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SONY ERICSSON CHAMPIONSHIPS

November 6, 2008

Serena Williams

DOHA, QATAR

V. WILLIAMS/S. Williams
5-7, 6-1, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It's probably not an easy situation for you, but can you just tell us your thoughts and feelings about the match?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I just couldn't keep a ball in play. I couldn't keep more than two balls over the net, and I had an error. So I couldn't serve today, so, that's pretty much my thoughts about the match.

Q. Any idea how and why that happened?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I've been, you know, practicing and training and I don't know. It was just, I don't know -- just everything was off.

Q. Doesn't happen very often for you, not like that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't think I've ever played like that. I mean, I've never been in a situation where I just feel like I can't do anything, whether -- usually if I'm not serving well, I can hit a backhand.
Today I couldn't serve, I couldn't hit a backhand, I couldn't hit a forehand, I couldn't even volley. So it was just -- it was like very frustrating out there.

Q. Sort of came on halfway through the match, really, didn't it? I mean the first set was okay.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was okay. I wasn't playing my best in the first set, but at least I was able to get some serves in. But I don't know after that it just kind of fell apart.

Q. And it's difficult to give a physical or psychological or any other kind of reason for it?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, there is -- I don't know. If you know, maybe you can tell me. But I don't know. I don't know why. This is definitely the worst match I've played this year by far. I didn't even look like a Top 8 player today. Maybe top 600 in the Juniors (smiling).

Q. The first game of the third set was a really long game. It seemed like that was pivotal as far as momentum was concerned and it seems you got a little down after that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I didn't get down. I thought she served well. Every time I had a breakpoint she either hit an ace or a service winner, so... And, you know, I thought okay. I'll just hold. That obviously didn't happen.

Q. So that wasn't -- that was a particularly critical game?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think it was definitely a critical game. If I could have won that game, I would have won that game, I don't know what would have happened. But at that point, I was, I don't know. It was just terrible, terrible, terrible tennis.

Q. Actually thought the last game was great. There were some great points in that game. Were you feeling different? I mean, obviously a bit late. But seemed to be spectacular tennis?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I was just trying to hold serve. I never played a match where I could hold serve. I don't know, whatever. I'm over it.

Q. Still feel you'll be all right to qualify?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I hope. I have to win another match. Hopefully, I can win. If not, we'll see. I mean, if I play like I did today, I definitely won't win. I'll definitely be out of the event, so...

Q. Just on another subject, I reads that you were planning a trip to Africa for some activities. Is that true? Is there anything you can tell us about that plan?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm going to Africa Monday, or something like that. Yeah, Monday morning to -- I'm going to a couple different schools. One in South Africa, it's a good-will trip again.
Like I said, I love getting involved in philanthropy, and I'm going with one of my sponsors, HP. And we're going to donate computers to the school in Africa, in South Africa. And then we're going to go to Kenya and donate some computers to a school there.
It will be good for these kids to have an opportunity to learn to use a computer, especially one like an HP computer, and get in touch kind of with the rest of the world. Kind of see how everything else is going in the world.
So regardless to what happens here, I'm excited about going to Africa. I just can't wait for that trip, and to get a chance to help children over there, yeah.

Q. When you play your sister, what do you think of?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think of trying to win.

Q. Yeah, what about your techniques? Does it help you when you -- I mean, this is your 18th match with her, with Venus. Does it help you when you know her techniques or anything?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it definitely helps, but I still have to be able to play.

Q. What qualities do you think you need now and how do you think you can pick yourself up?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I didn't hear the last part of the question?

Q. What qualities do you actually need now, do you think you'll need to pick yourself back up?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Just a shot of confidence. I'm going to see a doctor maybe.

End of FastScripts

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