TENNIS WTA CINCINNATI – 16th of August 2014. S. Williams d. C. Wozniacki 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. An interview with Serena Williams
Q. Talk about the beginning of the match. Didn’t look like you were all the way mentally into it until the beginning of the second set. Would you agree with that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, no, I got off to a little bit of a slow start, but I was definitely in it. I just wasn’t just got off to a slow start.
Just was physically grinding and get in there and really grind out everything.
Q. Talking about physical, how is your lower back? Looked a little tight.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was definitely feeling super tight in the match. That’s when I really relaxed, to be honest. By then I was able just to go for more shots and come to the net more and just kind of just not have anything to lose.
Q. She was able to break you eight times in the match, three times in the third. What was she doing well or what were you not doing well with your service games?
SERENA WILLIAMS: She is a really good returner and she was getting everything back. She just made some good shots.
And then not only after the return, she was able to play some really good points.
Yeah, so just she was able to do that really well.
Q. What have you seen? You’ve had some easy wins over her the past couple years. These last two weeks were pretty tough.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, she’s just really I think her serve has obviously improved a lot. Also, I think she just gets an extra ball back and makes you just play an extra point, an extra shot, which can be difficult at times.
Q. What does it mean to you to win another US Open Series title?
SERENA WILLIAMS: It means a lot to me. I’m really excited. I feel like I played three events this year and I really wanted to be there and wanted to support the American tournaments.
More than anything, I wanted to play matches. I love playing in the USA. I played two in America, but there is just you know, I just wanted to be there. Just feels so good it be an American and play in America.
Just a wonderful feeling to, at the end of the US Open Series, to be able to win it. It’s really cool.
Q. When you talk about fatigue or not feeling physically at your best today, is that a accumulative effect of the play, or is there something more acute happening, like picked up a niggle or something?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I’m fine. Just played a lot of tennis in three weeks. I’ve won one, semis in another. I’ve just going, going, going, going.
So that’s it. Just a little wear and getting my body used to playing matches, because my body is not used to playing a lot of matches anymore this year.
So, yeah, have to get my body back to that.
Q. What would be a good US Open for you?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, obviously to win it would be great, but we’ll see. Hopefully I’ll do I’ll do the best I can regardless.
Q. What’s your mentality in terms of the approach though?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, mentality is great I feel like heading into the hard court season. Has been really good for me. I’m really enjoying it. I love the surface at the Open, so…
I feel like I do really well on it. I look forward to it.
