TENNIS US OPEN – 5th of September 2014. S. Williams d. E. Makarova 6-1, 6-3. An interview with Serena Williams
Q. How happy are you with the result and with an opportunity to face Caroline in the finals, a good friend?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I’m just really excited to be in the final. In the beginning of the week I definitely wasn’t sure I would make it this long. Definitely wasn’t sure I’d be here. So I’m just elated, to be honest, to have made it this far.
Q. You made good on your promise to Chrissie Evert to not…
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I thought about her today. I’m like, I can’t start slow.
Q. After Wimbledon there were questions. I don’t know, we were questioning you and you’d had three bad slams, going out early. What happened then and what’s happening now? How did you turn around? Was there any doubt in your mind you could?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, there’s always — what is the word, skeptics? I don’t know. I’m losing my mind. Anyways, that people might write or people might not believe. I worked really hard for Wimbledon. I worked really, really hard, and I was really disappointed and sad and shocked that I wasn’t able to win. I worked hours, more than I worked before. Maybe it’s just paying off now.
Q. She said she’s played you a number of times. She said she was actually taken aback by the fact you were so aggressive. She said she should have expected that but she didn’t. Did you really sort of pour it on more so than you have playing her in the past?
SERENA WILLIAMS: To be honest, I don’t see it. I don’t see myself. Like I hear you and I hear my coach and I hear — I have to watch it. I didn’t see myself being that — coming to the net and being so aggressive. I have to watch it.
Q. How would you rate that performance today compared to all your matches since Wimbledon and all your matches here?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think every match hopefully I’m getting better. I think I played really well in my quarterfinal minus the slow start. I think I served better in my quarterfinal. With that being said, it’s good news knowing I could try to serve better for one more match.
Q. I guess it’s fair to say you would trade your five titles for one more win here.
SERENA WILLIAMS: I would trade my five for one?
Q. Five titles this year for one more Grand Slam.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, okay. I was like, let’s do the math here. I think I’d rather keep my five US Opens. (Laughter.) Probably. Probably. It’s always great to win a Grand Slam. Yeah, I mean, it means a lot to actually win those titles. If I hadn’t maybe won those titles, especially the recent ones, I probably wouldn’t be in the final. So it’s hard to say. Obviously I would much rather win the Grand Slam than the other ones.
Q. What about you and Roger going for the same goals this year?
SERENA WILLIAMS: It’s amazing to see. We’re both making it so far. It would be cool if we did it together. It would really be just an amazing, amazing feat for the both of us.
Q. You have had some close matches with Caroline Wozniacki recently. What do you expect in the final?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I definitely expect another close match. She really knows my game well and knows how to play. She’s so consistent. I think that’s one of the things that makes her really tough. So I just have to be ready for that and, again, just stay calm and just be able to relax and be happy. You know, the beginning — the past six months I would never thought I’d be here. I think it’s just staying calm and happy.
Q. Emotionally how was playing a friend, close friend different from like playing your sister?
SERENA WILLIAMS: If I can play Venus, I can play anybody. I grew up with Venus. We actually lived together going on 33 years, which is kind of sad. (Laughter.) So, yeah, if I could play her I feel like I can just play anybody.
Q. What was your initial reaction? What are your thoughts now about Caroline going into the New York Marathon?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I thought it was great. I thought maybe I could run the first best first 5k with her at best. But, you know, max, max. You know, I’m not a long-distance runner at all. I’m definitely more of a sprinter. The long distance has never been my thing. Even growing up I ran track, but I ran the 100. I didn’t even run the 400. So, yeah.
Q. Did you see what happened out there with Peng? What are your thoughts around that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I saw. I was warming up for the match. I was really saddened by it. I was really, really, really saddened by it. She’s such a great person. We train sometimes at the same academy. It didn’t make me happy at all. You never want to see anyone go out like that. I’m just hoping she’s better.
Q. Caroline has had a moment like that. Have you ever had cramping?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I have cramped up a few times. At Wimbledon, incidentally. Remember?
Q. What’s it feel like?
SERENA WILLIAMS: It’s not fun. It hurts like crazy. It hurts like crazy. But I have never had a full-body one like that. I’m not sure what she had, actually. But, yeah, it is not fun. This is why I have my Gatorade. (Laughter.) So I don’t cramp up.
