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INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 14, 2016

Serena Williams

Rome, Italy

S. WILLIAMS/I. Begu

6-4, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. First clay tournament of the year into the final. How good are you feeling about this, especially building up towards the French but also just being in the final here?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's really good. I'm excited to be in the final.

Yeah, I, you know, have just been playing on the clay and been practicing. I feel like everything is kind of coming together. So I feel pretty good about it.

Q. You played obviously a bunch of different types of opponents throughout the week. How have you felt it's been able to kind of prepare you just on that, kind of seeing different looks here and there?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think that's been really good and really interesting, because everyone I played has been pretty different. But they have all been pretty good clay-court players and really consistent players.

So I think it's been a perfect draw for me. And even tomorrow against Madison, it's another different type of player. So I think it's just a perfect opportunity for me to have all these matches and trying to get ready for the next one.

Q. What did you make of Begu today?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I thought she played a great game. I think she takes the ball really early, and it took me a minute to get used to her game. I wasn't -- I mean, I have seen her play, but I wasn't quite sure still what to expect because we have never played before.

But I see why she does so well. I feel like she's a player that has a lot of intensity and she fights really hard. I can really understand why the past couple of years she's been doing so well.

Q. It will be an all-American final. Doesn't happen all that often on clay that two Americans play a final.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah.

Q. Does it have any sort of meaning for you?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's great. I think it will be wonderful because, like I said last time I was in here, I feel like Madison is one of the players that really can be great and she has that potential, and now she's showing that on all surfaces.

You know, we're an all-American final on the clay. It's been a minute since that's happened. That's just -- it's great. It's really exciting.

Q. Ever since you played Venus at the French Open in 'O2 actually was the last one.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh. It's been a minute. (Laughter.)

Q. Yeah, a lot of minutes. Are you used to being able to snap back into tournament mode at this point in your career? You have scheduled selectively throughout your career, but to go from no tennis to a final, what might be one of the toughest surfaces for you, is that something you're not surprised by at this stage, that you have that in you?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I just feel like when I -- I just want to play tough, and I have been working hard. Even though I haven't been playing tournaments, I spend a lot of time, you know, on the court and trying to develop my game even at this stage in my, this age and this stage in my career.

So am I surprised? I don't know if I should say I'm surprised. I feel like if you put in the work, you should get the results.

Q. Americans on clay, you did well here early in your career. You won the French Open pretty early in your career. Was there a learning curve on clay for you, growing up in the US? I know you played on green clay a bunch as a kid. Was there still a learning curve for you that a lot of Americans seems to have?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know what happened to me. Honestly, clay has always been one of my favorite surfaces. I love it way more than grass. Always have. For whatever, I have six Wimbledons and just three French. So I had that long hiatus of over 10 years, I think?

Q. Yeah.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Maybe? I don't know. I don't know what happened. I blanked out for 10 years or so, 11 years.

Q. On Madison, you played her twice at slams last year. What are you expecting from her in this match? What did you learn from those first two meetings?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, one thing I have learned is that Madison gets better every time, and that's great because when you play people, especially when they're young like her and the future of American tennis, you know, it's so good to see them get better.

So for me it's just, you know, trying to do the same thing, even though I'm a little older, just to get better and to be ready for her and to do the best that I can.

Q. In terms of fatigue, I mean, what is the surface that makes you more tired more easier? Where it's more that you are more worried if the match goes on and on and goes three sets, long sets, things like that? Is it clay? Is it hard court? What?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. Like, I guess clay, I guess. But for me I like the clay because it's slow and you can take your time.

You know what? If you're not ready to go, be ready for fatigue, we shouldn't play tennis. You have to be physically fit to do this sport. I think everyone on tour is ready and has to go the distance.

Q. Is it nice at this stage in your career to face another American that's not Venus in a final, finally?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, obviously I love playing Venus in the final, because it means that we both have done the best that we can. But outside of that, absolutely. I feel like, you know, this is the answer. I mean, this is what we have to look forward to is Madison and Sloane and all those, I mean, great Americans that are doing so well. It's great. It is really, really great to see.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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