WIMBLEDON

June 28, 2003

Serena Williams

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I've been getting pretty good reception here all week. And it was a good match, so yeah.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, been doing a lot. At least I've been trying. I really can't say how much I've been doing. I don't know. I'm just doing the best I can.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. 6-3, 6-1. Laura played very well. I got a chance to see her play once before against Venus. But she hits the ball very solid. I think every time I see her, she plays better. She's serving well, she moves very well. She hits a very solid ball. I knew before I was going to have to be very ready.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Definitely, for sure. I think if I played the way I did in my first or second round, then maybe it would have been a bit tougher, for sure.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. When I was 16, I don't think I played much. I think I played that one tournament in Chicago when I was 16. That was so exciting. I had a couple big wins against tough players, I mean still tough to beat. You know, it was definitely really exciting. I definitely know what she's going through.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think I'm serving very well. I haven't hit a double-fault today. I don't like to hit double-faults. I hate giving away a point like that. So I try not to hit them. Still, my serve was pretty fast on the second. I'm pleased with my serving, and the way I moved. I was moving a bit better.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I never really approach it as the start of a new tournament. I never even really thought about it that way. I just go out and play whoever I have to play, just stay extremely focused because this is when it gets really serious. Definitely I'm going to have to pick up my game.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I've never played Dementieva. But she plays -- I've seen her play a lot. I know her game very well. Venus played her several times. Venus plays everybody. She's played her several times. I definitely know her game.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, she has a great return. She stays low, she moves forward. She has a really good game in that aspect. I remember one thing about her is her return. I'm going to have to make sure I'm serving well.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I'm not just glad to get through. I like to be proud of my results and be proud of the way I play, be proud that my game is going up as each match and each day progresses. I'm just not happy; I'm just going to keep fighting.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm sorry?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, it's not easy because you're on the court and you're sweating. You know, most times people see you, it's when you're sweating and you're all beat up and have these grimaces on your faces. But, I don't know, I like to play "dress up," make different things, design different things, things of that nature. It's fun. I like to go to different events where I get to do the red carpet, mostly because I like to wear my own designs now.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I can't really answer that. I don't know. I think -- it wasn't really popular years and years ago. Now people are trying to be athletic as well as very feminine at the same time. So it's definitely a part of this new generation, so yeah.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Actually, I would be proud to say I've started my own company. I don't do sportswear. But eventually I would like to branch out to that. I don't cut patterns. I could, but I don't really have time. What I do is I design everything. I don't make it. I pick the fabrics. I go fabric shopping. I have all kinds of samples of fabrics. I draw the sketches, the technical drawings, and I send them into a lady that I have make everything for me. Eventually we're looking to open a factory in Italy, because it's going to be a higher-end line.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, she designed the dress Venus wore on court.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes. But I was inspired by Diane. I love her dress.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I didn't design this one that I wore. I designed all my stuff last year.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Actually, I didn't design the cat suit. Everything else. All the accessories. I didn't design the cat suit, but the other stuff, yeah. But all the other stuff I wore throughout the year, I designed. You know, if I don't like it, I tell them, "Look, this isn't going to work. We need to do different things." I went to school for it, so I completely understand how to manufacture the concepts.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Sometimes. Sometimes I'm a consultant, sometimes I'm designer. But, like I said, I don't do sportswear (smiling).

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I'm kind of not sure. I don't know if I should say because I'm in the process of getting it trademarked. I would hate for someone to come take it (laughter). But the trademark is going pretty successful. Hopefully by the US Open, I can reveal the name.

SERENA WILLIAMS: She works out of LA. I have things in LA. I have a guy in Miami also.

SERENA WILLIAMS: To be honest, I think the dresses back then, even going into the museum in Wimbledon, were just very well thought out. I can't remember the name right now, the lady --.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Used to do all the dresses.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It was so feminine. On Martina, Chris, it was just this feminine look. It was really, really, really like ice skaters. Ice skaters look very feminine on the court (sic). Back then it was the same. A lot of times people are getting into the same motif, just a line here, a skirt and a top. Then it was like we were ice skaters back then or ballerinas. Still very feminine. Still played tough. Did things really, really tough.

SERENA WILLIAMS: In between.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm more of a Chris, but Martina was tough, so...

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I think when times get a little tougher, I guess I start grunting. I don't really think about it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm not really aware of it, no. I don't know. I just -- I have to watch the tape and see what was going on at that point. But I do know when I don't grunt, I tend to relax more.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. I was thinking about this like two weeks ago when I could remember the last time I was able to walk around without being severely harassed. I just can't quite remember. It was a long, long time ago, for sure.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I look at it this way: i'd rather be recognized and stopped and harassed as opposed to not, because that means I'm doing well, I'm continuing to go on the right course of my career.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Was it ever fun?

SERENA WILLIAMS: It was fun. Of course, it was fun at one point. It's still fun. If you want to go to the amusement park, you don't want to wait in line. If you want a reservation and didn't call. It has its perks. I call them celebrity upgrades.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I think it sends that it's okay to not be 90 pounds. It's okay to have a shape to you and still be very feminine and physical, just very feminine and very sexy at the same time. I don't think you necessarily have to be really slim to be accepted. I think a lot of people are seeing that now more a days, especially in the pop culture.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I relax the middle Sunday. It's relaxing to know you're going to get that Sunday off every Wimbledon. So it's okay.