US OPEN

August 30, 2004

Serena Williams

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Serena, please.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Excuse me?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, no. I don't need to be warm right now.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I got confused because I could wear them while I'm playing because they're breathable and they're really cool, light fabric. Then they were so comfortable, I was trying to decide if I should take them off or if I should leave them on. I was warming up, I was like "Should I take them off?" I thought if I take them off, then I'll take them off later on like in the second set. Then I thought, "Okay, I don't want to be distracted." So I just decided to take them off.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, you can actually. You can wear them while you're playing, I'm sure.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I would report it as "Serena-the-Innovator Strikes Again."

Q. Where would you go next?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Am I writing a story for you (laughter)? Where would I go next?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, it's like a rebel-look, when I'm being really rebellious. I'm just doing things different with the black and the studs. You know, the armband, I wear it up here. I'm just being a rebel. So maybe I would start out with something like, "Serena's going rebel without a cause."

SERENA WILLIAMS: The inspiration was I actually designed this line. I thought to myself, "What does everyone wear?" I'm thinking to myself jeans. What do I wear? I wear jeans. I wear, you know, these comfortable fabrics. I kept thinking -- my mind kept going back to jeans. I just signed with Nike. I thought, "Andre Agassi in 1990 was wearing jeans." And I thought, "Who could do it better than Nike?"

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes.

SERENA WILLIAMS: This is "Rebel Without a Cause Line." There's no cause for me to be such a rebel that I'm being right now.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm even chewing gum and I never chew gum (smiling).

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I had saw his story once. I think I was watching AMC. I thought he was really cool, so I'm really excited that I'm kind of the James Dean female version of it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I am. I really am. I think I performed at a decent level today.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Definitely decent, yeah. I think -- I've been working really, really hard. So I think it's, you know, I'm finally getting to a point where I'm actually playing better and focusing better.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm feeling pretty good out there.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Of course not.

SERENA WILLIAMS: (Blowing a bubble) rebel. Truth be told, I really don't think she enjoyed going three sets. I think she would have preferred to win 6-0, 6-0. I think everyone out here would prefer to win all their matches really easy. I personally know I do. It saves my energy and I can go do different things.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I haven't even thought about it. I also have never had major surgery and been out for a long time and not picked up a racquet for a long time. So I think it's definitely not like I've been playing and playing, and actually had an incredible 12 months.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Misquote, yeah. I feel like I have nothing to lose, but I guess the last time I was here, I won. But I didn't win last year. I'm not defending any points. So I really feel like I have nothing to lose here.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, it feels -- definitely missed out, for sure. It feels incredible. I mean, this is definitely, I think -- I love Wimbledon, and I love just the history. But this is my favorite because I think it's the first one I've ever won. I just have so many unbelievable memories here.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I've been blessed. I've been able to play a few night matches here. I was totally relaxed. I just relaxed today, was at home all day, watched different movies. Hi, mom. I saw an old movie. I'm sure you saw it already. You see it? "Abandon Ship," it was a black and white. My mom has seen every old movie in the book. I know she's seen it. It was really good (smiling).

SERENA WILLIAMS: I haven't had it yet. Well, okay, so the best vacation... See, I never really, really been on vacation because all my life I been working, then I had to get surgery, I had to do rehab so it wasn't like I could go on vacation. I was in Cabo once, this wonderful resort in Cabo. That was nice. All I did was sit at the -- I was only there for two days. I can't be on vacation long because it's like I'm so itchy, I have to do something. I'm just like, "Okay, I feel like I'm wasting time." I keep tapping. I can't sit still.

SERENA WILLIAMS: That was this year, earlier this year. But I was only there for like a weekend.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, La Palmilla. It was really nice. I stayed at the pool all day. But after two days I was really ready to go.

SERENA WILLIAMS: If so, it will be during a night match. But there's so much humidity here. The humidity is incredible. So maybe European indoor season, like in Russia where it's really cold.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, it is? Oh, that's too bad, my outfits don't have much clothes to them - or much fabric, I should say.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I definitely don't think so. I think that myself and my sister have had an extreme 12 months that we've been through. So I think before we left, we pretty much were in the finals of most events, so... We are just coming back. So, you know, it's like, "Slow down."

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think mentally I'm definitely recovering.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think anything is possible if you set your mind to it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Definitely.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. You guys will have to answer that, conflict of interest (smiling).

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's pretty close. I like the jeans. I love the jeans. But I was really comfortable in the cat suit. It was really awesome.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Not necessarily. I still have a lot of outfits I haven't unveiled yet that I'm wearing at this US Open.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, really? Is it gonna hit...?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I guess I have to watch The Weather Channel. I didn't know. I have insurance, though. Maybe I should go home and take a bunch of pictures.

SERENA WILLIAMS: One of my dogs are with me, the other one's in doggy day-care and is pretty safe at doggy day-care. Hurricanes never usually hit Florida, knock on wood. I guess they usually go to the Carolinas. Guess it's going to Florida now.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Really? I hope not.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Really? Yeah, so I'm gonna have to run home and get those pictures just in case, you know, my house goes. I can at least get my insurance (laughing).

SERENA WILLIAMS: I wouldn't be here if I didn't feel that way.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think she's a really good player. She's been playing really well. She's been playing some really good tennis. Especially these past two years she's really, really improved. Her serve has gotten incredible. So, I mean, she's definitely not someone I should overlook, but I have to play my next round first.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was flying a certain airline, which I won't mention, but I will never fly that airline again, and all my bags were lost. I just bought like I don't know how much money worth of shoes and Gucci shoes and bags and all these unbelievable clothes that I was just vacationing with so... Never saw them again. I had some boots that were incredible. Cost me like $5,000.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'll wait till I go on "Oprah."

Q. Who do you think your biggest threat is in the tournament?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think myself. I can make it or break it.