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SONY ERICSSON CHAMPIONSHIPS

October 26, 2009

Serena Williams

DOHA, QATAR

ANDREW KRASNY: This young lady has captured two Grand Slam titles this year, the Australian Open and, of course, Wimbledon, bringing her total to 11 majors. She was also a finalist at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, reaching the finals in Miami for the seventh time in her career, equaling Steffi Graf's record for final appearances. She held the No. 1 ranking for 13 weeks this year, bringing her total to No. 1 weeks at 74. She won the Tour Championships in 2001 and is making her sixth appearance at the year-end event. She's here from the United States of America, folks, Serena Williams.
Questions, please.

Q. How are you feeling at the end of another interesting tennis year?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm feeling good. I actually feel way more energized than the did last year, so that's a good thing. Just trying to stay feeling this way.

Q. That's a good feeling, feeling energized?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's a really good feeling. I have to be, because I'm in both events. I think, more than anything, that is super exciting for me.

Q. If you secured the No. 1 ranking for the end of the year, what would that mean to you?
SERENA WILLIAMS: It would be awesome. It would be really cool. But I would have to win. I'm in a tough part of the section, of the draw I guess. So, I mean, we'll see what happens.

Q. Were you disappointed when Venus came out in your section last night?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. But, you know, we could still potentially be in the final if we both do well, so we'll see.

Q. At the men's event in Shanghai a couple weeks ago, there were nine retirements. A lot of men were talking about their schedule as opposed to the women's, that the women got their calendar absolutely right, two months off now. Do you think that's been a great benefit for the game and perhaps something the men could learn from?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, well, it's a tough calendar either way. We play a lot of matches really fast. Especially if you do well, you end up playing a little bit more tennis than you did last year in a shorter period of time.
I couldn't imagine being on the men's tour playing that long. That would be very difficult for me. Of course, injuries are going to happen.

Q. Do you feel pleased with the way you've managed your schedule so you get to this stage in reasonably good shape?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, no, it's not been easy. But I feel like this year I've been pretty consistent. I had a few -- I had some ups and a few downs, but I've been able to get through them.

Q. What have you tweaked to enable yourself to get here in good shape?
SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, just staying consistent on being fit all year. Even though I took some time off here and there, you know, always trying to stay fit. So that's been different. It's been fun.

Q. What is your favorite part about coming to Doha?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, last year I didn't leave the hotel too much because I slept the whole time. But this year I'm in a totally different mind frame. I've just been having a really good time just hanging out in the city.

Q. Just mentioning your newfound energy. Do you think that can lead you to be a dominant force in the game for a few more years yet?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I absolutely hope so. I think that is something that I would love to continue to do. You know, hopefully I'll be sitting up here at many more, you know, Sony Ericsson year-end championships.

Q. What do you think of the youthful element in this tournament, Wozniacki, Azarenka? Are you impressed by their games, what they can offer the women's tour?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think it's great. There's always new players coming. These two players have been having very consistent years. I'm really happy for them to have gotten here. They have really bright futures for the rest of their career.

Q. Looking at next year, Kim and Justine, does that throw another challenge to you?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think every player throws a challenge. So you have to always be ready for the unexpected.

Q. Are you looking forward to resuming a rivalry?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think it's great, especially for Belgian tennis, to have Kim and Justine in the game, back in it. You know, they got tired at one point, but they're back. Good for them. You know, obviously I would wish them luck, but I want to do well, too (smiling).

Q. You quoted after winning Wimbledon, after two Grand Slams, about being world No. 2. You're in that situation again. Any further comment you could make that talks about that contradiction?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I'm just really happy to be here and to be able to compete, be involved in such a great tournament, so... You know, a lot of people didn't make it, so I'm happy to be here.

Q. If you look at the last 10 years, you've been one of the most consistent players on the women's tour. This is the end of 2009. People are starting to debate who the top athletes of the decade have been in different sports. In men's tennis you obviously have Federer as the obvious No. 1 choice. If you look at women's tennis, where do you think your name fits in that discussion?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think that's a good question. I haven't thought about that. I've never been so presumptuous to think of myself as the best athlete or anything like that. I'm just me. I just do what I can do. I have fun with what I can do. I feel it's even a blessing and great honor for me to be here. I take each day as it comes.

Q. Do your priorities change as you get older?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think as I get older, my priorities change more towards tennis. Like I want to play more. I want to enter more tournaments, which I think is strange. But, I don't know. Even in doubles, I want to play more doubles. I think my career has been really more focused onto tennis.

Q. Why do you think it's strange?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Because, you know, before I liked to do a lot of things. Granted, I still definitely do tons of other things. I put more time and effort into tennis now.

Q. How important was the doubles for the two of you at the start of the year? In the men's game, you're never going to see Roger or Rafa competing in doubles at the end of the year. Did you and Venus sit down and say, Let's do it this year?
SERENA WILLIAMS: We wanted to play all four Grand Slams this year. We hadn't done that in a while. We wanted to do well in all four. You know, we did decent. We did pretty good. I definitely wanted to make it here. I've never played here in doubles, I don't think, so that was another one of our goals. It's fun to reach goals.

Q. This is your ninth year still being in the very top of the game. How have you managed to do that, to stay so consistent? Do you think it's possible for the young players coming through now to sustain that level that you and your sister have sustained over the years, given the toughness of the Tour?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think it's pretty possible. I think anything is possible. You just have to definitely stay focused. You know, we have so many new faces, so many young players, I think it gets harder because everyone is extremely talented. It's like you have to bring your best game every week.

Q. Of the up-and-coming players, who do you think has the most potential to be a force to be reckoned with in the next decade?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I can never say. There's probably someone right now, most likely in Russia, practicing to beat me and to beat all the girls that we have here. So you never know.

Q. You talked about wanting to play more tennis. Does that mean less of something else in particular?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Absolutely not. Never less. Always more. Just less sleep (smiling).

Q. Did you enjoy promoting your book?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I really enjoyed writing it. It came out in London, as well. We're putting it out in different countries. It was a really new experience. I love to write. I love reading. I thought it was a good time to share, you know, different aspects and different things in my life with my fan base.

Q. When they come to you for the book, do you think they are only fans or also readers?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I mean, I don't know. I would hope it's both because the book is definitely not geared to fans only, but it's geared to -- it's almost like a motivational memoire, so it's geared to people who like to read, i.e., me, and people who enjoy tennis as well.

Q. You have 11 Grand Slams. Do you have a target? Do you set yourself a target that's achievable?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I've honestly never had a target, which I think is kind of strange. I never had a target. I just knew I wanted to win the US Open and I knew that I wanted to win these different tournaments. But I never had a particular number.

Q. If you look now, how many more do you think you could possibly win?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I wouldn't say because I don't want to put any pressure on myself. So whether it's no more or whether it's 20 more, you know, I just got to do what I can do.

Q. Are you going to Italy for Fed Cup?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I could tell you're Italian by your accent. I was waiting for you to ask that question (smiling).
I definitely plan on going if I'm healthy. I already talked to Mary Joe. It's just end of the year, make sure I'm healthy enough to play. We have great American talent. If they're in a position to play better than I am, then obviously they got us this far, so...

Q. She'll be very pleased to have you on the team. Is there any sort of difficulty about coming into the team for the first time, for a team which has done very well without you?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, they've done so well without me. It's sort of like they could go all the way. I think with or without me, we are such a wonderful team. I'm proud to just finally answer that question with the next American player, but we have a lot.

Q. Are you coming for the first round of Fed Cup in Paris?
SERENA WILLIAMS: In Paris? I don't know my schedule yet for next year. You're thinking way far in advance.
Thanks.

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