TMS - INDIAN WELLS, WOMEN

March 12, 2000

Serena Williams

WTA: Questions for Serena.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm sorry. I didn't hear your question.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I really don't sign too many autographs off the court. I'm usually in a hurry, always walking. The fans are here to see the players, get the autographs. I figure while I'm on the court, why not?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I am. I think I'm playing a little better than what I did the other days.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, that was so exciting. I'm really getting up there. I couldn't believe it, it was 123.

SERENA WILLIAMS: 121. That's tomorrow or whenever I play again (laughter). It was unbelievable. I had a 119 in my first match, second round, I don't know, one day. I'm going to call Venus and say, "121." I'm going to start answering my phone, "121."

SERENA WILLIAMS: That's the fastest for me. I'm not that tall, so that's pretty good. I'm definitely catching up. I think hers is like 127 or 129, 127.4, so I'm not that far off.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. I had 18, 17. Actually, this week is the first time I got up to 119. I've really been working out and trying to get stronger. It's paying off.

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know what? I don't have a cool match book. Now that you mention it, I'm definitely going to start that. That sounds really exciting. I should have thought of this earlier, like US Open I had a couple cool matches. I'll have to write them down tonight.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, no, I don't think so. I don't think I played that well for it to belong in there.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, that will be in there. I'll have to mark this day on my calendar. But I'm going to pass that.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Actually in California, in the States. I'm really hard to beat here. I've lost once in a couple of years, yeah.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. You should just pick one place that you're not going to lose that much at. Like Pete picks Wimbledon. He doesn't lose much there. I think I should pick the United States where I won't lose that much here.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes, I believe I play her next.

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, I hardly ever get to play her. I played her twice, I think. Yeah, twice. I'm glad I get to play her again because it seems like I play her once every year or every other year. Seems like Venus is always playing her. It should be fun.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I did.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I was just playing a little -- I don't know. I've been playing long enough to be able to win. There was no excuse for me to be able to win.

SERENA WILLIAMS: There's actually only two games from it being 7-6 (laughter).

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yours is a quarter.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm just going to work on everything, my groundstrokes, my serves, hopefully come to the net more. I wasn't happy how I didn't come to the net much today. Seems like I couldn't get there for some reason. Hopefully I'll be able to do it a little better.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I did.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I remember it was a nice match. I can't say both my wins against her were really comfortable, but she played well. She always plays well. You know, she's a person that you can't just look over. She's a good player.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, yeah, for sure. She's coming up. There's a lot of players coming. Everyone wants to win. I'm sure she's been working hard. She's only 16. She's a very strong young lady. She smiles a lot. She seems happy. She seems very happy off the court. You don't find that too much around the young players nowadays, but she seems really happy and comfortable. I think she'll do well.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, there is. I'm now old (laughter). I'm not young anymore. There's a new crop coming in. I'm about to be picked. The wheat, going down the field, you pick the wheat. Some players have already been picked. Seems like I'm up there.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I just feel experience. I feel I can get these wins over these younger players. I know what to do here.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, probably so, as long as I'm not in the draw. No, these young players are really watching the matches, really playing tough. You know, you can't go out and not be serious anymore or else you find yourself booking your next flight home.

SERENA WILLIAMS: 25. Who knows?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, she is.

SERENA WILLIAMS: About the stadium?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I would choose it as a very relaxing atmosphere. I think it's a really relaxing place. I like how they have the whole thing set up for the players. Another word I would use is just a beautiful site, beautiful and very relaxing.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's tough. I told you, it's tough to make it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, yeah, because I live in Florida anyway. I'll just go home and practice.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I've only been able to play on the center court, all my matches on the center court. I think it's a nice place. I like how you're on the road and you just see the stadium. I think that's so different, how you just see it. It's like in the middle of nowhere. It's kind of, "Wow." It's weird.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. At the US Open I just remember -- I don't remember much. I just remember hitting a lot of aces. This time, I don't know. I guess, you know, she got a little better, for sure.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I think I hit that a few times in that tournament.

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