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ROLAND GARROS

May 31, 2018

Serena Williams

Paris, France

S. WILLIAMS/A. Barty

3-6, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. That looked like you really, really enjoyed that win at the end. Quite a fight. Could you just walk us through the last couple of games and how you dealt with the crowd being Ã¼ber excited?
SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, it was kind of fun to have the crowd so excited and doing the wave (smiling). It was definitely interesting. Actually, sometimes as a player, it's a little frustrating because you want to get the match on.

This time around, I was just taking it in and enjoying the moment. Then I wasn't sure what to do. Like, should I serve? Should I not serve?

When it's that close, you just keep going and you keep fighting. The last few games, I just kept doing that. Won a few or lost a few. But I just kept doing the best I could for today.

Q. It was a tough fight. Did you feel like you had a bit of yourself back before you left the sport after tonight's performance?
SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, definitely. I felt like it's been a long way and a long journey, and I'm still getting there, you know. But I have been working really hard for a really long time.

You know, I just am hoping that every day I'm out there, every match I'm out there, hopeful it will come together.

Q. When you had a rough first set, weren't playing like you can play, how do you click that change so fast? It's really impressive.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Thank you. I don't know. I felt like in the first set I didn't play bad. I just didn't make any shots. So I guess it is bad. But I had all the right ideas, like, coming to the net and hitting all my shots. They just weren't going in.

For me, that was kind of like a positive thing, because it wasn't like I was playing the ultimate match. I was just making so many errors.

So I was, like, I've got to cut down on the errors, and I've just got to come out here and fight. And that's what I did.

Q. What made Barty's game effective against you in the first part of the match?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Like I said, I just made so many errors in the first set. You know, when you play like that, it's difficult to win a set.

Q. When you're on the court, seems like you've got a real competitive spirit no matter what the state of the game. Just that will to win. And when we're watching it, we can really sense that, as well. I think the crowd feeds off it, as well. Where do you get that will-to-win-no-matter-what mentality from? And have you always had it?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I have definitely always had that will to win. It was something I was born with, thank goodness.

Yeah, you know, this is a Grand Slam. You know, this is my first one back. You know, I want to do the best that I can. I want to be able to, you know, just do my best and one day tell my daughter that I tried my best.

When I was out there, that's all I was just trying to do, is just do that.

Q. Did you expect so many reactions about your outfit yesterday? And did you have any discussion with WTA and the referees about the weight gravity of your outfit, please?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I definitely thought there would be a lot of reactions over the outfit. It's not a typical outfit.

But it is typical, you know, but what's typical, you know? Who makes the rules?

I feel like in 2018 the world's different. It's important to be yourself and to bend things and to try something new and to try something fresh.

However, my outfit is actually functional for me, because I had a lot of health issues. I believe Nike handles all that before the tournament starts, and I think they just -- they always handle it and I just go out there and play.

Q. You're meeting Julia Goerges in the next round. I know it's very fresh off of a big fight in the second round. You have not played her in seven years, eight years ago here on the clay. What do you make of that matchup and someone who has been pretty steady over the course of the past 12 months?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, she's been playing really, really well, and I have actually been watching her play a lot when I was pregnant, because she's been winning a lot and they show a lot of her matches.

It would be good to play her. Every round for me is just an opportunity to go out there and do the best that I can do, and whether I win or lose, that's what I'm out here to do in this tournament.

Q. It's striking to hear you say that your self is coming out, that Serena is coming out. How are you managing your expectations? Because obviously every time you step on the court, people are comparing you to "your former self." Are you?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. If I were to play my former self, I'm not sure I would win. But I can't say I would lose. And thank God I don't have to do that. So it works out great for me.

But, yeah, this is just my third tournament back and I have had a long break since my last one, so I'm probably not where I was before I left. But the good news is I feel like I'm definitely going to get there. And I don't want to get there, I want to get beyond there. I don't want to limit myself. That's what I want to look forward to doing.

Q. When you're practicing, do you get frustrated at times? Forehand isn't great, backhand isn't great, or are you thinking, no, no, no, here I am playing fantastic again?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, no, I have never had a good practice, I don't think, ever in my life. Or maybe twice (laughter). And that's in my career was, like, my career has probably been 32 years?

Yeah, I'm the world's worst practicer. Everything is wrong. But I'm being nicer to myself. I'm working on that (smiling).

Q. What was the recovery like for you from the first round until today? It's been a couple months, as you say, since you have been in a tournament. And is it hard at all for you to be sort of patient with yourself as you're coming back from the break you have had?
SERENA WILLIAMS: The recovery is, you know, for a first match is always difficult. I think it's every year in Australia when I play the first match is, like, killer no matter how much preparation I do. And the same here; it's killer. But once the adrenaline sets in, it's fine. It feels like you never played a first match, and that's kind of how I felt today.

I feel like, you know, every day gets better. I think the first 48 hours are the hardest, and after that, everything gets better.

Q. Is it hard at all to be patient with yourself?
SERENA WILLIAMS: It's not really hard to be super patient. I just feel like this time around I'm actually more patient with myself. Believe it or not, I'm actually nicer to myself and I'm being more positive with myself.

Q. First tournament back on clay. How tough is it to have the doubles on the day off in terms of recovery? It was a physical match today. Having to go back out tomorrow. The choice to play doubles, how easy was that and has it made this week tougher so far?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, it's been good. It's either play doubles or practice for two hours, so I'd rather play doubles (smiling). It's really the same thing, so it's no difference.

But the only difference is I'm actually getting in extra match play and I'm really lacking match play. So I'm in a position where I need the matches, and so I'm going to have to play doubles.

Q. Do you have any aims concerning the world rankings, like, regaining a certain spot within a certain amount of time?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, usually I have goals, like, when I first came back after my foot injury, I had these big goals and these ranking ideas and I accomplished them.

And that was exciting. So I definitely set goals for myself, but I'm a little behind right now. So I kind of just threw it out the window and just plan and just go as it comes.

Q. There have been a lot of comments about you over the past few days. There were a couple that stood out to me. I'd like for you to comment on each of them. Andrea Petkovic said you were one of her idols and said you are a strong woman who stirs controversy, and that's a good thing because it moves people.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Can you stop there? Because I'm never going to remember them all. We could do this one at a time.

Andrea and I get along great. She's a great person. I think everyone on the tour just absolutely loves her. She's also I think a really strong individual who speaks her mind, and who is unapologetically herself.

I think we both have a mutual respect for each other. I feel really good that she felt and feels that way.

Q. And the other comment was from Novak who said you were the greatest female athlete ever, probably.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Probably (smiling).

Q. We know you as someone who loves culture and languages. Recently you have been around Armenians, at least with people with Armenian background.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Are you Armenian?

Q. I am.
SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm honorary Armenian.

Q. I'm wondering how much you have come to learn about the Armenian culture, language, how much it plays a role in your life?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I'm married to an Armenian, and I have learned that Armenians are incredibly proud. So I'm learning a lot about the culture, and, you know, whenever I meet an Armenian -- well, my daughter is half Armenian, so, they're, like, I'm an honorary Armenian now, so it makes me feel really good. It's a great, great, great feeling.

Yeah, I love how proud, you know, they are. Some things just happened recently over there, so anyway, I'm planning on actually going to go visit there. I don't know when, but I think either this year or next year. We plan a trip there. So it's going to be fun.

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