TENNIS AUSTRALIAN OPEN – 26th of January 2015. S.Williams d. G.Muguruza 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. An interview with Serena Williams
Q. She made you play very well today and really elevate your game. Talk about the first set in particular, what was she doing?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, yeah, she made me play a lot better. I had to play the best match of the tournament or else I was going to be out. I think she was just hitting winners like left and right. Every shot I hit, she basically hit a winner on. So I had to change my approach. I was hitting a little bit too much to her.
Q. You seemed to go up a level in the second and third sets. When that happens, is that a conscious thing?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think I’ve been playing for a long time. When I have to go up a level, I have to. I can’t afford to stay at the same level or I will be where I was at the French Open. I definitely didn’t want to be there without at least trying to give 1000%.
Q. You mentioned on court you were coughing a little bit. Have you been under the weather? There’s been a bug.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Has there? I think I caught that bug. Yeah, no, I’ve just been sick. I’ve been fighting it with vitamin C and all kinds of stuff. But I just have a really bad cough.
Q. You feel better now?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Definitely better than yesterday. So, yeah, I’m feeling a little better.
Q. When that person in the stands called out, Use some spin, did you follow up on that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I did. I was like, you’re right. I’m trying to do that anyway, but I wasn’t doing it. So my fan coach was like, Use some spin, Serena. I was like, Okay, okay. It’s been like really great. I hear my name throughout the whole stadium like 360. I don’t get that everywhere. It feels good.
Q. Out on the court I think you were joking when you said, There’s all these coaches around. What are the one or two things that Patrick has meant for your game? Your dad was with you actively for so long, what were the one or two things he brought?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think Patrick has brought a lot more than one or two things. I think he’s brought a lot of consistency to my game, a lot of motivation, a lot of strategy. I go into a match knowing exactly what to expect, what to do. It makes my life a lot easier. The motivation is really unbelievable that he has. We’re a lot alike. He’s a perfectionist. I’m a perfectionist. So when I’m not where I need to be, he is there. He’s like, You have to be better. There’s no other option but to be better. If I want to continue to play, we’re working on new things. He’s like, If you want to continue to play, you have to improve on A, B and C. It’s been a really good thing for me.
Q. Is being a perfectionist sometimes a pain in the neck?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, because we’re both perfectionists. So it’s like he says, You played good. I’m like, I played bad. Then I’m like, I played bad. He’s like, No, you played good. So it kind of really works out.
Q. With the Super Bowl coming up this week, what tennis players do you think could translate to play football?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I would be quarterback for sure or linebacker.
Q. Which would you prefer?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, God, I would love to be a linebacker.
Q. You like to hit people?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I just like to block. Okay, I’ll be a quarterback. I don’t know. Nadal would be a good runningback because he’s low and he can run fast. Roger would be a good quarterback. He’d be a great quarterback. What about some of the ladies? Venus, wide receiver. Absolutely wide receiver. I don’t know who else. Trying to think of some ladies.
