INDIAN WELLS, Calif.—Serena Williams spoke with reporters after her 7-5, 7-5 win over Romania’s Monica Niculescu at the BNP Paribas Open—her first match at Indian Wells in almost 14 years. Here’s what she had to say:
How do you feel with that beautiful warm welcome? How do you feel at this point, Serena?
I feel really good, like the nerves have kind of gone away. I feel better. I was a little nervous. The weeks leading up to it, days leading up to it, and eventually the hours, it was a little nerve‑wracking.
But now I’m good that I was able to do this.
A leading person in women’s tennis spoke to you a few weeks ago and said, Listen, Serena, this night is going to be your Martin Luther King Day. What were your thoughts when she said that to you, and was this the greatest moment of your career?
Well, my thought was it was a really big statement. I felt like, you know, even to have an opportunity to have someone mention a statement like that was quite interesting.
But it felt really good. It definitely feels like one of the biggest moments and the proudest moments of my career.
You can start a new chapter; one memory is erased. Talk about that.
Yes, I can definitely start—I think the new chapter actually already started when I accepted the wildcard into the event.
So I think that was the beginning of the ride.
What were you telling yourself when you were walking out on to court and you got that ovation? What was going through your mind? Seemed like there was just kind of a whirlwind of things.
Yeah, it was. It was a bit overwhelming. I didn’t know what to expect. In fact, I didn’t really think about it too much. In the last couple of moments leading up to it I was focused on warming up for the match and I wasn’t really prepared for that.
Like I said, I was overwhelmed by it, and it was such a warm feeling. It made me feel incredibly well.
Did tonight finally exorcise the demons? Was the scab finally gone?
I can’t say. I can only focus on right now, and it’s been—today was a wonderful day for me, for women’s tennis, for tennis in general, and for everyone.
You just said how nervous you felt going out for the match and there were stages of the match. When was the last time you were as emotional during the match and felt the way you did tonight?
I don’t think I have ever been like that. Definitely not before a match, in fact. So this was for sure the first time.
Obviously you have never played anyone like Niculescu. I don’t know how much you knew about her. What do you make of her and all the weird looks she threw at you slice‑wise?
I know her game. I think everyone in the locker room knows her game.
But, boy, she was interesting. I just never got the same ball or—I did get that forehand a few times, but it was low, high. I just wasn’t able to get my rhythm today. I’m just glad to get through that match. It was definitely a super tricky match for me.
How was it having that opponent paired with this occasion?
It made for a great occasion. I haven’t had a two-hour match in a long time. Well, I did in Hopman [Cup]—I did in the Championships.
Anyway, I don’t usually have two‑hour matches. It actually turned out great. It was a great atmosphere for everyone, and for me too.
What did you say to yourself to steady yourself when you got a slow start?
Well, I just said, You’re not going to lose this match. You have to figure out a way to win it and find a solution.
When you were walking out, looked like you were crying quite heavily. What kind of tears? Tears of pride? Joy?
They were tears of [being] overwhelmed—they were just overwhelming. At that moment everything had just—I just felt so good to be out there. I felt like I made the right decision and I knew I wanted to do it. I knew I really wanted to do it.
But up until that moment I didn’t really know if it was the right thing for me to do. I feel like that’s when I felt it was the right thing.
And receiving the love from the crowd here, it really meant a lot to me.
Did you ever have a chance to hear from your dad or your sister in the time since the match ended?
Not yet. I talked to them right before the match—actually, both of them—but I haven’t talked to them after.
With all of your accomplishments, where does this tournament and this return place? Regardless of the outcome, whether you’re out tomorrow or you win the championship, where will this fall in your career?
I think it falls super high up. Definitely up there. Really close. Probably the best, because, you know—and it’s interesting to say that I feel like I’ve already won this tournament. I don’t feel like I have to actually hold the trophy at the end of this. I feel like I’m already holding up a trophy. I have never felt that way before.
I feel like, you know, just being here is a huge win. Not only for me, but for so many people. It’s a wonderful feeling.
You said that tennis in general, the WTA, the tournament officials, others, has really changed and evolved, progressed, over these 14 years. Could you express, explain, what your thinking is on that?
Yes. Everyone in general has come a really long way. Everyone, especially the WTA, USTA, they really step up to the plate. I really appreciate all the love, not just for me, but for a lot of other players that they show.
Do you think that you can now, with this match behind you, settle into regular tennis tournament mode, or is it still going to be kind of weirdly emotional and things like that as you go forward?
It’s going to be emotional for me regardless. When I get to Miami I will be a little more relaxed, but I feel like this for sure will be a little more emotional.
But I embrace it. I’m ready for it. I’m just going to enjoy every match that comes.
Were you at all worried about the reaction before you, in the days, hours before?
I was. Like the days, the weeks before, even just the reaction of just being here, I was really a little bit worried about it.
But then the moments before, I was warming up, I was in my match mode, so I didn’t really think about it until I walked out on the court. It was like, Oh, it’s happening.
Was there anything you heard in the stands or saw that particularly stood out to you?
No. I mean, I heard so many people say, I love you Serena. It was just so much. It was— yeah, it was really great to be out there.
Was it important for you to come back here while you’re still this dominant force? Clearly the world’s best player. Did you want to show these folks what you were missing? I’m still Serena?
I think ultimately it was important. I didn’t write the story this way. I did not plan to be dominant and playing well or No. 1, if you say, 15 years, 14 years later.
I did not write this story for myself, so it was just an extra bonus and an extra treat that it turned out this way.
But you wrote that beautiful story in Time.com, and in there you said, Together we can write a new story, a new chapter. You’re quite the writer now. How would you write it?
I don’t know. Maybe I’ll write a piece and you guys can see. I don’t want to take any jobs away, though (laughter).
You had mentioned [Ray] Moore, Larry Ellison, and some of the other leaders at this tournament. Just fill in what has been achieved here and the feeling you received. You spoke about forgiveness. How would you conclude that sentence as far as, you know, forgiveness and bringing it together with those leaders that you spoke about?
Well, I can’t conclude it right now because I’m still in the tournament, but I think if I can finish that later, I would really appreciate that opportunity.
What are you most pleased with tonight? Just taking the court? How you actually performed on the court?
Well, tonight I was able to, even though, I mean, things were weird and tough, I was able to do the work. I’m just pleased about that.
Photos courtesy of Brent Bishop, Getty Images and Michael Weinstein. More photos from Serena’s return to Indian Wells after the jump.
