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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPENAugust 14, 2013Serena WilliamsCINCINNATI, OHIO S. WILLIAMS/E. Bouchard THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Serena, I heard you say right before the second set started that you thought it was the worst you'd ever played in your career. Then you hit three aces in the next game and everything seemed to be okay. Can you talk about what the first set was like and then turning it around. SERENA WILLIAMS: I was just really‑‑ every ball I hit seemed to be going out, and I even had the easiest approach shot and it went not slightly wide, it was like 50 feet out. That was actually embarrassing. So I thought I'd never hit a shot like that professionally. I have maybe in practice with my eyes closed, but never conscious have I hit a shot like that. So it was just some crazy tennis out there. It was just really different conditions, I think, than Toronto, and I always forget that it's so different here. So it took me a while to get used to it. Q. Has conditions always been hard for you in Cincinnati or just the change? SERENA WILLIAMS: Apparently. I have done well here once. I got to the finals once, but it was a smaller tournament back then. Yeah, I have to get used to them because this is a tournament I don't have on my roster. And if I play like today, I'll continue not to have it. Q. Is it that the courts are slow or fast or the ball's not bouncing up? What's your impression of how the court is playing? SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm not good with that. You know, I'm never a player to complain about conditions or anything. Like I can play on any surface with a baseball bat as long as it's Wilson. But I don't know. It's weird. They're fast, but it bounces high. And I'm not used to playing with these types of balls. Last week I think we were using Wilson, and I think the US Open is a different ball. I don't know. I'm not here to make excuses. It was my footwork. It wasn't that. It was definitely me. Q. Serena, last year at this tournament you and Venus were coming in here with gold medals and talking about the 2016 Rio games. Given if you both have good health continuing, is that still the plan? SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, hopefully. There's so many Americans coming up; hopefully we'll qualify. It would be nice. We're just taking it day by day, year by year, week by week. So we'll see how it goes. Q. Bouchard is one of the up and coming WTA players. What are your impressions of her game, and just overall what do you think? SERENA WILLIAMS: I think she has a good game. She has a good serve. She moves really well. She hits the ball really, really well. You know, there's a reason she won Wimbledon Juniors. There's a reason she did well at Wimbledon this year. She's just flying up the rankings, and it's because she's a really good player. Q. Serena, what did you say to her at the net when the match was over? SERENA WILLIAMS: It was a good job. Q. Serena, the US Open today announced the official plans for a retractible roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium. I'm just wondering what you think of that and that they determined they needed one. SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm on player council, so we get that information way ahead of you guys. That's old news. You guys got to get with it. Q. You got to tell us more stuff. SERENA WILLIAMS: Obviously it's going to be great. It's going to take a really long time. They have a long‑term plan, super long term, and it's not going to happen next year or the year after. It's going to be a while. It's good to know that they're going for it. The weather is changing, I think. When I first started playing the Open back in the '90s, it didn't rain, and now it rains only on the final weekend. Last four US Opens I've played they've had to change completely the schedule. Yeah, you just got to keep moving with the times. Yeah, it will be good. Q. Serena, you won as many titles in one season as you've ever had in your career. What would winning more than ever in your career mean to you? SERENA WILLIAMS: It would be cool. I would really love to do that. Yeah, I would really like to. That would be nice. Q. Serena, just kind of curious, is it hard traveling with a dog? SERENA WILLIAMS: No, not with my Chip. With the girls it's a little harder, but with Chip, it's a lot easier. Q. Do you take him out for walks like every morning? Is he good inside the room? SERENA WILLIAMS: I got lucky. He's a great dog and he can hold his bladder for a long time. I take him out in the mornings and usually when I get back, and he's so good. He goes straightaway. He's really a good dog. The girls can learn from him. They go in the house still. Q. Speaking of the roof at Wimbledon, do you plan on still playing so that you can at least experience the roof just once? SERENA WILLIAMS: Still playing... Q. At that time, when it's all done. SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't remember the timeline. It's a long time from now to build that. They were talking about for the roof it's going to be several years. Like I said, I'm taking it year by year, week by week. I can't predict tomorrow. God willing, if I'm healthy, I'll still be here. I don't know about playing tennis or not, but obviously, I plan on playing for a long, long time. We'll see how it goes. Q. Serena, did you see the ESPN special on Venus? Have you gotten a chance to see it? SERENA WILLIAMS: No. Q. About the prize money. SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I didn't. Q. Serena, you're winning a lot this year. Is there one or two shots that you feel you're hitting better than you ever have? SERENA WILLIAMS: That's a good question. I think I'm definitely more consistent. I mean, I've gotten more consistent throughout my career, but, yeah, I think that's one of the thing that's helped me. Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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