TENNIS AUSTRALIAN OPEN – 29th of January 2015. S.Williams d. M.Keys 7-6, 6-2. An interview with Serena Williams
Q. What impressed you most about her game? First time you played her.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I was impressed by her ability to stay in the match. You know, she never let up at all till the end. I think that is a really great quality to have.
Q. What were you most happy about with your game today?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I was just happy to get through it today. And I think I was able to serve big when I needed to. So that really helped me out a lot.
Q. What does her ball feel like compared to other players you go up against?
SERENA WILLIAMS: She hits a very, very hard ball, but she also hits it very deep. So it’s a little different trying to prepare for that. But, yeah, so I wasn’t ready really for that.
Q. How is your health? You’ve been coughing a lot during and after matches. Is that something that’s been bothering you for a long time or just the last week or so?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Just the last week, but I’m doing much better. Much better today. Every day I’m getting better. So, yeah, I’m feeling a lot better than I did the past couple of days.
Q. You said on court you were surprised; didn’t expect to be in the finals this time.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah.
Q. Just because of Hopman Cup? You won Singapore, the US Open, why were you thinking it wouldn’t set up for you here?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Wow, put it that way. Yeah, I didn’t play well, I don’t think, at Hopman. I was so off. I felt like I wasn’t moving well. I just wasn’t feeling great on the court. It’s been so long since I’ve even been in a final here. I was kind of like, Oh, let me just try. My theory now is to relax and play the match as best as I can. When I step on the court and hear the announcer, I don’t have to win anymore. I can just relax and have fun.
Q. What would your read be of Madison’s future, how far she can go in the game?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think she’ll be really good. I think she can go really, really far. I think she can be the best in the world. The way she played today I definitely think she has potential to be No. 1 and win Grand Slams. It’s exciting to see.
Q. Looking forward to the final, all the numbers go your way if we’re looking at statistics in terms of head-to-head and your success here in the finals here in Melbourne. Do you put that stuff out of your head?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Absolutely. Maria is playing great. She’s in the tournament only because she’s a fighter and only because she refuses to give up. So, yeah, it’s a new match. She has nothing to lose, once again. She has only things to gain. And I feel that way, too. I feel I don’t. I’ve won this tournament several times. I don’t have to go out there and have another title. I want it, but it’s not life or death for me. I think that helps me he relax. So, yeah, she absolutely has nothing to lose, and I have nothing to lose, so it will be fun.
Q. Where did this attitude of just playing for fun and not having to win come from?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, it started last year because I was so hyped on getting to 18 and I lost every Grand Slam early. I didn’t make it to any quarterfinals. Then after Wimbledon I decided to just not not necessarily not care, but just relax. It all kind of came back for me after that, so… And I think it’s been working.
Q. What do you remember about your first match against Maria here in ’05? You had a losing head- to-head and saved match points and won.
SERENA WILLIAMS: The only thing I remember is the inside-out forehand on match point. I hit it for a winner. I hit it and I walked to the next side as if I knew it was already going to be a winner. It’s interesting. That’s really the only thing I remember.
Q. Do you remember your reaction surprising you is what you’re saying?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, because I watched it a couple years ago on YouTube. I just remember I hit this forehand inside-out on match point on a good serve. I didn’t react like she was going to get it back. I just walked to the deuce side. I was like, Wow! It’s crazy.
Q. It’s like a title fight, the No. 1 and 2 against each other.
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think it’s great for women’s tennis. I think it’s good for me and Maria. I’m excited. Like I said, I love playing her. I look forward to it. I didn’t expect to get to the finals of this tournament when I first got here because I wasn’t playing great. So I’m happy to be here. Yeah, I’m just happy, like I said, to get past the quarterfinals of a slam. Fourth round actually, outside the Open.
Q. What do you make of having a good number of African Americans in the top 100?
SERENA WILLIAMS: It’s great. I think it’s wonderful. Myself and Venus have been playing for years. It’s so good to see people of different color be able to play a sport that was, you know, once dominated by one race.
Q. Do you attribute it to anything other than you and Venus inspiring them?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, you can’t put everything on me and Venus. I think there were so many other African American players, like Althea Gibson, Zina Garrison, Lori McNeil, Camille Benjamin. There has been so many players that have done really, really well and inspired us to play. I still talk to Zina all the time and she inspires me. Just knowing what she’s gone through makes me want to work harder.
Q. Do you let yourself envision holding up the trophy at the end of the tournament?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I did in the first couple rounds because I wasn’t playing great. I thought, Just think of the end, think of the end. And I’m still here, so let’s see.
Q. What about coaching in the future? A Fed Cup captain role or something like that in the future?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I could see that. I love going to the Olympics to trade pins. I think that’s my ticket in. I could definitely see me doing Fed Cup work.
