Venus Williams - Day 12 Saturday, July 5, 2003 S. WILLIAMS/V. Williams 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 MODERATOR: Can we have your questions, please, for Venus Williams. Q. What was behind your decision to actually go ahead and play today? Obviously, you were in pain and had this injury to deal with. VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess, first, you know, there's always the "what if" in the back of your head. And, second, it's just hard these days. Serena and I have taken a lot of slack, so I felt to take one for the team. Q. What do you mean by that? VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, it hasn't been easy. Serena and I, we've been blamed for a lot of things that never even happened. I felt today to play. Q. Meaning people have accused you of leaving matches too soon? Is it a criticism for defaulting? VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I mean, I think everyone's quite familiar with the history. So today, today was a good effort. And I wanted to play. I mean, I had to at least show up and go out on the court. So that was definitely a decision on my own. Q. How tough was it, Venus? How tough was that to play? VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess, you know, it's tough enough to go into the Wimbledon final because you know you have to play your best tennis to win. It's a little tougher also, not really sure how much you can do, how far -- how much I could do, I wasn't sure how far I could go. You know, that just sums it up. Q. If it wasn't the Wimbledon final, would you have defaulted? VENUS WILLIAMS: If it wasn't the Wimbledon final, chances of me playing probably would have went down. Q. Were you advised at all by Kerry or any of your trainers or whatever not to play and you decided to override that? Did they kind of say, "It's really up to you, you can't injure yourself more"? VENUS WILLIAMS: It was definitely up to me. No one took away that decision at all. No one made any suggestions or put any pressure, because then it gets to be even more confusing. Q. Serena said you played the best, in her opinion, in this tournament. Is that a new level of tennis we're going to see ahead of this tournament? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I really felt that I was playing pretty good, and definitely playing those big points well. I was on a roll. Then, you know, things took a turn. But it's okay. It really is. Q. You've had this injury now for several weeks. The only way really to get rid of it is to rest. What are your plans after this? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I really haven't thought that far in advance. I don't know what I'm gonna do, except, of course, take care of myself and rehab. But I'd like to be rid of this pretty soon. I don't really want to be at the next tournament or at the next US Open and having to deal with more of this. Q. Could you describe the pain that you were feeling and how it affected your play. VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, basically it was just a domino effect. Once I started not using certain parts of my body, then other parts started to go down. So I started injuring more areas. And I couldn't run too fast, I couldn't stretch out too much. I was hitting serves in the net because it's harder to reach up. So just affects the whole game. But, you know, Serena played real well. Q. Was it like a pain or discomfort or just on certain moments? VENUS WILLIAMS: Like a pain, yeah. Q. All the time? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, like a pain (laughing). Q. Stabbing pain or just on certain movements? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, sharp pain. Q. You looked clearly in discomfort between the points, but then you guys had some 14 -, 15-stroke rallies where you were just running back, side to side to side to side. How do you explain how you were able to do that, and what did you learn about yourself today in getting through this? VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, I could move a lot, but I think especially at my height, I have to be very quick on my toes and I have to be ready to change directions. And in order for me to get my body weight going in different directions, I have to be very low. So all that, all those little things were kind of taken away from me. So normally on those long points where I can just get into them every point, if I have to, sometimes I wasn't doing that. And then there were the points where I were, and I was just so far behind the baseline (laughing). Q. Serena was saying yesterday it's hard when someone you care about is hurting. How tough do you think it was for her out there today? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I don't know. I wasn't really thinking about that. I had a lot to concentrate on on my own side. You know, I never talked about what was going on. Q. You said you took one for the team, in that you and Serena have been blamed for a lot of things. We know about the booing and hissing in Paris. What other things have you been blamed for? VENUS WILLIAMS: To be honest, it just goes from one thing to another, so we just roll with it. That's the way it is when -- from what I've been told, you know, and what I've experienced, that's the way it is at the top. It's one thing after another. And it's not just me, it's -- I mean, if you look at the movie stars and you look at the cover of People, every time you look around, they're making something else up. So this is the way it is. And sometimes it's almost funny. A lot of times it is funny, actually. Q. BBC was saying in a way you were being, oh, almost punished for your success. People were looking for excuses to get on your case, so to speak. Do you think that's accurate? VENUS WILLIAMS: As far as...? Q. Just your place at the very top of the game, the way you've dominated for this period of time, that people are looking for a way to sort of get at you or to bring you a peg down lower. VENUS WILLIAMS: Could be. Could be. Q. How important was it that Serena was telling you during the break in the Clijsters match, "Get out there, fight, you can do this"? Am I right about what she was saying? That's the impression I have. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, that's always the first thing, is it was not worth it, but in some ways it is worth it. I'm just here to compete and do my best, and that's really what I do at the end of the day. Q. Did you consider calling for the trainer earlier than the moment that you did call for the trainer? Perhaps in the second set? VENUS WILLIAMS: No. No, I thought that maybe -- maybe she could give me a magic pill, but it wasn't there (smiling). Q. Was there ever a point where you thought, "I'm not gonna be able to complete this match"? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I wanted to complete the match once I stepped out on court, yeah. Q. Do you leave here more discouraged about your health or encouraged about your rising game? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think I'm playing well. I think it's discouraging that I'm gonna have to take weeks off and kind of start from scratch again, you know, with fitness. When you take weeks off, you get off, especially on my serve. I have to work very hard. But, you know, I've been blessed in my whole life and, you know, I feel encouraged that I'm able to play well and lift my game. Q. Are you up for that right now, the rehab and starting all over again? VENUS WILLIAMS: Sure. I have to be. Q. The injury keeps getting discussed, but you got back to 5-4 there in the second set. You played well in the first set. Down 5-1, you fought pretty hard to get back to 5-4. Were you thinking then you had a real chance to close it in two sets? VENUS WILLIAMS: I was just trying to put more pace on my balls, maybe to produce more errors or what have you. Put more spin on it, do something quick. And I made some mistakes at 4-5, like three or four down-the-lines, forehands down the line, I guess didn't hit them right. Q. It looked like even despite the injury at that point in the match you had some belief you could possibly pull it out? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, but I wasn't gonna kill myself. I wasn't get -- you know, I'm already in a hole. I'm not gonna dig the hole a lot deeper. Q. Why did you call the trainer at that point? Did you hurt yourself in the game a little bit more? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, at the beginning of the second set I was starting to go downhill. Q. The stomach and the leg or any number of things? Was it everything? VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, from the very beginning, the leg. The stomach, I was feeling okay with my stomach until the second set. Then I was just, you know... I was playing all right, though. Q. Was it a hamstring? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, it was more or less a groin. Q. When you went off court with the trainer, did you get rewrapped with the tape? VENUS WILLIAMS: Tighter. She did it tighter. Q. Is it like wrapped all the way around, like a corset? VENUS WILLIAMS: I have a few wraps going on (laughter). Tapings. Q. It was impressive the way you pulled off the semifinals despite the injury. What do you account for this new level of motivation and standard? VENUS WILLIAMS: What was accounted? Q. Yeah, what was the motivation and what inspired you to raise your game and improve on everything? What is your target? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't understand. Q. You want to be the best player, obviously. But were there any other things that motivated you to work this hard on your game and then to get out of the semifinals despite your injury? VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, obviously, I want to be the best player that I can be. And I've been at the top of the tennis rankings, and still feel that I'm at the top, doing well. A lot of times it's a lot easier on the day that you injure yourself to keep playing, considering it's tougher after, after the day or after the fact, to recover. I mean, I knew what I was in for. Here I am. Q. Serena was saying you showed that you were even tougher than she thought. Did you prove anything to yourself or did you know you could handle the situation? VENUS WILLIAMS: Did I prove anything to myself? Q. Yeah, about yourself. Did you learn anything about yourself? She said she learned a lot about you. VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess I better think about it then. I'll ask her what she learned about me that I didn't learn. Q. Do you think now that Serena will do the shopping now that you can take a rest? Do you think you can persuade her to go out and do the shopping for you? VENUS WILLIAMS: Shopping? Oh, the grocery shopping. No (laughter). Q. The injury occurred first in Warsaw. Did it ever disappear? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, the injury occurred first in Warsaw, and it was hard to pinpoint because I think so many muscles had spasmed that no one was really sure where it was or which muscle it was or why. And I calmed down a lot. I calmed down a lot. Toward the French Open, I was okay. It was on and off. I had good days and bad days, basically. Q. But you never considered taking a break? VENUS WILLIAMS: I did, I took -- Q. I mean a long break, a longer one? VENUS WILLIAMS: I took about two and a half weeks off before the French Open, hence my bad game there. Maybe I should have played. Q. Where do you think you stand, it's only two weeks away from the Fed Cup, you've taken two weeks off as you said before? VENUS WILLIAMS: Are there two weeks? One week. Q. One week. Do you think you can be ready for that? Will you probably need to rest? VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I guess theoretically there are two weeks until the tie. Q. Right. VENUS WILLIAMS: Until the weekend. Q. Right. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I don't know. I haven't given it much thought until she asked me about it the other day. I love the Fed Cup. I'd love to be there. But it's definitely gonna be a stretch. Q. When do you think you have to let Billie know? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think she's here. I saw her today. So I'll probably talk to her, if I can find her. Q. Is this the strangest of the finals that you guys have played because of the injury? Does it feel different? Was it really just like the other few that you guys have played together, Grand Slams? VENUS WILLIAMS: Each final is different. All the circumstances are always different. Sometimes you come in the better player, sometimes you know you're not playing as good as the next one. Obviously, this wasn't much different because of the circumstances, but, still, it was a good final. Q. You said the other day that you were taught at an early age not to play with pain. Could you recall when, how you were told that? Was it your father, other people telling you not to play? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, my mom and dad. They never let us play in pain. Q. What's the reasoning behind it? VENUS WILLIAMS: Because, first, you shouldn't learn to do those kinds of things, you just end up, I think, in a deeper hole than before. Second, is because they didn't want us to think that the game was so important that you have to be in pain to play. Q. What is it like going out to play a match you know you're almost certainly not going to be able to win? VENUS WILLIAMS: (Laughing) whoa... Q. Because of the injury. VENUS WILLIAMS: I look in the sky and I hope to see an angel (laughter). I don't know, I just knew I had to give it a shot. I couldn't look back 10 years from now and say, "What if?" Basically, that was a lot of my motivation behind it. I knew I had to at least walk out on the court. Q. You said that you felt like you had to take one for the team and go out there because of all the history. If you'd been playing someone else other than your sister, do you think maybe you would have said, "I can't play"? VENUS WILLIAMS: For sure, I think I would have felt a lot less pressure, but predominantly I don't let anyone's ideas or influence, influence me at all. But... Q. You felt pressure to play? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. Q. Because it was your sister? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. Q. Because of everything that had happened? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think so, yeah. Q. If there were two young sisters, perhaps talented athletes, would you suggest they took up two different sports? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I don't think so. Serena and I have had a great time on tour, definitely. I've got the built-in doubles partner, the built-in hitting partner, the built-in motivator. If I don't bring my brush, she has hers. Vice versa. It's a good thing, definitely. Q. When you see each other in the morning and she says, "How are you feeling?" Do you not give her the full report because she's a competitor? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know what the exact thinking was on that. I left earlier than she did today. I knew I needed more time to prepare than she did. Q. Is the feeling different after this defeat at Serena's hands because of the injury than the other ones in Grand Slams? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, it's still not very good... It's still the same. I still feel, "What if I had put more balls in?" It definitely feels different. Q. After you'd beaten Petrova and Zvonareva, there were a lot of people who thought you were playing the best tennis in the tournament. Do you feel somehow cheated because of this injury? VENUS WILLIAMS: Basically, it was -- it was the thing I dreaded happening the most at this tournament, and it was something that I knew could happen because I wasn't 100 percent. But I didn't expect it, actually. But I knew that these things could -- this is life, this is how it is sometimes.

V. Williams - Day 10 Thursday, July 3, 2003 V. WILLIAMS/K. Clijsters 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 MODERATOR: Can we have your questions, please, for Venus Williams. Q. How is your injury? VENUS WILLIAMS: How is it, I don't know. I'm just... I'm doing okay, I guess. Good enough. Q. To what extent was it affecting you out there? VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, I definitely could feel pain out there, especially in that first set. I think really I just panicked. I just didn't know if I could play, if I was going to be able to hit, and I couldn't calm myself down. I think that, more than anything, than the injury, lost me the first set. I mean more than playing bad, more than maybe the pain, that I just couldn't calm down about it. Q. Were you surprised that you couldn't calm down? I don't even know if you've ever been in a situation like that. VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I don't know, because I just knew from the first time that I pulled it, like a few weeks ago that -- how I couldn't play, and I didn't know -- I just didn't know, I couldn't calm down, basically. So finally the rain came and took my mom and four sisters to get me to calm down. Q. What did they say to help you pull yourself together? What did you tell yourself too, then? VENUS WILLIAMS: I just -- basically, I had to accept that it happened to me. I think that's what it was. I didn't really want to accept that this was happening again. I didn't want to accept that I was probably going to have to play with pain. There was a lot of things -- I was pretty much in denial, I think. I just couldn't get through it, that set. My mom, Serena helped. Serena talked to me in the locker room. The trainers helped me calm down some. So I was able to get my head straight at least. Q. I'd like to talk to you about your lovely outfit, which I found very refreshing change and much more feminine than usual. Can you tell me, it has the flavor of the '50s about it. Do you find it at all restricting when you swing the racquet? Do you find the fuller skirt gets in the way of the swing of the racquet at all? That's the first thing. VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I don't think so. I was a little concerned actually in the first match because it was so flowy. But I just kind of flick it out the way in between the points. Q. Your racquet has never touched it? VENUS WILLIAMS: It may have, I don't know. It's really so much fun to wear that dress, though. Q. Do you have several dresses like that, or are they all the same type? VENUS WILLIAMS: Several dresses...? I have like six or seven with me. Q. And they're all the same with the lattice work at the back, etc. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes. Q. Is it your own design? VENUS WILLIAMS: It's half my own design. I wasn't the whole catalyst behind it. Q. Can we buy it somewhere? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm just not sure where, especially here in England. Q. It's got your name in it? VENUS WILLIAMS: (Smiling). Q. Were you feeling the injury before that point at all, or everything was fine? VENUS WILLIAMS: Which point? Q. Where you kind of pulled yourself on it in the first set, or had you come into the match feeling it? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I didn't come into the match feeling anything. I was really just playing normal. Kim played some good games, but they all were very close. I was normal, ready to play. And, you know, once that happened, that became a factor. Not only was I trying to beat Kim, but I was trying to... It was just a tough match at that point. Q. With all the experience that you have facing your sister in finals, how has your approach evolved? How is it different today than it was for previous matches? VENUS WILLIAMS: How is it different? Oh, I don't know. I have no idea. It's still a Wimbledon final, so there's a lot at stake for our careers, at least. But I'd like to think at least I'm a better player by now. Q. But she's won the last four times that you've met in this situation. VENUS WILLIAMS: Uh-hmm. Q. How has your approach changed during those matches and how might it be different for Saturday? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think the times that I was -- I mean, all four of those times, it was at least close. It wasn't a total blowout. I know that at times I made mistakes at the wrong time. Basically, she just played better than me. Sometimes you have to concede that. Q. What was it that your family members said to you that helped you sort of regroup? VENUS WILLIAMS: My mom said, you know, just -- what did she say? She said, "If you're gonna play, play. If you not gonna play, you know, pull out. If you gonna hurt it more, don't play. You've already been fighting with this a long time." My other sisters were there chiming in. I was trying to take it all in (laughing). Q. Did you consider pulling out? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I couldn't. Not at this point. I had to play it out at least, whether I -- whatever happened, I was gonna play it out. Q. Do you have any concern you might be less than 100 percent for Saturday at this stage? VENUS WILLIAMS: Not really. If I'm less than 100 percent, I'll still be out there. But I don't think my strain is as worse -- as bad as the first time. Q. Have you been advised to rest tomorrow and not practice or just go about what would be your normal strategy for a pre-final? VENUS WILLIAMS: I probably won't hit until late in the afternoon, but I just wouldn't feel comfortable if I didn't hit at all. I think if I'm gonna play, I have to prepare in the same way. I probably won't hit as many serves, no overheads, probably not extreme, high-intensity level, but I'll still hit. Q. Have you ever played a major match like this with as much pain? VENUS WILLIAMS: As a rule, I never play with pain. I generally retire immediately. I've never been taught to play with pain. My parents always told us to put the racquet in the bag, go off the court. I just felt this time -- I just wanted to win, basically. Q. What do you think about your performance of getting through this match? VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, Kim was playing so well, returning so many balls - you know, hitting lots of great shots and getting lots of balls back and playing generally very well. So I felt very good about getting through the match. Q. I guess I was thinking more in terms of the inner drive, the courage to keep going. What do you think of yourself for doing that? VENUS WILLIAMS: It was -- I just kept telling myself, "Venus, do what you doing in practice. If you win, lose, draw, fall off, fall down, whatever, just do what I was taught to do." Really, that was what was in my mind. I was still down a second set and just made sure I stayed calm and didn't get, you know, upset about the situation, that I couldn't play with full force. And then after a while I decided, you know, "If I'm gonna be out here, I'm gonna still serve big." At times I did serve slower than what I usually do, but I really wanted to just do everything I could do at that point. Q. At what time did you get the impression, "I can actually win here"? VENUS WILLIAMS: I never thought I could lose (laughing). I never -- I never had that in my mind frame. Obviously, I realized that I was playing a very good player, very talented, and that if I didn't play better, that would be the ultimate. But I didn't really think that. Q. You said this time you just really wanted to win so you kept going. Tomorrow -- Saturday, do you feel that same kind of fire, that it's different from maybe other times that you really want to win? VENUS WILLIAMS: I say what was the difference between this match and any other matches, I really wanted to win. I never retired out of a Grand Slam match and I just felt I couldn't do it. Obviously, if I got to the point where I really just was feeling really just horrible, awful and awful, I would hang up the racquet. I'm no fool. But I felt that I could try. I'm really just glad that the third set didn't go any further. I was really blessed that I was able to get those games quickly. Q. Are you going to need more will than usual in the final then because you are going to be injured? VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, it doesn't stop me from running, that's good the thing. I can still run. I can still hit the ground strokes pretty fairly well, at least at this point. Q. Considering the injury, do you think that was actually your best performance of the year so far? VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, I don't know. I've had some good matches here at this tournament, and I'm telling you, each one counts. If I didn't win that third round, I wouldn't be in the semifinals. If I didn't win that semifinal, I wouldn't be in the final. All my matches, I've been quite happy with how I've played. Q. Your sister said that you're playing the best tennis of the tournament so far. To have such an endorsement from the person you'll be playing in the final, what does that mean to you? VENUS WILLIAMS: Pardon me? Q. To have such an endorsement of the person you'll be playing in the final... VENUS WILLIAMS: I'd like to think I was playing best, too. But in the end, it doesn't matter about the whole tournament or what happened behind. It's about performing at that moment and playing better than that - whoever you're playing against at that moment and rising to the occasion. So that's really what it will take. Q. Do you think Serena is going to have a hard time separating on Saturday playing her opponent who might have an injury she could exploit? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think so (smiling). Q. How come? VENUS WILLIAMS: This is the Wimbledon final. If I'm lame and injured, that's not her problem, really. Q. She's just gonna go after you? VENUS WILLIAMS: Better for her. Q. Is she just gonna go after you? VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, definitely. If I'm playing an opponent that's injured... Really, I don't see my opponent across the net. I just see the ball. I can't control what they're doing on their side; I can only control what I'm doing on my side. So that's really how I see it. If they're injured, I hope it doesn't become something horrible, but there's nothing I can do about it. That's probably how she feels. Q. Can you describe the pain a little bit and when it hurt the most. Was it on the serves? A sharp thing? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, on the serve, just the reaching up and then just on the ground strokes when you're , oh... Q. It's every time you hit the ball? VENUS WILLIAMS: After a while, I mean, you start to block it out. But especially once I started a service game again, and then once the return games, I would have a chance to like recover until the next service game. Q. So during the rain delay they just wrapped you up? VENUS WILLIAMS: Iced and they looked at me all over and saw, you know, if I was compensating somewhere else. Just helped me out. They wrapped me real tight. I think that helped. Q. What did the trainer do on the court, actually? Did she give you some pain-free drugs or anything? VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, no drugs, no. (Inaudible.) Q. What did she do on the court? VENUS WILLIAMS: What did I do? Q. What did she do? VENUS WILLIAMS: Basically, I got a tape job, but it wasn't as comprehensive as after the rain delay, because obviously there's more time. And some advice, she told me to breathe deeply and try to calm down and all that. Didn't work immediately, but it still helped. Q. Taped you here? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, in the stomach area. Q. How does your level of confidence, when you play Serena, compare with when you play everybody else? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think my level of confidence just depends on how well I'm playing and how much I've been training before the tournament, too. I really never -- really concerned with who's across the net. I'm only concerned if I know that I'm messing up badly. Then I'm concerned with that, because I know I have to fight against myself in the match much more than what's necessary. So maybe through all the matches I played, the only thing that may worry me, is if I know I'm not playing well. Q. Was your stomach bothering you at all through this tournament, or really it just hit you today? VENUS WILLIAMS: On and off. You know, I had like good days then bad days. I mean, not really bad, but just on and off. Q. Some of the men's players like Ferrero have said it's hard to get rid of a stomach strain. It can come back and haunt you at times. VENUS WILLIAMS: That's what I found out (laughing). Q. What can you do to try to address it? Have the doctors told you a way to avoid it in some way? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I don't know. I kind of feel like I should be through this by now, personally. But that's not the way life always is, huh? But I have to start looking at other areas, seeing if maybe my back is tight or if there's other reasons why I haven't been able to get better as much as, you know, why I'm not pain-free at this point.

Venus Williams - Day 7 Monday, June 30, 2003 Q. That was pretty impressive. VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, thank you. Thank you. Q. How did you feel about it yourself? VENUS WILLIAMS: To be honest, you know, was really nice to have a win but I did feel like I would have liked to have played better. I think this is, you know, one of my first days I was a little bit off on my game, but it's impossible to play perfect every match. So now, I guess maybe a little bit of a relief that I've had a little of an off match, so the rest of the matches I can be on. Q. You didn't feel she played really well? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think she played well, you know. She did some good shots and stuck in there. We had some really good rallies. Fortunately, most of them went my way. Q. Could you talk a bit about what it means to beat her after losing to her in Paris? VENUS WILLIAMS: What it means is I'm in the quarter-finals now. Q. Nothing at all that's meaningful? VENUS WILLIAMS: That's in the past. I think the circumstances were different in both matches. Last time she was a better player, despite anything that might have happened. And this time, you know, was nice that I was able to be able to win. Q. Were you aware of the Court 2 reputation as being a place where the seeds tend to have trouble? Did you think about that? VENUS WILLIAMS: I like Court 2. I'm okay with that (smiling). Q. You had a bit of trouble with the serving at times. Was it the wind or was it technique? VENUS WILLIAMS: The serving? Q. Yeah? VENUS WILLIAMS: As far as...? Q. The double double. VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, that was one game. Q. Yeah. VENUS WILLIAMS: I thought I did okay. Especially when I needed some points or had a breakpoint against me, I came up with some nice serves. But the double double, maybe I rushed a little too much in that game. Q. Was it gusty out there, windy? VENUS WILLIAMS: Sometimes it's gusty, yeah. You just have to stay on your toes. Q. Lindsay is up next. Talk about that match. VENUS WILLIAMS: I haven't played her in a while. I don't know, when's the last time I played her. But definitely that's what it all builds up to, getting matches, important matches. I feel I'll be ready. Q. What have you made of the way her game is coming back to the way it was before injury problems? VENUS WILLIAMS: Lindsay, I think she's playing very good tennis. I think she's playing just as good as ever. And, you know, maybe she hasn't won as much as she'd like, but she's playing very well. Q. Can she win this tournament? VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, it's anyone's tournament, sure. But, obviously, I'll be fighting against the odds for that. Q. Can you go back to Wimbledon 2000 when you beat her. She had gotten you pretty good the years prior to that. You beat her there. After that, you completely turned the rivalry on its head in your favor. VENUS WILLIAMS: It was tough. I think at that point I was down 3-9 in the series. I don't know what it was, 1-8, something very one-sided for her. At that point it was the Wimbledon final, it didn't matter if she had won 20-0 for me. It didn't matter to me. I was in the finals and ready to play. Those are nice times, especially for me to think back on them. Q. Since that time, she was mentioning it today, she feels like, you know, from '99 to 2000 you took a big jump in your game. VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess I got a little older, had a couple years on tour where I'd learned a lot and won some matches and made some mistakes sometimes, too. And all in all, those were good years, but I learned a lot from them. Q. Your father was saying yesterday he wants to take you both around to the Museum again to remind you, look in the face of champions. Do you think you've become complacent or are you as hungry as ever? VENUS WILLIAMS: Definitely not complacent. I think you have to find the right balance between being very motivated and being not so motivated that you push too hard and you don't succeed. So that's also another problem for many players. So I have to find the right balance of just confidence and staying calm and executing. Q. So your father doesn't have to be worried about you? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think so. Q. Is it difficult to find that balance? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think so. Especially once you're able to find that balance, it's easy to understand how to get back to that balance or maintain, especially for me. Q. During your first four matches here, what's been the common denominator? What have you been happiest with about your game? What do you think you need to raise for what lies ahead? VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, what I've been happiest about I guess is that I've just really stuck to my game plan when I walk out on the court. I've been pretty happy about my service returns also. Q. When you were at Fed Cup, you really enjoyed it. Lindsay was saying earlier that Billie Jean King told her she could not come on Tuesday, even though she needed to be at her mother's surgery on Monday. Do you feel Billie Jean’s rules are too strict? What do you feel about Billie Jean King as a coach? VENUS WILLIAMS: Billie Jean is definitely a great coach. I love working with her the weeks that I'm at Fed Cup. Sometimes it is tough to be there a whole week for the weekend matches, and I think that probably affects the decisions of some players to play Fed Cup or not. Q. There were times when you were slightly distracted today. Obviously you had your chair turned sideways, as you do. Do you feel like there were any sort of security problems that were distracting you or making you lose your concentration? VENUS WILLIAMS: No. Q. Affect your game in any way? VENUS WILLIAMS: No. Q. At Fed Cup, Billie Jean King told me that she felt like it wasn't a habit for you to go to net and make that commitment, that she's worked with you on that. Do you feel like you've been putting her and Zina Garrison’s information about serve and volleying to use here? VENUS WILLIAMS: That's a really good place for me, but I guess the problem is I'm so comfortable at the baseline that - and I feel so confident always at the baseline that sometimes it's hard to change a winning combination. But I definitely get in there when it's important, I think. Q. Lindsay was talking about how your relationship with her, the two of you, have evolved over the years. You're on the board together, you're pretty friendly. Can you talk about that yourself, how you feel about her. VENUS WILLIAMS: Evolved? Q. Evolved, from when you first met her to where it is now. VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, I've always liked Lindsay but when I see her, we say hello, have a conversation and I don't think there's much more to it. Q. Do you feel closer to her now than you do when you first came on tour? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't understand the line of questioning. Q. Meaning more friendly? VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, do you ask Andre if he's close to another player? Q. Sure. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I don't really understand the line of questioning. Q. The Russians got a little bit of a spanking today. Do you think we all kind of overplay the rise of the Russians or do you think they'll be a big force? VENUS WILLIAMS: If you've overplayed the rise of the Russians, I don't know. I haven't really been paying too much attention to what's being written. Q. Do you think they will be a big force in the next five years? VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess so. I can't really gauge who's going to do what, besides of course myself. But it's nice to see them doing so well. They have a lot of very interesting players and a lot of different game styles. All of them are very motivated. Q. Is the specific goal for you and your sister to win Fed Cup this year? VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I'm going to be in the - I've committed to play the tie that's coming up now, so obviously I would like to win that tie. And then after that, we'll have to see. Q. If possible, on home ground? VENUS WILLIAMS: What? On home ground? The tie now, or the tie later? Q. The next. VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, I don't know where it will be. Q. Would you prefer it to be played in the States? VENUS WILLIAMS: I would prefer it to be played in the States, yeah. Q. Could you talk about how you enjoy the whole Wimbledon experience now compared with when you first came as a young girl and it was all kind of very famous and you were a little bit in awe of it. VENUS WILLIAMS: I love to play on the grass. My first year of course was very tough. I had to wait quite a few days to play the first round, then I didn't win the first round. That wasn't fun or easy. But I've come a long way since that time and it's been all good. Q. Can you enjoy it more now? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think the important thing is for sure to enjoy it more, to enjoy the tennis more. If it comes to be something about winning and that kind of thing, I don't think it works out well. For myself, if I'm enjoying the tennis and of course winning at the same time, it's a perfect combination. Q. Do you see the crowd's attitudes towards you changing over the years? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think I'm just like any other player, I have fans. Just like any other player, I'm a favorite for some people and not the favorite for others. Q. Do you find you're getting slightly more fans as the years go by? It's happened to lots of foreign players over the years, as they come here, you get more into the crowd's affections? VENUS WILLIAMS: It's hard to say. I'm -- it's hard to say from the inside looking out, to be honest. __________________

Venus Williams - Day 5 Friday, June 27, 2003 Q. You looked very assured, very comfortable out there. How do you feel it went today? VENUS WILLIAMS: I feel it went really well. I really felt that I could have put maybe some more pace on the ball. But I definitely was trying to stick to my game plan. I knew I was also up against a really good player. I know she's been out injured for the last year, so that makes her even more eager to do well at a tournament like this. Q. She also did quite well at the French. Were you surprised she didn't perhaps offer more problems for you? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think it was any of her fault at all, I don't think. I think I just had a really good day out there. I just had all the right shots. I guess there will be other times when she'll definitely do better against me. Q. When is the last time you felt like you just had all the right shots, and from the very beginning you were just making it impossible for your opponent to do anything? VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess Wednesday (smiling). Q. You must be delighted that you've come back after a little bit of a break after the French, seem to be right into top form? VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, I'm a professional tennis player. There are no excuses for me. I have to perform. If I have a bad day, it's a bad day, but I come back stronger. Q. You said your form today was just as good as it was Wednesday, but a different kind of opponent today: more dangerous, reached the semis at Roland Garros. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, definitely a different kind of opponent, but I felt they have the same game: very flat hitters, both of them had nothing to lose against me and both were going to come out against me and go for broke. I do realize that when I play against certain kinds of players, whereas other players may think they have a chance, so they might not go for as much. Q. Was your rhythm as good as it was before the injury now? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think better. I really definitely focused on my game, worked really hard. I guess I'm just doing a lot better, to sum it up. Q. Do you find your other interests, with your interior design business, that it helps you when you've had a shock result, had to take time out with injury? VENUS WILLIAMS: No. Definitely I work a lot harder when I haven't had the results that I wanted. I don't know if it has anything to do with my interests. I think it has something to do with I really want to play, and I want to play well, and I want to be my best. And also that, I really realise I'm extremely fortunate and extremely blessed. I'm 23 years old, travelling the world. It just doesn't happen. It just happens to a handful of players. Q. Do you feel much more comfortable on grass than you do on clay? VENUS WILLIAMS: Not really. The grass definitely has a shorter point and less of a chance for my opponent. I think with the clay courts, if someone has less skill, then they have more of a chance to do better on that surface. But for me, I feel I have a very good chance on any surface. Q. Sorry to ask you, but could you possibly enlighten us at all on newspaper reports about a possible stalker? VENUS WILLIAMS: First thing, I just do not read the newspapers. I don't even look at the headlines or the pictures. I haven't seen anything this week. Keeps my mind clear from any nonsense and gossip and hearsay, what have you. So I don't really know anything about that. My agent called me last night about something, but I was quite tired by then, it was 10 or 11 after that doubles match. I don't think I heard it all. Q. You're not aware of a stalker at all? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, not really. Q. What are you going to do on your day off? VENUS WILLIAMS: Definitely rest. I really have been working hard the last two weeks, just before the tournament and at this tournament. I really have to make sure I stay healthy. Q. No sight-seeing? VENUS WILLIAMS: I wish. I'd love to hit a few museums, but that's not what I'm here for. Q. Do you keep in touch with the design business on a daily basis or do you talk to Bonnie? VENUS WILLIAMS: I haven't called this week. I've been meaning to. I'm at the point now where I really don't have to call every day. If I go in the office, there isn't really a lot for me to do any more. I just whittle my fingers when I'm there. Now I'm at the point where I just kind of do a review and a monitoring, looking at the design projects; and when I'm at home, contributing to design projects as far as the design. But now it's kind of I don't have to really do very much because it's being done. So that's nice. But I want to call today (smiling). Q. How is this fourth round match-up different to the French, other than the surface? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think it's a lot different. Definitely the circumstances are a lot different. It's nice for her to have the win at the French Open. Obviously, it wasn't nice for me. Even if I had won that match, I don't see where I would have been able to do very much at the French, to be honest. I tried to do what I could do, but I just wasn't ready. Q. How much better prepared are you now? VENUS WILLIAMS: Definitely better prepared. But, you know, every match is different, and I'm still going to have to play my best tennis no matter who it is or what surface. Q. What's the explanation and the message behind the fact that the top prize money leaders amongst women have earned more this year than the top prize money amongst men, which is Juan Carlos Ferrero? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't even know because I didn't know that fact at all. I don't look at all of that. I guess I look at the results more or less, my results. I don't look at the ranking points at all or the prize money or anything. Q. Is there room in tennis for a week-in and week-out atmosphere like Fed Cup, where instead of these very respectful, rather quiet crowds, you have a more rowdy crowd that's more like what you see in other sports? Do you think that would help you guys as entertainers? What are your thoughts on that? VENUS WILLIAMS: I really don't think so because people who like tennis will like tennis whether it's rowdy or not. Also I think there's a certain feeling when it's quiet - especially on an important point, you hear the ball going back and forth. That's really enjoyable to hear. But I think people like tennis because they like tennis. Q. Clearly the crowds are getting a little more rowdy, you're starting to see some people applaud double-faults and such. Can you talk about when you see that happening, how you feel?> VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't give it much thought on the court, especially if I won the match. I move right on. But obviously in tennis it's considered rude to applaud double-faults. Q. Is there certain edge when you play a player who has beaten you last time... VENUS WILLIAMS: Is there a certain? Q. Is there an edge, a more sense of occasion perhaps than normal? VENUS WILLIAMS: Could be, could be. But I wasn't even really upset with myself at the French Open, to be honest. I didn't even consider what she had done. I made like 70 unforced errors. I don't think I'll do that on the next round. That was definitely the death of me. I wasn't really upset. I definitely gave it my all, did what I could do, had a fairly decent showing, I guess. Q. She said this morning that she's going to go into this match with a decent amount of confidence. She understands it's a different surface, but she feels like she can play with you nonetheless. Talk about her game, her strengths and weaknesses, all of that. VENUS WILLIAMS: I think she has a solid, all-around game, just does everything pretty well. Q. Is she just kind of a basic, average player to you, or do you think she's really someone to look out for?> VENUS WILLIAMS: Look out for as far as? Q. She's ranked No. 16 now. Maybe someone who can come into the Top 10, make a real impact. VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, definitely, it could happen. I haven't seen her play enough to like really understand what she could be. Definitely not analysing that every day. But it's really all up to any player to maximize on their full potential. Anyone could be in the Top 10 or No. 1 or win Grand Slams, you just have to do it. Q. So you weren't necessarily overwhelmed by her shot-making in Paris. You feel it was pretty much you making errors? VENUS WILLIAMS: Definitely. It was very hard for me at the French Open. I really wasn't prepared. It was just a real fight against myself. I think she definitely, maybe towards the end, ran down a few balls, and I made even more errors. But it was good for me also, the way she stuck in there, even when she was down. She definitely displayed some good qualities out there at the French. Q. How much do you notice the real rush of young Russian players coming in in the locker room, draw sheet? How much does that get into your consciousness? VENUS WILLIAMS: Not really in the consciousness, but I do realize there are a lot of players here I don't even know just coming through. So I have to get familiar with them all. After a while, even learn how to pronounce some of their names, especially the ones with the consonants together, like the girl in the first round. I couldn't pronounce her name. But they're very good. They're very good players. They're very eager. That's nice to see. It reminds me when I first came on tour, I was ready to, you know, the world was ahead of me. Q. There's a feeling, some of them have said it's a good way, not to get out, but things aren't so easy where they're from. It's a good way to sort of make something of yourself. Is that something you can relate to? Does that make sense to you? VENUS WILLIAMS: Definitely makes sense to me. I don't think I can relate to where they come from, for sure. I don't think I could come to understand unless maybe they explained it to me. But just for anyone, any young person coming up in the world, unless your parents finance you and hold your hand all the way, it's pretty rough. Q. There's been another report which you may not have seen where your father was quoted in the New York Times saying he can't wait for you and Serena to get out of the game. Do you know what he may have meant by that? VENUS WILLIAMS: No. Q. Are you aware of the comments? VENUS WILLIAMS: No. Q. Are you looking forward to a day when you aren't playing tennis?> VENUS WILLIAMS: No (laughter). Q. A year ago I asked you how you rewarded yourself for a good day on court. You said you would have to come back for an answer when I thought of one. Have you got one yet? VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess I don't really award myself. The win is award enough.

Venus Williams - Day 3 Wednesday, June 25, 2003 Q. The backhand cross-court shot you delivered at 3-3 seemed to ignite your game. Can you talk about that? VENUS WILLIAMS: That was just a wonderful shot. I was just trying to run for every ball and go for everything. I just tried to do what it took. That was real, real fun. But she was really serving well and trying to put the pressure on, so it was real close in that first part of the set. Q. Did that get you in a groove, get your mind set differently? VENUS WILLIAMS: That definitely helped. I think that point was 15-Love or 40-Love. I don't know. But it helped me definitely break her serve for the first time in the match. Q. How is your fitness, the stomach, all the various problems you've had? Are you okay now? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm feeling good, you know. I'm going out for the doubles later. Really what I have to do is just soak myself in ice (laughter), warm up those stiff joints because I'm older than what I used to be at 23. Q. How much of yourself do you put in ice? VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, just depends if it's a good day or a bad day, just like any other player, icing just to make sure that nothing happens or flares up. Q. After some disappointments coming into this tournament, how are you feeling right now about your game, with two wins behind you? VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm definitely feeling good about my game. I feel good about myself at all times. That's enough for me. Q. You seem to show so little emotion out there on the court, until you actually win, then the smiles come out. Can you tell us what's going on inside? VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm definitely competing for every point. I'm definitely trying to focus. I understood how she would come out and play me. I've played her before and I've seen her play other top players also. So I knew she'd come out and give it her all, go for broke, so I had to be ready for that. Q. Is it fair to say that you're not the most emotional player on court? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, nothing really bothers me on court, mistakes or anything else. But I'm just really trying to think my way through the match. Q. I know this place is special to you. What would getting back on top here mean to you? VENUS WILLIAMS: That's definitely not my focus at this point. For sure the third round at this point, the doubles first round. I think I'm not going to put any pressure on myself to have to win a title. I know that I have the ability to win anywhere that I play, so I'll just have to go out there and play better than the next person every single time. Q. The American tennis innovator Gladys Heldman died the other day. What did you know about her and what are your thoughts about her? VENUS WILLIAMS: Gladys Heldman, she was definitely part of the beginning of the women's tennis tour. I guess what I know most about her is what I read in books. I think I had a chance to meet her once. I didn't know that she passed away. I'm sorry. Q. Recent history. The Chris-Martina era, were you more of a Chrissy person or Martina person? VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, that was kind of before my memory started (laughter). I remember them. I don't really remember them ever playing each other. Q. Do you have any sort of feeling about being more like either one of them? VENUS WILLIAMS: I definitely consider myself a Martina, just a go-getter, more aggressive. But also I guess I'm like Chris, too, you know, I'm not really emotional out there on the court. But both are real champs. What I remember is Chris' last match. That's what I remember of her career. Martina, I guess in the '90s is when I really start remembering stuff. I was eight, nine, six, in the '80s, so it was hard. Q. Chris had that more of glam image, marriage to another tennis player. Martina did so much about making the game more physically fit. Have those two merged now? Are most players kind of a combination? VENUS WILLIAMS: I have no idea. I'm just doing my best every day to play good, look good, whatever it takes (laughter). Q. Is it important for you to do both? VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, for sure. For me, it's important. I don't know about anyone else. I think for Serena it's very important. Q. How come? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think we were taught to try to look good. You know, my mom. If you don't look your best, someone else will. Q. Can you imagine 20 years from now a young player being in your seat, "When you were growing up, were you in the Venus camp or the Serena camp?" Is that something you can imagine? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think it will happen. It will happen. It's a long time from now. I guess you guys will still be here - I won't (laughter). Q. What would be the Venus camp and what would be the Serena camp? What traits? VENUS WILLIAMS: Pretty similar, I think. I think there's a few places where it could be different. I guess whoever would pick who would just have a natural affinity towards myself or Serena just because whatever. Q. How do you feel about being overtaken by the Belgian girls in the world rankings? VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, it's never fun to be No. 4, especially if you've been No. 1 before. I just wasn't able to keep up with the amount of tournaments they played, I guess, to sum it up. Q. Does it give you extra sort of determination now to get back? VENUS WILLIAMS: I'll do my best to get back in the rankings. I'm not going to significantly -- I'm not going to play 25 tournaments. I just wouldn't be able to. I think I'd die on the court. But I do plan on playing consistently year after year, which is extremely important also. Q. How do you feel about the treatment that Serena got in Paris? I know it's sort of away from today's game. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I didn't see the match, but I heard a whole lot about it, and not just from I guess -- I guess, mostly from fans also. Everyone who comes up to me tells me how they thought it was terrible. They've been really supportive about just Serena and myself in general also. So that's been nice. But, you know, I guess I'll have to talk to Serena about it, how to handle those situations. I didn't see the match. I'm sure she handled it well as far as her tennis, but there are probably some things you can do to calm the crowd down. Q. How has the fitness of the players changed since you've been on tour? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think for sure the fitness changed a lot. I think a lot of it had to do with Serena and I because, you know, I was like 16, I came out hitting these 116 serves, running and jumping like no tomorrow, then everyone else started to realise, too, they had to up the serve and the pace. Then Serena burst on the scene and did just unbelievable things. This is always a good thing. I'm glad that I was able to be a leader in fitness and in tennis for women. I'm glad that other people have been able to take it to another level, and so will I have to keep taking it to another level to compete. Q. Why do you feel that you were booed when you left the court at Roland Garros? Some say it was because you turned down an interview with a popular French TV figure. VENUS WILLIAMS: Probably why, yeah. I don't see how so many people -- I guess he was there. I wasn't really thinking about an interview at all. Q. Serena said she felt you shouldn't have played at the French Open. She said it in a very supportive way. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes. Q. She wasn't expecting you to play doubles here because she felt you might not have been up to it or ready for it. Is that a fair assessment of your situation? VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, I still wouldn't change anything that I did. I wanted to play the French Open. I just had to. And as far as doubles here, it's another kind of thing I had to do. I love the doubles, especially at Wimbledon. And I miss the doubles. And I had to play. You know, for some reason if I can't continue or if it puts me in jeopardy for my singles, I'll have to make that decision at that point. But I just had to play. Usually I start out serving, so Serena will start out serving, so I'll have to hit less serves. Q. It will be a change? VENUS WILLIAMS: It will be a change, but I know she's up to it (smiling). Q. You mentioned your mother's influence. Was it nice having both your parents in the box today supporting you? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's definitely nice. I don't look up to the box a lot, but it's nice, especially if I'm down in a match, I can hear them saying, "Come on, Venus. Do better, Venus." Just to have that support, because at times you know how bad you're playing and you feel a little bit down because you know you can do better. But if you have someone, family, coach, what have you in the box telling you it's okay, it helps a lot. Q. It's been a while since they've both been there at the same time. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I don't think since like maybe in Miami. But I didn't stick around long there. Q. You mentioned when you burst onto the scene, you were hitting the ball hard, running around. Today for six games your opponent could stay with you, then you kind of went away. Do you sense the other girls are kind of still have some ground to make up? VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm not even sure. I'm just not super concerned about how the next player's training and hitting and what have you. But I think everyone, for sure, has gotten better as far as the physique and the service pace and athleticism, for sure. Q. You're a fashion person. If you got an assignment from Women's Wear Daily to compare your lovely white dress you're wearing with Serena's provocative cat suit at the US Open, what would be your key points in your story? VENUS WILLIAMS: Can I get back to you on that? Q. I'll ask again. Think about it. You're on deadline. VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm thinking about it, okay. Q. When you did first come on tour, you were hitting these serves, you weren't showing as much muscle. Serena has always been more muscular. Jennifer bulked up. People commented on that. Have you seen that kind of become more the norm? Do you think that's a good thing? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think everyone's definitely trying to get more stronger. I don't think necessarily bulkier. I don't think I could bulk up if I wanted to. I don't think I could. I could stay in the gym for the rest of my life, I'd never get bigger. So for me, my strength is just something natural, something I was born with, something from mom and dad really. Q. People are used to seeing a lot of the women players now stronger? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, as of recently I've seen a lot of players. Really just the tone and definition has gotten a lot more distinct. Q. Why do you think British women are performing so badly at the moment? VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, I've been listening to all the commentary on that. I have no idea. I've just wondered if there's enough playing opportunities because of the weather here and because of the winter, if there's enough indoor courts, what have you. I heard I think John Felgate, he was doing an interview, saying how a lot of the kids are in school, which is extremely important, but then they don't give enough time also to the tennis. As they get older, they have more time, but then it's maybe late. I'm not sure of the habits of the youngsters growing up here, so it's hard to comment on it. Q. Are you surprised at the results? VENUS WILLIAMS: Am I surprised? Q. Yes. VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess, you know, during the first few days, that's all there is on TV, the British tennis, so I've been able to watch the results. I like to watch any match, as long as it's a good match. Q. In the tournament, who is the one person to beat or is it open? VENUS WILLIAMS: One person to beat? I don't know if it's open. I think everyone's pretty much performed to a good level, at least on the part of the draw I'm in. I guess the person to beat is whoever I'm playing in the third round. Q. Is anyone frightening you so far? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, not at all. No, nothing to fear on the tennis court.

Venus Williams - Day 1 Monday, June 23, 2003 V. WILLIAMS/S. Hrozenska 6-2, 6-2 MODERATOR: Questions for Venus Williams. Who wants to start? Q. That seemed quite straightforward for a first match. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was a really good match out there. I was pretty happy with what was going on. It's always nice to have a good match in the first round. Q. How is the injury coming along? VENUS WILLIAMS: So far so good. I just have to not get crazy, especially in practice, not to overdo it, which is easy to do. Q. This was your first match on grass this season, is that correct? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes. Q. Have you been practicing on grass in the United States or did you come over here early and practice? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, in the States just on hard court. It rained so much where I'm living in Florida, the few grass courts that are, are usually drenched. I get over here early on the grass. Q. Did you find them any different from last year? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think so, no. I don't think I paid so much attention to that. I think I was just paying attention to the ball and how it bounces, but not really to the court. Plus each court is different, the match courts. Q. Do you find it quite easy to adjust from clay to grass? VENUS WILLIAMS: Sure, very easy to adjust for me from hard to clay, clay to grass. It's always okay for me. Q. Is that injury still affecting your serve? What is it specifically now? VENUS WILLIAMS: What is it specifically? Q. Yes. VENUS WILLIAMS: It was an abdominal -- abdominal strain (laughter). Oh, boy, stomach strain, whatever you want to say. Q. You were saying it was affecting your serve at the French. VENUS WILLIAMS: It was a tough time at the French. Those times are over. I'm looking forward to a new tournament. It's quite nice to be here, a lot healthier. Q. Does it affect your serve here at this new tournament? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think it affects my serve, no. Q. When you're not able to practice the way you'd like to because of the injury, does that affect your confidence in any way? VENUS WILLIAMS: For sure it affects your confidence. Definitely confidence comes from practice and knowing that you can do it in practice, that you can work on what you need to work on. That's always tough, to know that you can't get out there and do what you need to do to be prepared to even play. Q. Your dad said he senses that you have your old presence or aura back. I was wondering, do you feel that, too? If so, is it just being back on grass, being healthy? What do you attribute to that? VENUS WILLIAMS: My dad's always really positive, so he alway says nice things, especially if I'm not playing that well, so that way I can feel good. What do I think? I just have had a lot more time to prepare, always love grass, I'm having fun. But I enjoy playing tennis. I enjoy doing what I do. Each time I like to do better. So if there are times I'm not doing well, of course, I find out a way to do better each time. Q. Do you feel you have kind of like your mojo back, for lack of a better word? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know if I'd put it that way. Q. How would you put it? VENUS WILLIAMS: I just feel I'm playing a little bit better. But this is just one match. The next match I'll have to continue to play even better than today. So I'm not exactly focused on what's happened so far. Q. How would you characterize your reception today by the fans? Was it any different from other years you've played here? VENUS WILLIAMS: It was real nice. They were very nice. I noticed, at least in the first game, they clapped on my nice shots and they clapped on her nice shots. That's always nice. Really classy crowd today. Q. Is this your favorite Grand Slam tournament because of the fans, the tradition? VENUS WILLIAMS: Definitely one of my favorite Grand Slams because of all the good things that have happened to me here, and because also I love the grass. It's quite a lot of fun for me to play on it. But normally my favorite Grand Slam is the one I'm playing in at that moment. Q. Or the one you're winning? VENUS WILLIAMS: Hopefully. Q. What do you think about the fact that they've done away with the curtsy, the tradition part of it? VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I think that was one of the best parts of this tournament, was the tradition, and to be a part of it is always very nice. Hopefully they'll reconsider. Q. What did you like about the curtsying? Is it the fact that it's been going on for so long? VENUS WILLIAMS: It was just something that was automatic, and that was very nice. Q. It was a striking outfit you had on court. VENUS WILLIAMS: Thank you. Q. Can you tell us about that? Who designed it? VENUS WILLIAMS: Okay. It all started last year in December and November with Reebok and Diane von Furstenberg. We sat down and had a meeting and then there was a partnership between both of us or all of us. And from there on we started having drawings going back and forth. And finally this corset dress came into being. It was kind of a mixture. What I really wanted was it to be very fashion forward and for it to be just very eye-catching. I think the first designs were really, really nice, but it wasn't -- I was always pushing, pushing, pushing for something more out there. So then once this came to be, it was really nice. It was a process, just like everything else. Q. You helped design it yourself? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. I can't take all the credit, but I'll take half the credit. Q. Does somebody have to lace you into it? VENUS WILLIAMS: It's a pull-on. Q. It's false? VENUS WILLIAMS: It's easy to get into. Q. So you don't have to lace that every time? VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I don't buy things that you have to lace up. Q. What was Diane von Furstenberg like? VENUS WILLIAMS: She's really nice. She's a classy lady. The thing is I learned about her in fashion history at school. I've worn her dresses before I even met her, so that was quite nice. Q. Did you pick her or they picked her? VENUS WILLIAMS: Reebok had a new lady in marketing, and she of course brainstormed ideas to get the more creative designs, of course to get Reebok noticed a little bit more than what it already had been with outfits I was wearing. Q. Was she receptive to it in the beginning? This is not normally what you would think. VENUS WILLIAMS: Who? Q. Diane. VENUS WILLIAMS: I just didn't want to be the person who knew it all. Everywhere I go, of course, I'm new on the scene, and I don't like to tell someone else what to do, especially if they have more experience than me. If I had suggestions, I would gently put them forward. But the best part was I didn't have to wear anything that I wasn't happy with. So ultimately I think a lot of the design was definitely up to me. Q. This is not the type thing we know her for. VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, in a way it is kind of a thing that you do know her for because with her dresses, they have so much shape, movement and form. That's kind of the same thing that's happening with this dress, too. It's moving so much. It has really a beautiful shape and it's really very classy. That's really what Diane's all about. Q. The last time you won here, you were reading the latest Harry Potter novel. VENUS WILLIAMS: Was I? Q. Did you camp out and get the latest one? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I didn't. I don't know if I'm going -- I might be a little old now. I'm 23, I've got to really focus on things that are really going to enrich my life a little more (laughter). Q. You're going to give up the series in the middle? VENUS WILLIAMS: Is it book number four now? Q. Number five. VENUS WILLIAMS: Did I miss the fourth one? I don't know what's happening. Q. What are you reading? VENUS WILLIAMS: Right now? Q. Well, not right now. VENUS WILLIAMS: Sounds crazy, but I'm reading a textbook. It's called Apparel Manufacturing. Strange cookie. Q. For pleasure? VENUS WILLIAMS: I have the Steven King book called the -- the movie that Cathy Bates was in. Q. Misery? VENUS WILLIAMS: Dolores Claiborne. But I haven't read any of it yet. It's by the bedside. Q. Your mother was with you at the French, your father is here. Do you have a preference? Do they take turns? VENUS WILLIAMS: My mom is here, too. I love having my dad with me also. I like having them both. They both have different methods of teaching. Q. Who is more technical? VENUS WILLIAMS: They're both pretty technical. Q. Are you the type of person that will learn more when things aren't going as well as maybe they had in the past? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think, in my opinion, anyone learns more from mistakes and failures, when you fall. But when you're on the high and you're winning all the time, at least for me, a lot of times you don't really notice your mistakes because things are going well. Q. Are you saying you've become more introspective because you've had a tougher year? VENUS WILLIAMS: I would have loved to have had a better year, but it's not so bad. I would have liked to have played more tournaments. That's what I'm going to try doing the second half. I think it helps me be a little more competitive. I had to pull out of a couple because of various reasons, but I'm looking forward to playing a few more tournaments. Q. What do you think you're going to get out of playing Fed Cup at the end of the month? VENUS WILLIAMS: I thought you said, "When am I going to get out of it?" Q. No. VENUS WILLIAMS: I love working with Billie and Zina. At the last Fed Cup, I think it was - at least for me and maybe the whole team - the most fun yet, Fed Cup. We were at the dinner. Serena had a shoe on, the heel came off. Serena was sliding along. We really just had such a great time at Fed Cup. I mean, of course, being on the court with Billie and Zina is really the best part. The weekend of matches is always good, too. People really enjoy it, every time that I've played at least. Q. What does Billie do for your game? VENUS WILLIAMS: She's just really positive. She just loves tennis, she really does, more than any other person I've met that's a professional person. She really has a passion for it. She really understands the game. She'll say some things that my mom and dad probably have said a hundred times, but she'll say it in a different way, and I might get a few things every now and then. So that's nice. Q. Does she talk about the history, the struggles she went through in her time? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, she's really willing to share. The best part is you can get as much information and help. Billie is willing to help you 24 hours a day, she's a giving person and she's really honest. You don't get that a lot these days. That's the best part. She'll call and check on you, wish you happy birthday. She just wants to know you're okay. That's the best part. She doesn't have any ulterior motives. She doesn't want anything in return. Q. Security is a bit higher this year than it has been in the past. Do you have any particular concerns, stalkers, any other issues? VENUS WILLIAMS: No. She said I don't have to answer that. MODERATOR: Tennis questions. Q. What do you think about no curtsying? VENUS WILLIAMS: I wish there was a bow and a curtsy. Did you get here late? Q. As a two-time champion here, do you get impatient? Is there ever a point where you say, "Enough of this, I have to get started again, back to where I was"? Does it make you impatient to get the next one? VENUS WILLIAMS: I just know that I have to do what it takes to win a Grand Slam, and that isn't always a given. Also I think a lot of times too much emphasis is put on the Grand Slams also. There's a lot of wonderful WTA events that I love playing also. It's definitely where you put your priorities. I'd love to win here. Q. But you've not gotten frustrated? VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I think a lot of people would love to be in the position I'm in, to even have a chance to win a Grand Slam. Seeing that I am in that position, I'm not going to get wistful for other things. Q. Andre Agassi says every day he really believes he can actually play better than he's ever played before. Do you still feel that? VENUS WILLIAMS: I definitely relate to that. I definitely do. He should give me some pointers (laughter). I definitely understand what he means. I mean, at times I have to slow myself down and say, "Venus, every shot doesn't have to be the greatest and the best. Sometimes it's okay to hit a shot that's regular." I always believe that I can do more than what's normal. But I think that's what you have to believe. That's what I was taught to believe.

VENUS WILLIAMS after match with Amelie Mauresmo (6:7 /6/, 0:6, 0:3 ret.) It was a very nice week almost until the very end. I hope to win here some day. The final itself is a success even though I didn't manage to win this time. Maybe next year... How do I feel? Well the body is not perfect, but my spirit is. This is a new injury, it never happened to me before. I felt the pain in one spot at the beginning, but the spot was getting bigger and bigger. I wasn't able to hit any stroke - but the serve was worst. I felt the pain at the very end of first set, I thought it was stomach ache, so I asked for help, to finish the match. I don't know if I'll go to Berlin. My doctor told me not to do it, but the decision is mine. I'd like to come back here next year with Serena, but you know how it is with a younger sister... She doesn't always listen.

V. WILLIAMS/A. Cargill 6-3, 6-0 THE MODERATOR: Questions for Venus, please. Q. Did you feel you're in a groove now? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I tried my best to get into a rhythm more than anything else, just hit a lot of balls and get a nice rhythm going. And really that was my main goal tonight, besides of course to be the victor. Q. How do you think that was compared with your first match? VENUS WILLIAMS: I definitely think it was much better, definitely a lot less errors. I was playing a lot of good points in a row. I think also I was able to start being aggressive because I was more consistent. Q. DID the fact that it was close matches with top seeds have anything to do with the way you approach the match? VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I realize that any day could be my day to go home, so it's my intent to ensure that each day is not my day, and each day will be the day that I'll come back as the winner. Q. Do you see a reason why Serena had trouble in her first round, Capriati lost in the first round, Davenport wasn't comfortable today? VENUS WILLIAMS: It's just impossible to win every day. It's impossible to play your best every day. I think that some days, no matter who you are, you can be outplayed or your opponent can come out and play better tennis. So this is a game, and you have to go out there and be the best player. Some days you won't be. Q. So it's a coincidence that it's all three at the same time? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I don't think so. I just think that players they played played very well. Q. What happened to the necklace? VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I only wear it for special occasions. Q. We're not special? VENUS WILLIAMS: Press conference (smiling)? Q. The match was a special occasion. Was there something else? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, the match is a special occasion for me. I was enjoying myself out there a lot. Q. It looked like it might have come from Dubai. You told us you did do a little shopping there? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes, yes, I did. Yeah, it is. It is from Dubai. Q. Presumably, you could only wear it at night, not in the daytime, because the heat would be a problem, wouldn't it? VENUS WILLIAMS: I didn't think so. I didn't wear it in the last matches, I forgot it at the hotel. I was a little upset because it was part of my whole outfit - stop laughing - that I put together before I left home. So before I leave home, I look in the box and, you know, I pick out what I'm going to wear at that tournament, jewels and all that kind of thing. So I plan everything out from the tennis to the outfit. Q. There was some speculation that Kournikova had a tattoo on her back. Do you have one on your knee? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think so. Q. You're not sure? VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm very sure. Q. Do you have anything under the tape, a warming agent? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I hate hot creams. No, I really do. But that's another story. But, no, I don't have any warming agents. Q. How are you finding the court out there this year? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think the court's nice, but I think when it does get hot, the court -- you can smell the court. It has this -- smell like tires. Q. Do you feel your feet sticking at all? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I've got happy feet. Q. Does the smell of tires put you off your game? Is it irritating? VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I suppose when it's hot, the court heats up and I guess it kind of bakes. But I did notice the other day when it was quite warm that at least I could, I could smell the court. Q. Excuse me if this question has been asked already. I wasn't here the whole time. You played Ansley Cargill a year ago. Can you assess her game and where you think she is if you remember from when you played her a year ago? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think some of her best assets, she runs very well and she just tries till the very end. I think last year she came through the qualifying. This year she did also. I suppose if we hadn't met tonight, she probably could have been able to get to the next round also. I think she's very good, actually. Q. With Jennifer out of the tournament, you and the Belgian girls are the top seeds. You're bound to meet Justine Henin; your sister, Kim Clijsters. Would you have liked it to be the other way around, or don't you care? VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, hopefully I'll get there to meet her. That's my first goal. After that, then the match happens. So I guess my next goal would be definitely the third round and hopefully I'll see her there. Q. Your forehand today, I mean you said you were happy with the way you played. Your forehand, there were a few errors. VENUS WILLIAMS: I had more errors on the backhand. Q. I mean, at times, I don't know, with the wind, I mean, the shots coming off the forehand were out, like really, really out. I mean, is that something that you need to work on? VENUS WILLIAMS: I just feel that at this point I'm a professional player and I have to be able to do everything out there on the court: the easy shots and the impossible shots. So I expect it from myself to be out there and to do everything it takes. So I can't say it's something I have to work on, because once I start putting those things in my mind, you start to think, "Oh, there's a problem." I know there isn't a problem. I've been practicing 20 years now. If I can't do it now, I'm never going to be able to. So I'm ready. Q. You look excited when you get the short, high backhand. Is that my imagination or do you really dance on your toes? VENUS WILLIAMS: Like a swinging volley? Q. The one you get to put away. They're overheads for other people. VENUS WILLIAMS: I prefer the high backhand -- the high forehand because it's easier. Even for me at my height, it's just a little high. But either way, I'm quite happy to see a short ball. Q. Do you think your mother is going to tease you over that one serve of yours that reduced her to hysterics, the one miss-hit that went out over the baseline? VENUS WILLIAMS: The overhead? Q. Yeah. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was -- the thing is, when you jump for an overhead very high, you have to time it right. If you do, it looks great. If you don't, you look like a hacker. So that was my hack shot. Q. You realize when you do that occasionally it makes us feel much better because we do it all the time? VENUS WILLIAMS: I just throw it in there for the viewers (smiling). Q. Lindsay Davenport says your sister and Kim Clijsters are the top favorites. Do you think that's a fair and good assessment? VENUS WILLIAMS: Sure. Why not? Q. She didn't name you, for instance. VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I haven't picked up my game, but I'm trying. That's all that counts, yeah. Hopefully I'll run faster and jump higher and hit a little harder. Q. What is the last thing your father says before you go in a match? VENUS WILLIAMS: Just, "Stay relaxed," and, "Have fun." Yeah, ever since the Juniors, that's the best advice.

V. WILLIAMS/S. Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-2 THE MODERATOR: Questions for Venus, please. Q. Where have you been? What have you been doing? VENUS WILLIAMS: I've been home, hanging out, going to practice, living life. Now I'm here. Q. Are you as sharp as you want to be starting off here? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think I'm doing well. I just think that I'm just a little rusty going out there. At times I shined through, at times I was my old self. At other times, I just had some errors coming in. I didn't expect to be 100 percent in this match, but in the next one I expect to be at least 150. Q. Are you playing well enough to stop a "Serena Slam"? VENUS WILLIAMS: I wouldn't exactly say that's my goal. My goal is to be my best. I guess if Serena wins a Slam, then I'll be there congratulating her. Q. Have you been practicing with Serena? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, sometimes, especially here. It's warm in here, or is it just me? Q. Who else would you practice with? VENUS WILLIAMS: All different boys, that kind of thing. We practice in different ways at home. She likes to do certain things, and I do other things. She likes to hit at different spots more, I like to hit at other spots. Q. Were you worried about when she had a point for 4-love? VENUS WILLIAMS: Did she? Oh, that's not good (laughter). I was just -- I was really just rushing out there. I wasn't able to slow time down in my mind. I was just so ahead of myself. I really just want to work on when I go out there being calm. If I can do that, I'll play much, much, much better. Just making the errors, and I realize, "Venus, if I slow down, I'll be okay." It happened, in a good way. Q. There's been a lot of talk about conditions, heat, etc. how did you find it out there today? VENUS WILLIAMS: Nice. I like the heat actually. Q. It didn't feel too hot out there today? VENUS WILLIAMS: I feel as long as I have a hat, I'm fine. Without a hat, it can be pretty brutal. But it was nice out there. Q. Did you have a hat? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. Q. Was it a visor? VENUS WILLIAMS: A visor. Q. But your peak was still bare to the sun. Not as bare as mine... VENUS WILLIAMS: That's true. But the visor is more fashionable and cute (smiling). Q. On the question of fashion, can you explain to a dumb male why the one earring. VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I just feel it's what I wanted to do. I like the long one and the stud and that kind of thing. It's just something I decided on. A lot of things, I'll see things in my mind and then I do it. Visionary, how about that (smiling)? Q. How is your new company going? VENUS WILLIAMS: Really good. Really good. It's been, you know, it's been a new company basically. That's the best way to explain it. But it's been a lot of fun. It's been really good. You know, when I get back home, hopefully there will be more assignments. Q. Do you actually go into people's homes and say, "This works, this doesn't work. We need to do this and that"? VENUS WILLIAMS: Uh-hmm. I'm not exactly -- I'm best at tennis, how about that? But I'm also very good at decorating and design. Q. Do they ask you for your autograph at the end? VENUS WILLIAMS: No one has. Most people, you know, if they do call my office, if they're confident enough to call, they have to give myself and my company enough trust that I can do their home, that I can be able to make their dreams come true in their home. So there's a certain amount of trust there already, so they're not really after the autograph. Sure, they're, you know, hopefully excited about my play and my accomplishments in tennis. But other than that, I'm also serious about the design. Q. Who's the woman who's running it for you? VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, Bonnie Nathan (phonetic spelling). She's doing things while I'm gone. Hopefully, we have to get someone else, but it's 's hard to find the right person. The search is on. Q. Have you done some homes? VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I have a model home in Florida and I'm in a charity home, Red Cross charity as a show house. So I'm doing room there - or V Starr. Then, of course, there's some clients also, but those are the kind of commercial things I'm doing now. Q. What would you do with this room? It's very gray in here. VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, the lights are straight on me. I can't see anything. I like it, it's nice. Q. You'd change the lighting, to start with? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I guess it blinds the players, kind of like the hot seat, "Tell the truth, only the truth."