ROLAND GARROS

June 6, 2021

Serena Williams

Press Conference

E. RYBAKINA/S. Williams

6-3, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Just looking at the last few weeks, how would you assess your experience at Roland Garros off the court and on the court?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I got some good matches in here. I did not have the best clay court season, but, yeah, it was good to finally get some wins on clay.

Q. Could you talk us about that match? Any regrets from your perspective? Anything you would have changed or done differently?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think I would have just played harder and played better. I don't know. Just played, I don't know, better, I guess? I hate regretting, though. But I definitely would have just tried to do that.

Q. What were your expectations coming into the tournament? Do you feel that you leave it in a better place than when you arrived?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm in a much better place than when I got here. You know, just literally trying to win a match, because it had been a really difficult season for me on the clay. And although I love the clay, I was, like, if I could just win a match (smiling). Yeah, that's kind of where I was kind of coming in.

Q. Do you think you might be tempted to play a warmup grass court event before Wimbledon? Generally, how do you feel about grass as a surface coming into that compared to clay?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm kind of excited to switch surfaces, but historically I have done pretty well on grass. I have done pretty well on clay too. Just not this particular season.

I don't know. I don't think I'm going to play a warmup.

Q. Will you go home now, I presume? When will you look to head to London, how long ahead of Wimbledon?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I haven't really thought about it yet, but possibly, yeah, go home and regroup and then get ready for London. But I don't know. I have to get there early for quarantine, so, yeah, it has to be pretty soon.

Q. Could it be your last match at Roland Garros? Are you not thinking about it anymore?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm definitely not thinking about it at all (smiling). I'm definitely thinking just about other things but not about that.

Q. I'm sorry you lost, but do you think your case is similar a little bit to Roger Federer? He's also not too young anymore. Clay is probably the most difficult surface for someone who has to run a lot and move and to make points and so on, while on grass Federer thinks he has much better chances. Do you think that too for yourself and that gives you some confidence? Because you haven't lost 6-1, 6-1. You lost a very close match, don't you think so?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was definitely close. I'm so close. There is literally a point here, a point there, that could change the whole course of the match. I'm not winning those points. That like literally could just change everything.

I don't know. I wouldn't say the same about me, but everyone feels different. Maybe this particular week, but in general I wouldn't say that.