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SONY ERICSSON CHAMPIONSHIPS

November 7, 2008

Serena Williams

DOHA, QATAR

THE MODERATOR: Question thank you for coming. Unfortunately, we have some unfortunate news. Serena Williams is unable to play due to a stomach muscle injury. Questions for Serena.

Q. Is this something that affected you last night as well?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I had zero pain last night. Like zero pain. And so just looking back, I felt like I didn't serve well, I had a lot of double faults. Looking back, I think maybe that's why I was doing it, because I didn't feel it at the time. But I think I might have been overcompensating. But the moment I got home, I did feel pain last night. But in the match I didn't feel pain at all.

Q. When did you make the decision to pull out?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, when I woke up, it was around 2:00 p.m., I was like -- I was still in pain just getting out of bed. And I've had this before, so once I felt the pain I was like red flags. I don't want to be out, you know. I'm having a great time, I'm having a great career, I'm doing so well, it's not worth it.

Q. As you were practicing just a half hour ago, anyway, were you trying to get to the court to see if you could play the match?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, exactly. I definitely wanted to see. You know, because I didn't play. Yesterday, when I played, I didn't have any pain. So I wanted to see how it would feel in practice today. So I went out and you know was hurrying to hit ground strokes. So it was like, okay, I don't want to risk it.

Q. Do you not think occasionally that you have to play through the pain barrier at a big tournament like this one so as not to let the sponsors down or the WTA down?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, you know. I think what I should do, I should make you workout for - how old am I - so for like 22 years and make you have a severe stomach strain, and then tell you to play for the sponsors, and, yeah. So, that's kind of how it works. You should try it.

Q. I think I would if I was here among the elite 8 in the world.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, then you really should. And you should go for it. You should live your dream (laughing). I encourage you.

Q. I don't know whether it's the right moment or an easy moment to look back over the whole year. But how do you assess the year? You won a Grand Slam, got to No. 1. But would you have hoped to have done even more? Is it a good deal?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Absolutely. Obviously, I would have loved to have done more. First of all, I would have loved to have won maybe at least one more Grand Slam. But there is always next year. I am just looking forward. I think I've had a decent year, but knowing me, and if you guys know I would have loved to have had a better year but even if it's next year.

Q. Do you feel next year could be even better given that the schedule may be better and other things as well?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm really looking forward to next year. The schedule, I did my schedule, and I saw there are so many opportunities for me to play, and that I would have two weeks off and then I'd play for two weeks. It was just a perfect schedule for me.
So I really, really look forward to next year and just having that opportunity.

Q. Has it always just been the issue of getting fit and keeping fit, which has held you back?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I mean, right now I'm really fit. I just might have done something and tweaked a muscle which, I mean, that happens. As an athlete, you kind of have to expect that. But since the past 2007 or '06, actually, end of '06 I've been really working hard. I've been going really solid for the past two years.

Q. You say you've had this sort of thing before. Can you be specific on where and when?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I had it actually this tournament in '04, it was in L.A. And I played through it, and I was out for six to eight weeks and it was awful. And I was like once I felt the same symptoms, I was like, okay, I want to start the year well. I don't -- I can't afford to be out for so long, so...
It was either '04 or '05 I don't remember.

Q. When you were hitting just now, what particular, was it serving, in the forehand or just everything?
SERENA WILLIAMS: It was mostly the serve, you know. A few times on my backhand as well, so that's about -- yeah.

Q. What do the trainers say?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, they -- well, the doctors saw me and they were like, you know, definitely vehemently agreed that it would be in my best interest not to play. So, that helped make my decision a lot easier.

Q. I would like to ask you about next season. You have to play in Madrid, just days before Roland Garros. Do you think it's a good idea to make a big tournament, men, women together a few days before Roland Garros, a Grand Slam, big tournament like that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know if it's a good idea. I mean, this year and for the last several years it's always been Rome, which is a really big tournament before the Grand Slam. There is a week off. I think there's ample time.
I'm going to be in Madrid because it's one of my favorite cities, and I can't wait to get there.

Q. Any off-season plans? I know you said you're going to Africa, what about after that? And is Venus going with you to Africa?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, she's not going with me to Africa, so that's kind of my thing. I love Africa, and I love like schools. And I guess I'm a cheese ball when it comes to that type of stuff, which I think is kind of cool.
But I guess that's what I'm going to be doing next. Just focusing for the next week on my philanthropic endeavors. Like I said we're donating HP Computers to a couple of different schools in South Africa as well as Kenya.
I've never been to South Africa, I've never been to Kenya. So I look forward to just seeing, you know, just people in these rural areas smile. It's really going to make my life.

Q. Just back to the road map coming to the play next year, how are you going to meet your commitment as far as Indian Wells?
SERENA WILLIAMS: We'll see how that turns out. Yeah, so that's all next year. Right now we're the next few days or months and a half we're still in '08. I'll deal with that when it comes.

Q. Do you see your commitment without getting suspended at this point, or you don't know yet?
SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, I -- we'll see. Who knows. There's always lots ever things that happen.
We've had lot discussions with a lot of people. I don't want to get into that right now. I just want to keep focused on other things.

Q. As you're off to Africa you'll be in more remote places. Have the doctors given you any sort of treatment that you should take for this injury, or is it just rest, really?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I'm going to go -- I'm just going to make sure everything's okay. Make sure I don't have anything too severe going on with it. Treatment, the doctor said, is just rest. You need to sit down and rest, because you don't want this to get any worse.
I mean, some of us in here would definitely play, but, you know. Yeah, and, you know, so some of us who take different routes just probably wouldn't.

Q. So when you're giving out these computers, you're not going to pick up any heavy ones?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Pardon?

Q. When you're giving away these HP Computers, you're not going to be picking up any heavy ones?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know, I should ask my friend. Should I do that? You think I should? Okay (laughing).

Q. Because we are not following you in Africa, what a pity. We will see you maybe in Australia, do you really believe and you are really interested to be again No. 1? Or because you've already done everything, you are more interested just, but just is a big just, to win bigger tournaments?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I definitely want to be No. 1. If I keep winning the big tournaments it will come. I think. I won a couple of big ones and it didn't quite come, so.
But I'm convinced if I do well in the slams, it will. And that's what I'm going to work on. I'll take a week off, and I'm going to get back on it and just start focusing, because I did well in Australia, and I want to continue to do well there and just do it. So I'm excited about it.

End of FastScripts

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