HYUNDAI HOPMAN CUP XV

TRANSCRIPT

1 January 2003

Serena Williams & James Blake (USA)

James, was that as easy as it looked?

(James) No, definitely not. Tommy is a really good player and I had to try and focus the whole time. I saw what happened to Jan-Michael last year when he played him, so I didn't want to let anything like that happen. I wanted to keep pushing ahead as far as I could to make it impossible for him to do that. I don't think he played his best today, but I tried to capitalise on that and I feel like I really served well. I picked up my game a lot from the first match, so I'm feeling pretty confident. Hopefully it can keep going that way.

Did you have to curtail your New Year's festivities this year?

(James) Yeah, a little bit. I'm getting old these days so it's not that hard. I go to bed early nowadays, and I don't stay out late. I let those young kids do that. You know, like Serena - she's still young.

Serena, you say you're not at your best at the moment, and Kim Clijsters is playing stronger than she has done in a while - how do you think your match against Kim Clijsters will go?

(Serena) Oh, it should be fun.

What do you have to do differently from LA?

(Serena) Honestly, I'm just feeling better than I was then. Anything from what I was then, for me, right now, is just a huge step ahead. I'm just happy that it's not LA.

Were you mentally and physically flat?

(Serena) Oh my gosh. It was too much tennis at the end of the year. Mentally I was shot and physically I was dead.

What did you do to recuperate?

(Serena) You know what, I just needed a break. I was playing too much, I was really focused. I mean, 13 tournaments for me is a lot.
(James) That's like the first half of my year.
(Serena) It was my first time playing that many tournaments consecutively, and after the Open I went directly to Tokyo - I never took a break. I never took time to actually have a deep breath. Obviously that got the best of me, and I just didn't want to go anymore.
(James) Stop winning all the time. That's when it's not that hard - you only play one or two matches. If you win every tournament then it seems a lot.
(Serena) The thing is, I'm playing all the matches, and everybody isn't playing as many matches as I am.
(James) Yeah, mine is a little easier - I just lose.

James, you don't put emphasis on rankings, but you want to improve your game. What areas do you need to improve?

(James) My return of serve still needs a little bit of work, especially with how big guys are serving these days. I need to just be able to block a few back in the court just a bit more - that makes a big difference. My backhand is still a part of my game that is attackable. A lot of the guys have a big power game, so I just try to keep getting that a little better so they have to cover my forehand, and then hopefully I'll be in my comfort zone.

Do you feel that will improve in the years coming?

(James) Yeah, I hope so. I can just keep working on it. There's nothing I can do but keep working on it and just see how far my athleticism or my mental game will take me. I just try to control the things that are in my control. I can't worry about any god-given ability or whatever I have. I just do my best.