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MUTUA MADRID OPEN


May 1, 2015


Serena Williams


MADRID, SPAIN

THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  How are you?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Good.  Thanks.

Q.  First of all, how are you feeling here in Madrid on clay court?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I feel okay.  I've felt better, to be honest, but right now I'm okay.

Q.  You have an awesome season this year.  You have 20 victories.  What is your opinion about this year and if you'll try to keep winning this tournament and also to try to go unbeatable until the French Open?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  No, I've had a lot of tough, close, three‑set matches this year.  Just by chance I was able to kind of get through that.
My goal in every tournament is to do well and is to try to be the champion.  I'm not at my top form right now, so I'm just hoping to play myself into shape here, and by hopefully Rome and the French Open I'll be able to start playing better.

Q.  140 weeks on top.  Are you superwoman or...
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, no, it feels uncomfortable.  It feels good.  Never want to get too comfortable.
Yeah, I feel really excited to be here.  I feel like I belong here and I worked hard.
But there is always a lot of hard work that you have to continue to do.  Yeah, so far I'm up for the task to do it.

Q.  And physically you're okay?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I'm okay.  I'm feeling pretty good.  Yeah.

Q.  Asking about other players, who do you think are the top 3 most dangerous players on clay right now?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  It's hard to say.  You know, obviously Simona Halep is playing well.  Carla Suarez Navarro has really proven herself in the past few weeks and she's done really well.
I really think it's important not to underestimate anyone.  I could play anyone on any given day and they could come out really and play amazing and I could be out of the tournament.
I have to focus on not just one or two or three people.  Pretty much everyone.

Q.  How do you feel being the favorite?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  I'm the favorite?

Q.  For winning here, yes.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Oh, really?  I don't know.  I'm always favorite in the tournament.  I don't know if that's a good or bad thing.
I'm just trying to be here and play myself into shape, or into better matches.  I think playing Fed Cup really helped me a lot, so I don't know.
I don't know.  I don't like being the favorite, but I also don't like sometimes being the not favorite.

Q.  Obviously I think you love this city, this country, the food, the weather.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, I think it's such a great city.  It's so beautiful to look at.
The weather is really good here, so always some nice weather here.
I love the buildings in the city.  Just a classic European city that really got it right.  I love coming here.
And the food of course.

Q.  The slogan of the tournament is "Feel the Magic."  What do you think is the magic of tennis?  What's the thing that makes tennis special in contrast with other sports and in general?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  One thing that makes tennis special is normally you're out there by yourself, so that's definitely something special.
In terms of Feel the Magic, I think it's a great slogan.  Hopefully I can make some magic this week.

Q.  I want to ask you also about the Spanish players, Carla, Garbine.  What do you think about?
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Yeah, they're great.  They're playing really great.  Garbine is obviously playing great.  She beat me on clay.  She's someone I have to always look out for when I play her.
Carla has done really well.  She's been a clay‑court player, but she's extended that beyond that now in the hard court now.  I think that's also really exciting.
It's good to have other countries like Spain that have been traditionally so good in tennis to be able to be really good again.

Q.  We're on the air.  Welcome to Madrid.  We would like to know how do you like being here in Madrid and how special is playing here for you?  Thank you.
SERENA WILLIAMS:  Well, like I said earlier, I really like being in Madrid.  It's really special.  I like the city.  It's a great city.  There is a lot of beautiful parks that I love to go to and visit.
It's just a wonderful place to be.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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