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WIMBLEDONJuly 2, 2012Serena WilliamsLONDON, ENGLAND S. WILLIAMS/Y. Shvedova THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Commentating on your match, Tracy Austin said sometimes you give the impression of playing against yourself rather than your opponent. Do you have a view on that? SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't understand. But she's probably right. Q. Can you talk about that backhand lob and whether it was brilliance or a little bit of luck. SERENA WILLIAMS: I had no intention of hitting that shot. I mean, I thought I was going for a backhand down the line, and somehow it ended up being a cross‑court lob. That was not in the plans whatsoever. Q. Never practiced that shot? SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, I hit backhand lobs today, but just like... Q. Is it better to be good or lucky? SERENA WILLIAMS: Obviously it's better to be good. I don't know if that was luck, per se, but it was definitely ‑‑ unintentional I think is a better word. Q. They mentioned on TV that all the other courts had stopped play and yours went on. You wanted to finish the match. How wet was it and was it a problem? SERENA WILLIAMS: I didn't feel like it was that wet. You know, I never felt like I was going to slip. I thought about it. I felt around with my shoes. It felt fine to me. I didn't know the other matches had stopped. I was glad we didn't stop. Q. You never had two back‑to‑back really tough matches here en route to the title. Is it because the depth of the tour is getting better? SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I guess. I felt, like, my opponent played really good today. I definitely felt like I let her back into the match. She's a great player and she's been doing really well. Yeah, that was that. Q. It was pretty chaotic getting you back to the locker room. How does it feel to have so much support? Does it spur you on in tight matches? SERENA WILLIAMS: It definitely spurs me on to hear the crowd. I love the crowds here. They're really cool and awesome. You know, they were rooting for my opponent a lot today and for me today. I think they were just rooting for a really good match. Q. Do you get in any way frighted at all about the situation? You were literally surrounded. SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was totally mobbed. Literally I thought I was going to fall down today after the match. You know, I guess that comes with the territory. I don't know. It was crazy out there today. Q. You said on TV you can play a lot better. I'm wondering where you feel you're struggling right now, what is not working for you, and why. SERENA WILLIAMS: I just felt like today I was sluggish out there, just pulling myself together mentally. But, like I said, I feel like I can do a lot better, which is very comforting, because if this is my best I'm in trouble. Q. Were you aware of Richard and Venus coming in for the third set? You seemed to look to them after a couple points and showed real emotion. SERENA WILLIAMS: I thought my dad was there from the beginning. I guess not. (Laughter.) But, you know... Q. He came back in the third set. SERENA WILLIAMS: Okay, yeah. I have always been a looker not so much. Sometimes I look more than others. It just depends on the moment. Q. Your dad was a little concerned that this takes a toll, these matches. You have a difficult one coming up. Does it take a cumulative toll on you, these tough matches? SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I had a year off, so I'm good. I'm really fit. I don't feel tired at all. I feel so fresh. This match, it was long, but it wasn't arduous, so I feel totally fine. Q. Do you ever feel that your opponent hesitates or experiences that she hesitates in the closing stages of the match because of your charisma or status? SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I think my opponent particularly today didn't hesitate. I thought she really went for the glory, as my opponent in the last round went for the glory. You know, I just feel like everyone is trying to do their utmost nowadays. And why not? Q. Do you think Wimbledon have to take into account security issues like what you experienced today for future scheduling? SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think that they should take that into account. I literally was almost knocked over today. The security, was tons of security guards in there just going nuts and screaming. I've never heard them scream so loud. Yeah, maybe that can be taken into consideration. Q. Were you frightened? SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I wasn't scared. Nobody going to knock me over for real. (Smiling.) I'd like to see that happen. You guys know how I can get. (Laughter.) Q. Do you think someone else could get injured? SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, maybe that's why I got on Court2, because they knew I could back myself up. (Laughter.) When it boils down, I guess I really didn't need it. Q. Serena, at this point in the tournament the pressure builds. What is your personal approach to pressure? SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, my dad always said the only pressure you have is the pressure you put on yourself. I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself. You know, as the tournament goes on and on, I tend to relax more and more and realize that this is a great opportunity for me. Q. When you face Petra, how much will last year's match be on your mind? SERENA WILLIAMS: I didn't play her last year. Two years ago. Q. I'm sorry, two years ago. SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't remember that. I'm sure she does. She played unbelievable. I know she served well. Then she went on to win the title the next year, so she's obviously a great grass court player ‑ as well as I am. I'll be ready. Q. Are you frustrated about being put on Court2 again? SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't talk about that, yeah. Q. You don't think you're being targeted because you've not engaged with the tour? SERENA WILLIAMS: Engaged with? Q. Not gone to all the events that others have gone to and got the ranking, for example. SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I don't talk about that. Q. Do you enjoy the battle, the physical, emotional, mental strain? SERENA WILLIAMS: Doesn't add strain at all. As long as I get the W I'm fine, I'm great. I don't feel mental strain. If anything, I feel tougher. And it's good. Q. The loss in Paris, obviously that kind in thing does not happen to you very often. So you come in here and have tough battles. Does it make you hungrier when you come in? SERENA WILLIAMS: I think it has spill‑over effect, and I need to get over that. I was really upset and I've just got to move on. So that's what I'm working on. Q. Far away from today's match, if you were back in L.A. as a casting director, who would you like to have play you in the movies and Venus? SERENA WILLIAMS: I can never answer that question. I don't know enough actors and actresses to pick one out. So whenever anyone asks me that, I can't answer that. Q. Are you somebody that can play your way out in a bad loss and put it out in mind, or do you have to do other things to get a loss out in your system? SERENA WILLIAMS: I definitely play my way out of it. And I think a lot, maybe too much. And then I also train a lot out of it and try to do things so I don't have to suffer that again. So it's definitely‑‑ a lot of things go into that. Q. When she won the first point in the first set, were you worried about another golden set? SERENA WILLIAMS: I was worried about it. I just said, Serena, just get a point in this set and try to figure it out. I definitely thought about it. Q. Is the spill‑over effect from the French Open done now? SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. I mean, this is Wimbledon now. Whether or not I'm past it or not, I have to force myself to get past it. That was a long time ago, so I have to move on. Q. They're doing away with one of the biggest traditions of Wimbledon, wearing all white for the Olympics. Are you going to go wild or do you think it will be weird? SERENA WILLIAMS: I think it definitely will be weird playing in colors. Even when I'm playing on other grass courts, I feel like I should wear white. I don't know if that goes for practice, as well, you get to wear colors. It's definitely going to be a little bit of a sad moment for me. Q. If you had to step back and describe your confidence right now, how would you express it? SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I'm Serena Williams; I'm very confident. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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