US OPEN

September 11, 1999

Serena Williams

WTA: Questions for Serena.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. Venus was born before me actually.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's really amazing. I mean, you totally prepare for this. I was always one to say, "I want to win the US Open. I want it." Venus always wanted Wimbledon. I guess when she wins Wimbledon, she's going to have the same feeling. It's really exciting.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, not at all. I think, if anything, it's going to motivate her. She was up there supporting me. After I lost my first two match points, I looked over to not my mom or dad, I saw them also, but I saw Venus over there really making sure, pumping me up. It really helped me, so.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I don't know. My dad used to say to Venus and I, "Which big ones do you want to win." I just said the The Open. Venus said Wimbledon.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I was young at the time.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, the CBS studio. It was very exciting. I thought for sure my day couldn't get any better. Next thing I knew, someone was telling me, "The President of the United States wants to talk." I was thinking, "Wow."

SERENA WILLIAMS: He said that they had watched my last three matches and they were really rooting for me, him and Chelsea also. I talked to her also, she's really nice (laughter). She said she'll show me around Stanford when I go there for Fed Cup if I wanted to. Pretty exciting.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Not yet. I haven't even had time to think about it really. I've been doing all you guys' request and the media. I haven't had much time.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think after I lost those two match points, I was very upset with myself. I think I remember at the Lipton how I was at two match points against her then. I actually lost the match. I was like, "Serena, this can't happen. You have to think positive things." I thought for sure I was going to hold my serve when I went out at 5-4. I guess something went dreadfully wrong and I didn't hold.

SERENA WILLIAMS: There comes a time where you just have to stop caving. You have to stop. I encourage all you guys to stop (laughter). You get tired. You just get so tired of having to just go down because of one simple problem. In the end, I told myself, "You're going to have to perform. Even if you win or lose, you're still going to be out here and you're going to have to perform." That's what I did.

SERENA WILLIAMS: In singles, yes. Paris was the first tournament I won, was in Paris. Now I have four.

SERENA WILLIAMS: In my career.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I would say from my parents, my mom, she doesn't fear anyone. It's pretty exciting. She's always been a tough person like that.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah.

SERENA WILLIAMS: She was really down. That really encouraged me to be even more tougher out there, just to have to see her that down. I've never seen her that down before, so, yeah.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. I was really mentally tough out there. I wouldn't give into anything. The first set, I wanted to come out strong and tough, and I did. It's not that I was actually hitting really hard out there; I was just really mentally focused because I didn't want to go down. I worked hard, too. I wanted to have an opportunity myself.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I'm one of Jehovah's Witnesses. We believe in the theory of monotheism.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I would say so, yeah. It definitely plays a big part in my game.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's definitely women's tennis. I couldn't have been out there alone playing against myself to have that many people out there at all. I mean, I was playing the No. 1 player in the world, Martina. She's really playing some great tennis. She had just an unbelievable match last night against Venus. I'm sure if I was out there alone, there could have been a lot of fans, but nothing close to that. She had a lot of fans out there. A lot of people wanted her to do well also. It's definitely women's tennis.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Wow. I mean, imagine if I stop making those errors, can you guys imagine? That's like inconceivable, huh?

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's really exciting. I once heard Althea Gibson, one of her best friends told me she wanted to see another African American win a Slam before her time is up. I'm so excited I had a chance to accomplish that while she's still alive. It's just really great.

SERENA WILLIAMS: What about them?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I mean, somewhat, yes. You have to because, before, the tennis before Venus and I, to be honest, there wasn't that many other people, different races coming out. Zina and Lori and Katrina Adams, they all definitely brought some interest to the game. Then there was a little of a hiatus before there was another player that was able to come out and do as well as they did.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was pretty exciting. I'm thinking, "Should I scream? Should I yell? Should I cry? What should I do?" I guess I ended up doing them all. It was so exciting. I mean, it was like -- it's like in the whole tournament, "One more match, one more this." There was no more. That was it. That was the apex. That was it. It was so exciting.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, naturally, yeah, I hope it doesn't go to the third set. If it does, I would have -- it would be my own punishment.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Did I hit that many winners in the match?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Wow. What were you asking again?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I think I said to myself, "All I have to do is hold serve here." I didn't when it was 5-All. She held serve. I guess in a way I was thinking about holding on. I should have been thinking on the contrary: "Let me attack. Let me move up to the ball." Those final games, I didn't do that at all. Definitely bet your money that I will be working on that.

SERENA WILLIAMS: He was so proud. He said, "I'm so happy. This is great."

SERENA WILLIAMS: I would say so, definitely. I can feel it. I can serve it. Even if I miss all my first serves, I go for it. I feel in my heart I'm going to make it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's really amazing. It's really amazing for me just to even have an opportunity to be compared as great as Althea Gibson. She was a great player. It's pretty exciting for me. I've actually went out and won a Slam. It's very -- it's great.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes, I have. I haven't been able to see them all. I see a little footage of her running, hitting some backhands, stuff like that.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Wow, I don't know. I guess I have a lot of requests, go on the Today Show.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I didn't think about that. Hmm. . .

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, no. I have a project right now, so I won't be able to do anything.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I'll have to see.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, I definitely feel motivated and ready to go (laughter). Here I go again. Just two more matches (laughter). I'm really ready, psyched up about it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah. I don't want to let Venus down at all. I'm really going to hold my own on my side of the court.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, really, she was playing so well last night. She was really moving. I picked up how she was just really moving the ball around. That's what she did well, is she did that well.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I decided it was time for me to go out. Apparently, it worked. After I saw that Martina had won, I didn't want to go out in the same manner. The way she was playing, I was thinking, "Wow, Serena, you have to go out and improve also." I went out and hit some groundstrokes and some serves.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, that's really great, that I can have this type of impact on people. It's pretty exciting. I'm very happy that they were happy for me because I was happy, too.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't see where it would cause a problem at.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I don't think so. We really believe in family, in the family. I just don't see where it can affect her. Tennis is a game; it's not your life. It's just a game. She has many, many, many opportunities, and so do I. We both will be fighting for the next Slam, just try to go out and do the best we can.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Boy, that she's a real fighter. She never gives up. She's a great champion.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Sure, I think they have the same chance as other athletes.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm not into politics. I don't talk politics.

SERENA WILLIAMS: He was just saying, "Congratulations," that I did well, that he was watching the matches, everything went smoothly. They were rooting for me and very happy.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think so. I definitely think so. I heard it's a nice campus. I've never been to Stanford.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'll have to check it out. She says it's beautiful.

SERENA WILLIAMS: You guys should know the answer to this. To go to Disneyworld (laughter).

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't think he's a lady player, so I don't think he would have been in the lady's competition. I'm sorry about that, though. Maybe he can go ahead and win on the men's side.