"I don't want to be here, you're not making this super enjoyable" - When Serena Williams shot back at reporter for questioning why she wasn't smiling
Serena Williams once firmly shut down reporters at a 2015 US Open press conference when they questioned why she wasn’t smiling. The exchange took place after her quarterfinal victory over her elder sister, Venus.
Serena entered the New York Slam as the three-time defending champion and defeated the likes of Vitalia Diatchenko, Kiki Bertens, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, and Madison Keys before facing Venus. The match was thrilling, extending to three sets, but the 23-time Major champion ultimately triumphed with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 scoreline.
During the press conference after her win, a reporter asked Serena Williams why she wasn’t smiling as usual. They suggested it might be because she felt sad about defeating her sister, to which she responded:
"I don't — to be perfectly honest with you — I don't want to be here. I just want to be in bed right now. And I have to wake up early to practise. I don't want to answer any of these questions. And you guys keep asking me the same questions. You're not making this super enjoyable ... Just being honest."
The 43-year-old continued:
"Is it about Venus again?"
Serena Williams fails to defend US Open title after defeating sister Venus
Serena Williams could not defend her US Open title in 2015, falling 6-2, 4-6, 4-6 to Roberta Vinci in the semifinals after her quarterfinal victory over her sister Venus. Vinci faced Flavia Pennetta in the final and ultimately lost in an all-Italian showdown.
Serena later attended a press conference where she was asked by a reporter how "disappointed" she was by the defeat. Not in the mood to dwell on it, she firmly responded that she didn’t want to talk about it and asked if they had another question.
"I don't want to talk about how disappointing it is for me. If you have any other questions, I'm open for that," she said.
Despite her loss, the American remained gracious, crediting Vinci for playing the "best tennis" of her career. She also mentioned that the Italian's performance was "inspiring," considering she achieved it in her 30s.
"I thought she played the best tennis in her career," Serena Williams said. "You know, she's 33 and, you know, she's going for it at a late age. So that's good for her to keep going for it and playing so well. Actually, I guess it's inspiring. But, yeah, I think she played literally out of her mind."