in a row. I think, for me, that was really motivating, as to want to win another Slam and win a Grand Slam. I mean, it hadn't been done since Steffi Graf. I had a chance to make history. I think if I would have took it lightly on the off-season, just slacking around, then that would have been my own loss, so to say. So I think, if anything, that motivated me. Maybe if I hadn't have won the US Open, I would have slacked around a little more. But I think seeing that I had a goal to reach, a chance to make history forever, I wanted to have an opportunity to do it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It is April 5th in Naples.

SERENA WILLIAMS: We're hoping Monica Seles is going to be playing me, so it's going to be a really, really good match. It's for a good cause as well, my mom's charity for education.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Uh-hmm.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I don't give private lessons.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, well that one, I don't know. Has it went on auction yet?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Monday. I mean, if someone puts a low bid in, I'm gonna bid on it myself. Really, I'm going to put $56,000 so I can, you know, get over Steffi and Andre (smiling).

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I played her a couple of times. I played her here, was it last year or two years ago? It was three sets. She has a big, big serve. She actually moves pretty well, to be strong. She's a really good player. And really nice, I like her a lot.

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, I'm... Well... I don't know. I don't like to say the same things. I try to be lively, not to be boring. I enjoy it. I don't really -- I can't say -- I'd be lying if I said I enjoyed it; she could tell you I don't really enjoy it. You know, if you're gonna do it, why not smile and have fun and enjoy it for the moment. I'm not going to be doing this for 50 years, this is only short term.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes. I usually wear this outfit in doubles but I wanted to -- I've been wearing skirts. I haven't been wearing the one-piece since Australia. I'll wear it in the French again. I'm taking a break.