TENNIS MASTERS SERIES - ROMA

May 19, 2002

Serena Williams

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Serena, please.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's good. It was a weird twist. I think I was more afraid than anything, because an injury pulled me out of the Australian Open.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well... I don't know. I haven't decided yet. There's a lot of trophies in our home. Most of them are Venus', because she has more titles than I have. But, you know, I got -- well, this is two. So I'm kind of cheating with two here. I can put them around. So I haven't decided quite yet.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, for me, it's pretty high up there because a lot of people insist that I'm not a clay court player, although I am. Although, you know, I kind of grew up on the clay a little bit. So I don't know, makes me feel really good, especially going into Roland Garros. You know, I'm definitely looking forward to doing well there. So... Top 5 (smiling).

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, today I got a few more first serves in. Berlin I got maybe two, in total. So... And I think, like I said, in Berlin, I just couldn't seem to get the serve right. And still it's not, you know, 100% or even 80%. But let's just say that by the time Roland Garros comes around, I should probably be pretty much 90 and then eventually 100.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I would say so. Because, like I said, it was an injury identical to that that forced me out of the Australian Open. I was thinking, "Gosh, this can't happen to me again." But it didn't. It's just going to be really sore tomorrow. But I had it taped already, so it kind of helped a lot. I think if it wasn't taped, then it might have hurt a bit more, maybe have been a bit more serious.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I must -- I was about maybe 10 or... I could have been younger. I can't remember. The one I can remember is I was maybe 10 and I just hit on clay from 10 until 16, the whole time.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, it was in Florida, when I moved to Florida.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It didn't bother me. My father always said it would be easier on our knees and on our bodies and on our muscles. We would train a lot, we trained a long time. I think it was. Sometimes, you know, obviously I practiced on the hardcourt. But I'd say for the most part in that stretch I did clay.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I was feeling pretty good. I just -- I'm an athlete, and I never really get tired. I'm actually - I'm too young to get tired maybe (laughter). Maybe 20 years from now I'll be tired. But right now, there's really no time. The adrenaline of being in a final again and having another opportunity, being so close last week, and then having it again, it just didn't really bother me at all. I was happy to be here.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, it was the same ankle, yeah. It was the same ankle. So that's why I think I was like, "Okay, Serena. Breathe, take it slowly."

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't think so, no. I just think sometimes freak accidents, like what happened to me earlier this year, and normally. But other than that, no, I don't think so. I think the only thing that's stopping me is - in the past - was not actually being dedicated enough to play as many tournaments. It's difficult to go in week in, week out. You really have to have the mental frame of, you know, "Hey, I'm just going to be here for six weeks on tour." For me, at the time, it was hard. But I lived my life. Now, I'm ready (laughing).

SERENA WILLIAMS: Not really. I just decided this year to play a few more. I was going to play some last year, but, you know... I think it doesn't matter how many tournaments you play. I think if you go out there and win and, you know, do very well, then you don't have to play 20 and 30 tournaments. That would just be killing yourself, because it's hard to go out there every week and get into the finals every week, week in, week out. It's a bit too tough. But I think if you play maybe 14, 15, 16 - let's say 16 - and you're doing well in those tournaments, you don't need to play too much more. But I've been playing maybe 9, 10... (Smiling).

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, it was my ankle. I was running for a ball and I definitely twisted my ankle, the same one I did in Sydney. So ...

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I already had it taped, I think, which saved me a lot. Then I got it retaped during the injury timeout. And, you know, it's just gonna -- always when I'm practicing, sometimes I twist my ankles and it hurts really bad for like a minute, and then it stops. But the next day it's sore. But it doesn't really last too long.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I just think when the match is a little more intense, or if I'm really, really into it, I grunt. But I find that when I don't, I stay a little more calm. So lately I've been trying not to. But sometimes it just comes out naturally because I've been doing it for a long time now. So it's just... I don't know. I can't -- especially when I'm really fighting and I really, really want it. That's, you know, it's just like grunts, it just comes out. (Phone ringing.)

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I don't know. I haven't got a call from him yet. I talked to him early this morning around 3 o'clock. Because I know he saw the match last week and I wanted to see if he had any pointers.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Just, you know, my dad's really positive. He just told me to make sure I stay positive out there and some other stuff.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I just consider myself as a competitor. And when I go out there, I compete - and from the first round to hopefully the final round. I never try to get that far ahead because normally, you get so excited, "Hey, I did great here," you know? I can't allow that to happen. I'm just staying focused. And hopefully I'll just be as fortunate as I was this week in Roland Garros. That's my goal. And hopefully I'll be able to reach my goal.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I'm finally going to take a day off. And as soon as I leave here, I'm immediately going to have some gelato (laughter). Because I haven't been able to have it since I've been here. It's my favorite thing in Italy, to have, is the gelato. So I can't wait. So you guys, come on, no more questions (laughter). You guys got me excited now (laughing). Oh...

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm moving to Rome (laughing). Oh, man...

SERENA WILLIAMS: Unfortunately, I didn't practice. But I think had I practiced, I would have been able to do a little better. Confidence is a little low on the Italian. I never really practiced, because I don't speak it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Unfortunately, I'm a gelato junkie and I've already been (laughing)...

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's -- I'm gonna -- after I leave here, I'm gonna have to probably get in that 12-Step Program. I have anxiety attacks. And maybe I'll go to the Betty Crocker Center to get better (laughter).

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, fortunately enough, the tour has been able to put a lot of signs out, a lot of pictures around. And, obviously, security is something very important for all of us. And I think the tour has done a great job in not letting me know -- letting me know, but letting me know, you know, just what I need to know and things like that, and my mom and my management. So I feel safe when I'm traveling. I feel that, you know, hopefully I'll continue to feel this way.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, you know, I have my goals. I always have my goals set. This year, I have very specific goals of where I want to be at the end of the year. I have no other choice, pretty much. And that's where I'd like to be - hopefully. It depends on where she is, so I can't really say.