The American world number one has not competed since her stunning loss to Germany's Angelique Kerber in the Australian Open final in January, and says she has learned lessons from that defeat which she will use to her advantage.
"Whenever I lose, it definitely motivates me to do better," Williams, 34, said on a conference call on Thursday to promote her exhibition match with good friend Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark in New York next week.
"There's a lot from that match (in Australia) that I feel like I can improve on and do a lot better. Hopefully I will achieve that this year."
Asked if she felt fully rested after her limited playing time since mid-September, Williams replied: "Oh yeah. I was ready to go in Australia and I will be ready to go today and tomorrow, and I'll definitely be ready to go on Tuesday."
Williams, who will face Wozniacki in the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden in New York on Tuesday, has already won Olympic gold four times, once in the singles and on three occasions in the doubles.
Success in Rio counts among her biggest goals for this year.
"Tennis players never really thought about winning the Olympics, you grew up thinking about winning grand slams but now, with tennis in the Olympics, of course you think about it," Williams said.
"The Olympics have had such a big impact on everyone. It (the August Games) will probably affect my schedule a little bit and I probably won't be playing as much because I will be in Rio. I am really looking forward to it."
Tomic hits back for Australia after Isner win
Bernard Tomic ground down Jack Sock 7-6(2) 6-3 3-6 6-4 to level Australia's Davis Cup first round tie with the United States at 1-1 in Melbourne on Friday.
The rangy world number 20 hit back for the hosts after John Isner wrapped up the opening singles against Sam Groth 7-6(2) 6-2 6-2 on a sweltering day at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club.
Flourishing on the grass court installed specially for the World Group encounter, Tomic was cruising toward a comfortable victory before a lapse of concentration led to an early break in the third set.
World number 24 Sock held firm to take the match into a fourth but also dropped his level in the heat and Tomic captured the decisive break in the ninth game.
The Australian raised three match points with an imperious forehand winner and sealed the contest when Sock clubbed a backhand long.
"Bernie stepped up. It's never easy after going down 1-0," Australia team captain Lleyton Hewitt said courtside.
Isner and Groth's match was a battle of big servers but the 11th-ranked American returned with fury during his emphatic win.
"It was a very, very good performance for me and certainly I've played some matches... where I've struggled on return but I think today I was pretty solid," Isner said.
Groth was named to play the doubles with John Peers against the Bryan brothers in Thursday's draw.
But former world number one Hewitt, who replaced Nick Kyrgios after his withdrawal with a virus, could also play, despite retiring at the Australian Open six weeks ago.
"We'll wait and see... we'll put the best team out there," the 35-year-old said.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
