MIDDLETON — Serena Williams probably could've used a day at the beach.

Just five days removed from the intense pressure of playing, and winning, yet another Wimbledon final, and the additional, unfathomable stress of playing her sister Venus for the championship, it was a subdued Serena who showed up at the Sheraton Ferncroft here yesterday.

Williams, who has won 11 Grand Slam singles titles, suddenly had to get used to the idea of playing for the Washington Kastles, who were in town for the Boston Lobsters home opener in World Team Tennis last night. What a remarkable stroke of good fortune for the Lobsters to have a Wimbledon champion playing on their North Shore courts for the second consecutive year (it was her sister Venus last year).

However, it seemed like Serena had just gotten off a plane and needed some time to chill.

"Well, it has been non-stop," admitted Williams, who defeated her sister, 7-6, 6-2, in the Wimbledon final last Saturday. "I've been doing all kinds of stuff (since the tournament ended). You don't get too much of a day off, but it's good that way. You try to keep going and enjoy the time off whenever you can get it."

In a press conference that lasted less than nine minutes, Williams touched on several topics, including World Team Tennis, Billie Jean King, playing for fans in the Boston area and her legacy. She was polite but reticent. Maybe she was just saving her energy for the match against the Lobsters.

"It's going to be great to play for fans in Boston," said the 27-year-old Williams. "I've been here for the Fed Cup, but it was a different venue. One thing I love about team tennis is traveling to cities that don't have tennis (on a regular basis). It's exciting for me to be here."

Shifting gears after playing on the world's most famous tennis stage was easy, said Williams.

"I look at this stadium and it's so small and the fans are close to you," said Williams. "They get a sense of how you play and how you are (on the court). It's awesome, actually."

Williams didn't buy the suggestion that playing World Team Tennis is just a form of relaxation for her before she returns to the tour, where it's survival of the fittest and the toughest from week to week in every corner of the world.

"The level (in WTT) is very intense," said Williams. "Last year I was more nervous for team tennis than I was at Wimbledon. There's a little pressure. You're not playing for yourself. You're playing for your teammates and every game counts. It's not the easiest thing, that's for sure. We'll see how it goes."

Williams, who has an outrageous career record of 431-92 in singles matches, brightened when Billie Jean King's name was mentioned. Serena has won four Australian Open titles, three U.S. Open championships and one French Open to go along with three Wimbledons. She is just one Grand Slam title short of King's total and, yes, she is focused on it. She has tremendous respect and admiration for King, who has become a friend.

"It's not too soon (to be looking to tie King's record)," said Williams. "I thought about it after Australia this year. I know what my goal and what I want to do with Billie. She's the only reason I play WTT. The (league) was her idea and her baby and I love it."

There's no question that if Williams stopped playing today, she'd rank as one of the all-time greats. But she's still young and ascending the ladder towards players such as Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, each of whom won 18 Grand Slam singles titles.

Asked about her legacy, Williams gave a decidedly non-tennis answer.

"I think a legacy is not what you do on the court but how you live your life and what you do off the court," said Williams, who is No. 1 all-time in women's tennis earnings with more than $26 million. "I've always felt blessed for the opportunity. I have two unbelievably wonderful parents and I've been able to play tennis and be a role model for other people. I think you should be able to give back. To me, that's what a legacy is all about. Not how many titles you can have, but who you can help."

So what does she think of Navratilova, who still plays for the Lobsters at age 52 and who has won 59 Grand Slam titles overall?

"Amazing," said Williams. "What can I say? She's a living legend."

Williams didn't elaborate. The nine minutes with the media contingent were nearly up. Time to chill.