TENNIS WTA CINCINNATI – 14th of August 2014. S. Williams d. F. Pennetta 6-2, 6-2. An interview with Serena Williams
Q. Can you talk about today’s match? Seemed after that first break you really had control from there on out.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I got an early break on and I just didn’t let go. That’s what I wanted to do, because she can try to come back. Even in the end she tried to make a comeback.
But I knew I needed to kind of stay focused.
Q. Did you hit after the match? Did you go back to the practice court?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I just wanted to work on some things.
Q. Just rhythm or…
SERENA WILLIAMS: More rhythm than anything. I just needed that, yeah.
Q. A quick question about the Open. The week before the Open is kind of a busy one I think for a lot of the players with sponsorship obligations, kind of running around Manhattan. Is that something that’s changed over time for you maybe in your career, having to do more pre Open compared to now, or is it exhausting at all before the tournament starts?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it can be exhausting if you allow it. I just try to keep my I do maybe a few things. Try not to do too much.
I don’t want it to become overwhelming, and pretty much before every Grand Slam there is a lot of things you have to do and want to do for your sponsors.
Q. Does the Open feel more busy than the other tournaments the week before?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No. No. It’s the same, yeah.
Q. I want to talk about heat. I know it hasn’t been a factor here. Just how you deal with it. Then also I’m doing a technology story on this Cool Seat that’s being tried out in the tournament. During a changeover you sit in this cool gel. It was tried in Washington. Would you be open to using that or would you even need any of that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I’m good with the heat. I’m from LA but I have lived in Florida for most of my life. Nothing in the world hotter than Florida. Even Australia is hot, but Florida is just so humid.
So I don’t really know about the Cool Seat yet. If I’m hot, I don’t like to be shocked with cold. So I like to kind of take it a little bit at a time.
Q. You said you like watching Andy Murray because he acts like a baby sometimes.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Because he acts like me.
Q. Can you relate to other emotional players?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think I do. I definitely do. I’m super emotional on the court.
I think he’s exciting to watch. I think it’s fun. I think it’s just so entertaining.
Q. Obviously some players show nothing almost on court. Do you wish more players would express what’s inside them?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, only because I sometimes am not the best on court, so it’s good to know that I’m not alone sometimes. That’s all.
