>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY! WELCOME BACK TO "A LATE SHOW."

SHE IS A SPORTS ICON WHO HAS WON 23 GRAND SLAM SINGLES TITLES AND

FOUR OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS.

SHE'S NOW PREPARING FOR THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN.

PLEASE WELCOME TO "A LATE SHOW," FROM ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA,

SERENA WILLIAMS.

SERENA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE!

>> HI, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> Stephen: HOW IS TOMORROW?

BECAUSE IT'S NOON THERE OR SOMETHING, ISN'T IT?

>> I KNOW.

TOMORROW IS GOOD.

YOU KNOW, I'M A LITTLE BIT IN THE FUTURE, SO I THINK IT'S

GOING TO BE GOOD.

>> Stephen: NOW, I HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO TALK TO YOUR

HUSBAND MANY TIMES, ACTUALLY HAD HIM ON THE SHOW IN 2018, AND,

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS EVERYBODY HAS IS YOU GUYS SEEM

LIKE A HAPPY LOVING COUPLE BUT NOBODY EXPECTED BUN TO HAVE THE

GREATEST ATHLETES OF ALL TIME TO MARRY A SELF-PROFESSED MEASURE

LIKE ALEXIS.

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

HE SAYS YOU'RE A NERD, TOO, A TRUE NERD.

WHAT'S YOUR NERD CRED?

>> I DO HAVE NERD CRED.

I HEAR YOU'RE INTO THE LORD OF HINGES, THE HOBBIT.

>> Stephen: I AM.

I'M KIND OF UP ON THAT.

SO THAT'S COOL.

I'M REALLY BIG INTO COMICS, THE MARVEL, D.C., THAT KIND OF

WORLD.

>> Stephen: ARE YOU WATCHING WANDA VISION?

ARE YOU ENJOYING THAT?

>> I'M A BINGE WATCHER, SO IT'S HARD FOR ME TO PICK UP SOMETHING

WHEN THERE'S ONLY ONE SEASON, BUT I DID CRACK AND ACTUALLY

WATCHED IT YEPPED.

IT'S DEFINITELY TRIPPY.

>> Stephen: IT'S SUPER TRIPPY.

MY VERDICT IS OUT ON IT.

>> Stephen: AS A TOLKIEN FAN, DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE CHARACTER

FROM "THE LORD OF THE RINGS"?

>> I DON'T KNOW, IT'S HARD TO NOT LOVE SAM, YOU KNOW.

I ACTUALLY, EVERY TIME I SEE THE FELLOWSHIP WITH A RING, THERE'S

A SCENE WHERE I ACTUALLY CRY BECAUSE SAM IS SO -- HIS

FRIENDSHIP IS UNBELIEVABLE.

>> Stephen: THAT'S RIGHT.

THIS IS THE RIGHT ANSWER.

YOU PASSED THE TEST!

YOU'RE IN AUSTRALIA RIGHT NOW AS I WAS JUST TELLING THE PEOPLE

HERE.

WHAT'S THE QUARANTINE LIKE DOWN UNDER?

DO THEY HAVE STRICT QUARANTINE PROTOCOLS DOWN THERE?

>> YEAH, IT'S SURE SURE STRICT, BUT IT'S REALLY GOOD.

AUSTRALIA NOW, THE LAST I HEARD, THEY HAD ZERO CASES OF COVID.

>> Stephen: WOW!

O THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE, RIGHT?

THE WHOLE COUNTRY.

SO THAT IS REALLY AMAZING.

SO WHEN WE COME HERE IN AUSTRALIA, EVERYONE HAS TO

QUARANTINE IN A ROOM FOR 14 DAYS, AND IT'S INSANE AND SUPER

INTENSE BUT IT'S SUPER GOOD BECAUSE AFTER THAT YOU CAN HAVE

A NEW NORMAL LIKE WHAT WE WERE USED TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR IN

THE UNITED STATES.

SO THEY'RE DOING IT RIGHT.

IT'S DEFINITELY HARD WITH A 3-YEAR-OLD TO BE IN THE HOTEL

ALL DAY, BUT IT'S WORTH IT BECAUSE YOU WANT EVERYONE TO BE

SAFE AT THE END OF THE DAY.

>> Stephen: NOW, YOU MENTIONED YOUR DAUGHTER.

WE ARE BIG FANS OF OLYMPIA.

>> YES, OLYMPIA.

>> Stephen: LOOK AT THAT PHOTOGRAPH.

SHE LOOKS LIKE A FIERCE COMPETITOR.

WHAT'S SHE LIKE ON THE COURT?

>> UM, SHE'S A PERFECTIONIST ON THE COURT.

NOT QUITE SURE WHERE SHE GOT THAT FROM, BUT, YEAH, SHE LOVES

TO -- YOU KNOW WHAT?

I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD LET MY DAUGHTER PLAY TENNIS, BUT I'M

JUST, LIKE, DURING THIS PANDEMIC, IT WAS THE ONLY THING

THAT WE COULD DO SAFELY, AND, SO, I'M, LIKE, WELL, TENNIS IT

IS.

>> Stephen: AND WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANT HER TO PLAY TENNIS,

BECAUSE IT'S JUST ALL CONSUMING?

>> IT'S ALL CONSUMING, IT'S STRESSFUL, IT'S A LOT OF WORK,

IT'S A HUGE COMMITMENT, AND IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT -- A

LITTLE DAB OF PRESSURE ON HER.

SO I'M, LIKE, I WOULDN'T ACTUALLY PUT HER IN IT, BUT IF

THAT WAS SOMETHING SHE WANTED TO DO, I WOULD ABSOLUTELY BE, LIKE,

OH, MY GOSH, YOU COULD DO THAT AND I WOULD SUPPORT HER BUT IT

WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST THING I WOULD DO.

>> Stephen: YOU'VE GOT 23 GRAND SLAM TITLES.

DO YOU HAVE A GIANT TROPHY CASE OR DO YOU KEEP THEM IN THE

STORAGE LOCKER OR WHERE ARE THEY?

>> THAT IS THE QUESTION OF THE DOUBLE DECADE.

I DON'T -- LIKE, I KEEP THEM IN A LOT OF PLACES.

MY FIRST GRAND SLAM I LEFT AT MY DAD'S AT THE TIME.

AND I SAID I'M GOING TO GELT ANOTHER ONE.

AND THAT WAS AT THE U.S. OPEN.

AND, OF COURSE, I WAS ABLE TO GET ANOTHER ONE.

MY COACH HAS A FEW IN FRANCE.

THERE'S SEVERAL IN MY HOUSE.

I THINK ONE OR TWO OR THREE OR MISSING.

>> Stephen: THEY'RE REALLY VALUABLE, THOUGH.

THEY'RE STERLING -- THEY'RE TRAYS AND BIG CUPS AND STUFF

LIKE THAT.

>> THEY ARE.

HONESTLY, I FEEL LIKE I HAD A HOUSE PARTY YEARS AGO AND

SOMEONE GOT A LITTLE TOO HAPPY AT IT, AND, LIKE -- I DON'T

KNOW, BUT I ALWAYS WONDER, WAIT, IS THAT WHERE ONE OF MY

WIMBLEDON TROPHIES WENT?

SO FORMERLY I'M NOT REALLY ATTACHED TO THINGS.

YOU KNOW, MY SAYING IS YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU WHEN YOU LEAVE.

>> Stephen: ACTUALLY, THAT MAKES ME THINK OF SOMETHING.

ARE THE CUPS AND THE TRAYS OR WHATEVER, THEY LOOK THE SAME BUT

IS IT A NEW ONE EVERY YEAR OR DO YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT BACK IN FOR

THE NEXT PERSON LIKE THE STANLEY CUP?

>> YEAH, SO, YOU DON'T GET TO KEEP IT ALL.

THEY GIVE YOU A RUM CAY.

SO WHEN I FIRST STARTED PLAYING, THEY GAVE YOU A REALLY SMALL

REPLICA AND NOW A BIGGER REPLICA.

THEY'RE, LIKE, CAN I TRADE IN MY SMALLER REPLICAS FOR THE BIGGER

ONES?

THAT DOESN'T SEEM FAIR.

>> NOT QUITE FAIR BUT, YEAH, IT'S COOL, NONETHELESS.

IT'S REALLY COOL.

SO YOU GET THE REPLICA.

>> Stephen: HOW NICE IS THE ONE?

WHAT'S THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN?

WHAT DO YOU GET?

>> YOU GET A GIANT REPLICA OF THAT ONE.

THAT ONE'S REALLY NICE.

I HAVE A FEW OF THOSE, TOO.

>> Stephen: IS IT A CUP OR A TRAY OR SOMETHING YOU COULD PUT

NACHOS ON?

>> IT'S THIS REALLY COOL TROPHY THAT YOU CAN OPEN IT UP AND --

YOU COULD PUT CHIPS IN THERE, I COULD SEE THAT.

>> Stephen: SURE.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE IT AT A PARTY, AT LEAST PUT IT TO GOOD

USE FIRST.

>> IT'S REALLY PERFECT TIMING, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, GETTING

READY FOR SUPER BOWL SEASON.

USUALLY WE'RE AT HOME FOR THAT, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO

DO.

>> Stephen: USE THAT, AND YOU'RE WELCOME, USE THAT AS A

LITTLE MOTIVATION WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING.

SAY I HAVE TO WIN THIS BECAUSE -- WHAT?

>> YEAH, IT WILL BE A LITTLE MOTIVATION TO HELP ME TO

CELEBRATE.

SO THAT WILL BE REALLY COOL.

>> Stephen: NOW, PEOPLE ARE FINDING -- WELL, THE PRESSURE OF

LOCKDOWN IS, WELL, MENTALLY TOUGH TO DO, AND YOU KNOW NOT

ONLY KNOWN FOR YOUR VISUAL PROWESS BUT YOUR MENTAL TOUGH

NECESSARY.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR HOW TO GET THROUGH COVID LOCKDOWN,

QUARANTINING SOCIAL DISTANCING AND STAY MENTALLY SHARP.

>> FOR ME IT'S HOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE.

I THINK 2020 WAS A TOUGH YEAR FOR EVERYONE, IT WAS SO INTENSE,

AND WE DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN.

SO JUST BEING CAREFUL AND CONSIDERATE AND LISTENING TO

PEOPLE THAT REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THE PEOPLE THAT

ARE ON THE FRONT LINE AND THE WORK, ARE SO IMPORTANT TO LISTEN

AND TO TAKE THAT FEEDBACK.

BUT IT'S A LOT OF MENTAL TOUGHNESS.

WE TALK ABOUT ATHLETES, HOW MENTALLY TOUGH IT IS.

ONE THING I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DON'T MENTION, ONE THING I'M

DOING FOR A SUPER BOWL ADD IS MICHELOB ULTRA WHERE WE TALK

ABOUT ULT STUFF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, IT'S INCREDIBLY A LOT OF

MENTAL WORK.

THIS SIX WEEKS IS SO MENTAL BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WHAT NO

ONE TALKS ABOUT IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF RELAX AND

SAY, I DID ALL THIS MENTAL WORK, A LOT OF SUCCESS ISN'T JUST

ABOUT BEING PHYSICALLY FIT AND GOING INTO STUFF.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE A TIME FOR BALANCE AND LETTING GO.

SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT NEW SUPER BOWL AD I HAVE THAT

COMING OUT.

>> Stephen: PUT THAT IN THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN.

YOU CAN PROBABLY JAM A SIX-PACK IN THERE.

THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN STARTS FEBRUARY 8 -- THAT'S NOT THE

ONE.

THIS IS THE PHOTO.

THIS IS A REALLY SPECIAL PHOTO.

CAN YOU SEE THIS ON YOUR END?

CAN YOU SEE THIS PHOTO HERE?

>> I CAN.

>> Stephen: 23 YEARS AGO.

YEAH.

'98.

THAT'S INSANE, RIGHT?

I WAS STILL A BABY.

>> Stephen: THIS AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN AND IS THIS THE

FIRST TIME YOU PLAYED AGAINST YOUR SISTER PROFESSIONALLY?

>> I THINK IT WAS.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I PLAYED AGAINST HER AND IT WAS

UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE IT WAS SO EARLY WE PLAYED EACH OTHER SO

EARLY.

IT WAS INTENSE BUT IT WAS COOL.

IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO ME.

>> Stephen: WHAT DOES THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN MEAN TO YOU?

>> IT'S A LOT.

YOU KNOW, I REALLY PLAY RIGHT NOW FOR GRAND SLAMS, AND I LOVE

HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN STILL BE OUT HERE AND TO COMPETE

ON THIS LEVEL.

SO WHAT IT MEANS TO ME IS AN OPPORTUNITY, I THINK IT WAS

REALLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE SLAMS GROWING UP.

JUST KIND OF GETTING OUT OF THE STATES.

I HAVE SO MANY FRIENDS IN MELBOURNE, AND, SO, IT'S REALLY

NICE.

ANYTIME I WIN A GRAND SLAM MEANS THE WORLD TO ME, SO THEY ARE ALL

REALLY SPECIAL.

>> Stephen: YEAH, I LIKE IT WHEN I DO, TOO.

IT'S SUCH A GOOD FEELING WHEN I WIN A GRAND SLAM.

IT REALLY IS.

THE WORK WAS WORTH IT IS WHAT I THINK AT THE END OF THAT.

( LAUGHTER ) BUT THIS IS THE ONLY PHOTO I

HAVE OF ME EVER PLAYING TENNIS.

I WANT TO GET YOUR OPINION OF MY STYLE.

HERE YOU GO.

THIS IS ME WITH JAMES -- WHO AM I PLAYING AGAINST?

ME AGAINST JAMES BLAKE.

THAT'S ME ATTEMPTING TO JUMP OVER THE NET.

( LAUGHTER ) >> LOOKS LIKE YOU GOT CAUGHT UP

IN A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS.

HOPE YOU'RE OKAY.

>> Stephen: I'M FINE.

THE STYLE COULD BE MORE MODERN.

I'M ALWAYS ABOUT THE '80s.

LOOKS VERY '80s.

>> Stephen: I'M THE CLASSICS.

YOU COULD BE A LITTLE LOOSER.

>> Stephen: A LITTLE LOOSER?

A LITTLE LOOSER OBSERVE THE BOTTOM.

>> Stephen: OKAY.

OKAY.

WELL, SERENA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Stephen: YOU CAN SEE HER IN THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN WHICH STARTS

FEBRUARY # 8.

SERENA WILLIAMS.

BACK WITH A PERFORMANCE BY DAYGLOW.

( THEME SONG PLAYING )