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Q. Pretty clinical out there today.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Really? I felt good. I wouldn’t say clinical, but good.
Q. What would you say? Talk about the match a little bit.
SERENA WILLIAMS: I felt really consistent today. I felt like I was hitting the right shots and the balls were going right. It’s always good to feel that way. I actually felt like I could play and move better.
Q. This is the stage of the tournament where you turn it up a notch. Did you feel that today, that you’re really locking in here?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I seem to always be able to turn it up during this particular stage maybe, the fourth round, for some reason. Hopefully I turn it up again.
Q. Talk about dictating points and, you know, controlling with your serve. Talk about that, as well.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I felt really power today and strong and able to dictate. Even though sometimes she put me on the run, I felt like I was able to still be on the offense. Sometimes I was on the defense and just trying to turn that into offense.
It was definitely a really good feeling.
Q. I take it that your health is fine and that you haven’t come down with a virus or anything.
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I was just out of it the other day. That’s why it’s important to get through those days, because the next day you’re feeling fine.
It’s like, Ah, I could have just fought through it.
Q. Tennis is a sport of rivalries, Serena. Everyone in tennis was looking forward to your possible match with Justine, but now that it’s Sam, does that change your perspective? And in some ways, were you sort of preparing in your mind for a match with your rival, Justine?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No. You can never underestimate anyone, and Sam is actually a wonderful clay court player. I think she proved that last year, and this year I think she’s only lost twice on the clay.
So she’s someone you can’t overlook. She has a good chance to go all the way.
Q. Talk about her game. She’s really been coming on, including on clay.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, she’s amazing. She’s fast, strong, and has a great serve. You know, I don’t know if she has a real weakness. She plays a real all around game, so I think that’s what makes her like a real modern, really good player.
Q. What do you have to do against her to hold sway?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I definitely have to play well. She’s no pushover, that’s for sure. She’s beaten me before, so I have to be on my best game.
Q. Doubles question. We saw the No. 1 team Black and Huber split up earlier this year. I wonder if you had something to do with that, you and Venus being pretty good the three times you played?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I can say with confidence we had nothing to do with that, actually, so, no.
Q. You think it had anything to do with that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don’t think we had anything to do with it. Every time they played us they actually got better and better, but I don’t think I had anything to do with it.
Q. (Question in French.) As compared to the other Slams, does it make a difference for you to have a flat here in Paris? When you’re not here, what do you do during the day?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Compared to the other Slams, it definitely makes a difference to have a place here. What I do during the day, I’ve been actually watching a lot of Smallville. I’m on Season 4 in three weeks, so I would say I’m slightly addicted.
Q. You’re such a good analyst of the game. If you had to face in the doubles draw Venus and Serena, how would you try and break them down? What would you do?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, if there was anything I’d do, I definitely wouldn’t say. That’s not for me to figure out.
Q. If I’m right, I don’t think you’ve been past the quarterfinals since 2003.
SERENA WILLIAMS: 2002?
Q. 2003 I think you lost to Justine in the semis?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, okay.
Q. So it’s been a few years. I’m just wondering if you felt more prepared on the clay this year than you have in recent years.
SERENA WILLIAMS: I feel the same. I feel prepared every year, and I always dive out in the quarters. I’m just trying to get past that this year, hopefully.
Q. Do you feel a little bit more confident at this stage in the tournament than you have in recent years? Anything different?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I feel no pressure right now. Sometimes maybe I let the pressure get to me, but I just feel like whatever happens, happens.
At the end of the day, you know, hopefully next year. And there’s always next year.
Q. A few words on your hitting partner, Sasha. What do you like him personal wise and hitting wise?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Are you German?
Q. Yeah.
SERENA WILLIAMS: He’s a great guy. He’s extremely nice, and he has really thick skin. I think to be in our group you have to have super thick skin, so to say.
What I like about him is he always makes me laugh, which is really nice. No matter how angry I get, he still finds a way to always look and be positive. He’s just been doing a fabulous job for the past two years.
I’ve been winning a lot, so it’s really good.
Q. For many years, you and Venus have been at the forefront of American women’s tennis. Do you think over this time the story of two sisters emerging from one household to be at the top of a sport has been underreported, overreported, or what are your thoughts on the treatment of the coverage of that storyline?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don’t know. I don’t really think about that too much. I think it’s been I think I said before, like, you know, people know me and they know Venus. They know that we’re sisters and that we play tennis and that we’re the best, so I think the word has kind of spread.
Q. It seems that you have made a lot of progress in French, so maybe is it possible for you to tell us a few words about Paris and this tournament in French?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I get really nervous, and I hate my accent. I need to work on my accent. (Speaking French) I love it when I play in Roland Garros. It’s my favorite Grand Slam, because the city is beautiful and I live here. It’s wonderful. I love Paris.
