with Venus and Samuel L. Jackson

S. WILLIAMS/M. Bartoli

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What caused you to lose focus on the first two points?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't think I lost focus. I don't think I lost focus because it was in the beginning of the match.

Q. For you what was the key of this match?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think the key was definitely being able to hold serve. She has a good return and she was actually serving better, I thought today, than she had in maybe some Wimbledons, because I saw her play in Wimbledon. I thought her serves were much faster.

Q. Can you talk about possibly playing Justine. Third time you guys have played in a Slam this year. How do you feel you're going into that match against her?

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, I'm going in feeling like I don't have anything to lose. I just feel different now. Excited about the prospect of meeting her again.

Q. If you do play Justine, do you think this surface is the best surface for that matchup for you?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't really care what surface I play on. So I mean, US Open now, so I don't I don't think about it that way.

Q. Where would you put your level at now after four matches?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm definitely better than I was in my first match. Each match I feel like that I've gotten better. I'm still not where I want to be or near. But I feel like I'm doing better, which is important.

Q. Just talk about the thumb and the effect on a two handed backhand? Any residual?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I don't have any pain when I hit a backhand at all. Not at all. I've been really, really excited that I don't have anything.

Q. When did the pain finally go away and how much of a relief was it?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think it went away probably right during the tournament or when the tournament started, because I don't remember having much pain in my first round, or I don't remember. Maybe a little bit but not much. Just it's been really good, and I've been really, really happy about that.

Q. Have you lost your voice a little bit? You sound a little hoarse.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Do I?

Q. Yeah.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know why. I didn't scream too much today.

Q. Is there anything else that might be physically affecting you right now? The thumb is okay, but is there something that we're not seeing that might be affecting your focus?

SERENA WILLIAMS: There are a lot things that I think affects everyone. I would be the last person to tell you just in case Justine or Safina reads it, and they're like, Oh, I know what to do.

Q. You're very good at coming back and playing great after not playing for a long time. What advice would you give as the secret to do that?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I think it's important for players to have match play. I would have preferred to have Pilot Pen or L.A. or at least one tournament under my belt going into this because I think it just makes it a little bit easier. Just fight. That's the only thing I can say.

Q. Your serve in Australia was really key to your win there. Did you start to feel that kind of rhythm in your match today on your serve?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I definitely felt a lot better on my serve today, especially against her because she's actually a really good returner. So I felt that my serve was actually a lot better today than had been in my previous matches. It's on track. I want it to just keep getting better with each round, especially now with the quarterfinals.

Q. You said before you feel different now, is that just physically or is there an emotional component to that, too?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I don't know when I said "I feel different now."

Q. Just at the start of this interview.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Did I?

Q. As opposed to the other times you were getting ready to play Justine.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh. I can't keep up with what I say on a daily basis. I might have been just jabbering at my lips. Might have just been filling space.

Q. I guess maybe are you more confident now or something like that? Do you feel better about your game going into this match with Justine?

SERENA WILLIAMS: At Wimbledon I couldn't hit a backhand, so I'm very confident in that fact that I'll be able to do that. I was really proud of myself to get that far because I had to take six weeks after, so I was thinking how in the world did I even play? Just having that confidence is always positive.She played well at the French. I don't think I played well, but I think she did and she was really focused. It's just a new start for me.

Q. Did you ever get an explanation or were you offered an explanation about the other official's concerns about the notebook or is that just a closed issue?

SERENA WILLIAMS: The guy apparently he's an officially for the ATP Tour and he got confused because I was playing so well. He thought I was playing on the ATP Tour, and so he got that confused. So he got that confused. On that tour I guess you're not allowed to have notes. I don't know. I don't play on that tour. I'm assuming that's what the rule is. I think he got confused. He was really impressed with my serve.

Q. Do you then have an understanding it if it's okay that you do some reading in the match now?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's definitely okay. I mean, it's something I've done my whole career. I'm not one to I never got signals or any of that stuff. Pretty much when I'm out there, even when they have the coaching, I hate to call out coach when they have them. Sometimes I do, but I never really want to. So I'm always out there by myself and that helps me to stay focused.

Q. Outside of Venus Justine's played you tougher than any other player of your generation. Talk about that and why the rivalry has become so special.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, she's playing well and she's fighting for everything. She kind of believes that she can win, and maybe that's what makes that special.

Q. What was it like playing with that thumb against her at Wimbledon?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know how I played. Like I wasn't going to play, and then like the doctors were like, Oh -- when I injured my calf they're like, You shouldn't play. Then when I injured the thumb they were like, You can play. They had it was vice versa, so I probably shouldn't have played. They were like, Okay, well, you can play. We don't see anything wrong. I'm like, Okay. I'll play. And with the calf they were like, Don't go back out, and I totally could have. Are you guys following me? Okay. So honestly I really think my slice is a lot better than it was at Wimbledon. I had a terrible slice back then. I don't know. Again, I just don't know how I was able to compete on any level being how -- seeing how bad it was when I went to see a hand specialist in the U.S. Like seeing the degree and the level of it I was really shocked, and impressed.

Q. What exactly what was medical diagnosis?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I had a really bad sprain in my ligament. It's common with football players for like safeties or whatever position. They kind of grab the helmet and the thumb kind of goes back. They never see this injury like outside of football players, so it was really strange. Like I said, I went to a specialist and he was able to diagnose it well.

Q. Is that the guy in L.A.?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. It was a different guy. And I just had to be like in a splint without moving it. Always had my thumb up, so it was weird.

Q. You're bringing football injuries to the sport of tennis.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Right.

Q. How hard it was being out all of six weeks? I think you came to watch James at a tournament. Was that hard watching, or do you get inspired watching him again?

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, it was really difficult because I was on a roll and I felt like I was going to win Wimbledon. I felt like I was just going to do big things in the summer. I wanted to win the thing where you can double your money here. I was really ready to play, and I felt like, you know, when I final dedicate myself this happens. So it was actually frustrating and I had to get over -- mentally I just had to like just pull myself back and be like it's going to be okay, because it was really hard. I felt like I was working so hard, and to have another setback was frustrating to say the least.

Q. In the locker room of the quarterfinal of Wimbledon, Venus said that you talked to her and kind of gave her a pep talk. Like, Do it for me because I don't know if I'm going to be able to do it. Do you guys talk about who's going to win semifinal the end of year Grand Slam titles, because you're each tied at one now.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. Well, we don't talk about that. We're pretty focused on both of our matches. Obviously I want nothing but the best for her and she wants nothing but the best for me, unless of course we're playing each other. Then it's like, Okay I want to win. That's how we look at it.

Q. So Serena, level wise you're saying you're going to have to get a lot better. How much better? If Justine plays her best, what do you have to go, 20, 30% from where you were today?

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, I'm playing better each round. I'm not trying to peak until I can get to the finals, and that's when I really bring my A game out. I feel like I can do it if I'm there.

Q. But this could be a final. If your seeding was a little higher you're talking about you have the eight Slams and Justine has six. If you're at opposite ends of draw it's a potential final.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, V has six, too.

Q. Will you be able to attend the African American parade held once a year in Harlem?

SERENA WILLIAMS: The African American gay parade?

Q. The African American parade in Harlem.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Because there is the other parade going on. No, I won't be able to attend any parades. I'm very focused on my tennis.

Q. Because the community miss you a lot.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm trying to stay out there and just do the best I can on the court.

Sullen Serena sent packing by Henin ... again

By Greg Garber

ESPN.com

NEW YORK -- When you look past the barriers of language, style, size and shape, Serena Williams and Justine Henin aren't really all that different.

They both have been on the planet for a quarter-century and known the exquisite thrill of being the world's No. 1-ranked player. They have won more millions than they can count and collected 14 Grand Slam singles titles between them, with Williams holding an 8-6 edge. Before Tuesday night's U.S. Open quarterfinal match, they had met 11 times, and Williams' modest margin was 6-5.

And, beyond the numbers, they have a history. Their misunderstandings of the past have been set aside, and today there seems to be a deep and abiding mutual respect. Not that they don't like to beat each other. To the contrary, they seem to savor it more than almost anything.

On Tuesday, they collided again, and Henin, not surprisingly, was the emphatic winner, 7-6 (3), 6-1. The Belgian now has sent Williams home from the past three Grand Slams.

Henin will play the winner of Wednesday night's match between Venus Williams and Jelena Jankovic in a Friday semifinal.

After her loss Tuesday, in a halting, four-minute interview, Williams was as sullen as she has ever been in public. She said she would have skipped the mandatory session with the press but didn't want to pay the possible $10,000 fine.

It would have been money well spent. More than anything, Williams was an exceptionally sore loser, perhaps a window to her consistently vast expectations versus the reality of her current situation.

"I really don't feel like talking about it," Williams said. "I can't explain that [result] right now.

"I just think she made a lot of lucky shots, and I made a lot of errors."

Clearly, she was deeply disappointed, perhaps even demoralized. "No," she said sarcastically. "I'm very happy."

Henin, in her post-match interview, might have best explained why Williams was so distraught.

"Tactically, it was very clear in my head what I had to do," Henin said. "It's very important to do it from the first point to the end. She loves to have control of the rallies. She loves to be in the court. She doesn't like to be under pressure, especially on the forehand side."

Another possibility: Williams never had lost a match to Henin on the hard courts that complement her game (she was 3-0).

"There's nothing [negative] to say about my win today," Henin said. "She's at home. She expected a lot of things here. She had a lot of motivation. So that gives a lot of satisfaction."

Make no mistake, Henin won this match more than Williams lost it. She was ruthlessly aggressive; both players approached net 14 times, but Henin won 11 points, compared to only five for Williams.

There is a reason Henin is the world's No. 1 player and the top seed here, a chain of events that placed Williams down at No. 8.

Although they each have a Grand Slam victory this year -- Williams won the Australian Open and Henin captured Roland Garros -- Henin has been having a far better 2007. She has won six of the 10 tournaments she's played and is a prodigious 48-4 on the year. Williams is 30-6, has won only two titles and lost nearly three times as many games as Henin (32 to 11) through the first four rounds here.

Henin skipped the Australian Open this year to deal with her divorce from Pierre-Yves Hardenne. She surfaced in February and has built the best resume in women's tennis this year. Williams often has managed to rise above poor preparation and spotty form coming into an event, but it wasn't going to happen against Henin, who, happy and healthy, was a better player in the handful of points that mattered most.

Did the recent lack of match play affect Williams adversely?

"No," she said. "I don't think it affected me. I mean, I don't think it did. Maybe it did.

"You guys, I think, watched it. Maybe you can analyze it better."

Both players held a set point before the first-set tiebreaker, and both were visited by nerves when they attempted to close the deal. It went to a tiebreaker, the CliffsNotes of tennis, in which a dozen games are compressed into a similar number of points.

Williams won the opening point, the most electric of the match, with a flying backhand volley winner down the line. That was pretty much it for her, though. Henin won three straight points -- with a deep service return, an ace down the middle and a gorgeous running forehand winner down the line. When a shaky Williams forehand found the net, the set and the match essentially were over.

Henin won six of seven games in the second set and now has cobbled together another inspiring comeback story. The smallest player in the top 10, Henin has made a career of overcoming adversity. Why should his season be any different?

"I proved so many things," she said. "I'm really proud of what I did this year. It's been great because I came back from a very tough situation personally. It was tough to come back professionally and just do my best -- and that's what I did.

"I really had a lot of fun, and that's really important."

U.S. tennis player Serena Williams poses after a press conference for the Sony Ericsson WTA Championships in Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2007. The Sony Ericsson WTA Championship tennis tournament will be held in Madrid fom November 6th until the 11th. (AP Photo/EFE, Juan Carlos Hidalgo)

Serena happy to face Henin in Madrid

MADRID, Spain -- Serena Williams looked at her draw for the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships and was pleased to see top-ranked Justine Henin in her difficult group.

Williams has lost three straight matches against Henin since she beat the Belgian star to win the Miami Masters title in April. Henin knocked Williams out of the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open at the quarterfinal stage every time.

"I was happy to see that I was in her half, because I feel like it would be fun to play her again and she's the No. 1 player, so it'd be cool," Williams said Sunday.

Williams, the only American player in the field, Henin, No. 3 Jelena Jankovic and Russia's Anna Chakvetadze are in the tough yellow group. The top two after round-robin play advance to Saturday's semifinals at the $3 million season-ending tournament.

"Everyone out on that list hits pretty hard," the 26-year-old Williams said. "I guess I have to hold it down for USA."

The last time she played in the event featuring the season's top eight singles players was in 2004, when she fell to Maria Sharapova in the final. Sharapova became the second player -- after Williams -- to win the event in her debut.

Williams, the 2001 winner, is back in the championships after jumping from 140 in the WTA rankings to her current No. 5 this season, picking up her eighth Grand Slam title along the way.

"I don't know if I've done well to be here. I feel like I should be here," said Williams, who won the Australian Open in January. "It's just different because I started out the year so low with a lot of people not believing 100 percent in my ability to compete, so for me it was kind of like a great victory for me to qualify."

Though Williams hasn't played since retiring from the Zurich Open two weeks ago with a sore thigh, the injury shouldn't be a problem in Madrid.

"I'm definitely really fit and really happy," she said. "I was on my way to glory and I ran into a little bad luck."

Second-ranked Svetlana Kuznetsova leads the red group, which also features French Open finalist Ana Ivanovic, Sharapova and Daniela Hantuchova.

Play begins at the Madrid Arena on Tuesday.

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