SERENA WILLIAMS INTO QFS. PRESS CONFERENCE

Q. She made you play very well today and really elevate your game. Talk about the first set in particular, what was she doing? 
 SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, yeah, she made me play a lot better. I had to play the best match of the tournament or else I was going to be out. I think she was just hitting winners like left and right. Every shot I hit, she basically hit a winner on. So I had to change my approach. I was hitting a little bit too much to her. 
 Q. You seemed to go up a level in the second and third sets. When that happens, is that a conscious thing? 
 SERENA WILLIAMS: I think I've been playing for a long time. When I have to go up a level, I have to. I can't afford to stay at the same level or I will be where I was at the French Open. I definitely didn't want to be there without at least trying to give 1000%. 

 Q. You mentioned on court you were coughing a little bit. Have you been under the weather? There's been a bug. 
 SERENA WILLIAMS: Has there? I think I caught that bug. Yeah, no, I've just been sick. I've been fighting it with vitamin C and all kinds of stuff. But I just have a really bad cough. 
 Q. You feel better now? 
 SERENA WILLIAMS: Definitely better than yesterday. So, yeah, I'm feeling a little better. 
 Q. You've got Cibulkova next. Finalist last year. What do you have to do to beat her this time? SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, she is a really good player. I mean, to be her size, she hits so hard and she plays so well. She's just such a power, compact, great player. I just have to stay focused and not underestimate her. She actually almost beat me before. I want to make sure I come ready and prepared. 

 Q. When that person in the stands called out, Use some spin, did you follow up on that? 
 SERENA WILLIAMS: I did. I was like, you're right. I'm trying to do that anyway, but I wasn't doing it. So my fan coach was like, Use some spin, Serena. I was like, Okay, okay. It's been like really great. I hear my name throughout the whole stadium like 360. I don't get that everywhere. It feels good. 
 Q. Why do you think there's such an in and out in terms of getting that? 
 SERENA WILLIAMS: I think when you win often, sometimes people want other people to win. They forget that you want to keep winning, too. And that's okay. You know, I'm used to it.