Serena Williams Interview - Miami, April 2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Got to be a pretty good feeling. You
probably feel like you got over the big
mountain in the semis and sort of come what
may in the final.

SERENA WILLIAMS: And come apart.
Pardon?

Q. Come what may in the final.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah, definitely
feels good to get over that. Absolutely.

Q. Talk about the match a little bit
today. She gave you a lot of opportunities,
breakpoints and stuff.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I've got to
work on my breakpoint opportunities a little more. I
had so many. Yeah, I think it could have been a
different score.
You know, she's always hitting big serves
and, you know, playing really well. When she's
down breakpoints, I think that's when she plays her
best tennis.

Q. How does it feel to even things up in
the all -- time series? Is that something you
knew about or care about?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I definitely knew
about it. It's definitely good to even it up. I would
love to be in the lead again.

Q. She helped you keep your No. 1
ranking. Can you talk about that. Are you
going to buy her a present?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I'm excited
because I was thinking that I would love to remain
No. 1, so obviously I was really excited about that.
Then I thought, Ah. I mean, I think I was
more happy about that than winning the match at
the end.

Q. Dinara doesn't have your
credentials. How would it feel about to
relinquishing the No. 1 ranking to somebody
who -- what are your feelings on that?

SERENA WILLIAMS: (Laughter.) Well, I
mean, she's really a good girl and she is a nice
person. You know, I just have the utmost respect
for not only her, but everyone on this tour. I just
think it's crazy that I can just be so consistent
throughout the year and last year and barely be
No. 1.
I mean, winning two of the last four Grand
Slams and getting into the finals of three of the last
four. I just -- I can't compute it. I mean, it's just
psycho really.

Q. Seems like somebody who hasn't
won a Grand Slam, how do they get there?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, she's been
consistent. I don't know. It's just, you know, she's
done well in the Grand Slams, and she's been
working really hard. You can see her
improvements. You got to respect that.
Like I said, I think I have the utmost
respect for her. You can see her body even
changed she's worked so hard. But, you know, I
think -- I feel like I have actually -- I don't feel like, I
actually have won the past few Grand Slams and
been to the finals of the last three or whatever.
So I feel like I shouldn't be in that
competition of being able to stay No. 1.

Q. You had an abbreviated outing with
Victoria in Australia. Can you talk a little bit
about that matchup.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, she's playing
well. She played me well and really, really tough in
Australia. I thought that she played -- I mean, she
was not feeling great, but I thought she did a pretty
good job.
I didn't serve well. I just remember I didn't
serve well that day at all. Hopefully I can serve a
little better.

Q. Is there a reason behind it, or a
common thread in the success that you've had
in this venue?

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, there's
no reason. I don't know. I just kind of am doing
my thing, I guess.

Q. Do you think you have a decided
advantage on this surface over other surfaces
when you play Venus?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I think
I have a good advantage on grass as well, even
though I didn't win the last time on grass. I might
have won the time -- I don't know when the last
time I won. Because that surface well suits my
game because it's super fast, and obviously
hardcourt suits my game, as well.
You know, I don't remember. I don't
remember how many times I played her on clay.

Q. What did you say to Venus at the net
when you patted her on the back?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't remember.

Q. You could break your tie with Steffi
here and win six. You would be even with
Andre.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Even with Andre?
That would be cool. It's hard to get records in
women's tennis because there were so many
greats before me. So that would be kind of cool.
I feel like if it doesn't happen tomorrow I
have several more opportunities to do it, so I'm
good. Well, not tomorrow. Saturday. Well,
tomorrow.

Q. Talk about the stretch that you had
getting here. It hasn't been easy. Playing your
sister, you kind of know she's not going to give
up. You got up early. Is it a little different
when you play her because you know she's not
going to give up and keep coming at you?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, Venus never
gives up. She gets a lot of balls back and has a
massive serve. Just when you get her down she
get an extra umph and plays extra hard. You can't
lose focus at all, especially when you're up. You
have to actually play better when you're in the
lead.

Q. Is that something that's easy for you
because you know her?

SERENA WILLIAMS: It never gets easy. I
always say she's the toughest player I think on the
tour. Besides me, of course.

Q. I wanted to ask you about the three
Chinese players you played against. Looking
back on them, you're in a unique position
playing three straight. Which one of them were
you most impressed with, and the general
impressions of them?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I was impressed
with them all. I thought they all brought totally
different games. I think that's pretty impressive to
have three Chinese players playing three totally
different styles.

Q. You mentioned your mood
yesterday. Was your mood different today, or
were you inherently more motivated because it
was your sister?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I was in a better
mood today. Hopefully I'll be in a good mood
tomorrow.

Q. Are you a better player than her
right now?

SERENA WILLIAMS: If I say no, then it'll
show the lack of confidence in me. If I say yes,
would it sound like I'm pontificating?

Q. Have you ever heard of a 12-year-old
tennis player names Alexis Jones?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I haven't.

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