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WIMBLEDONJuly 6, 2015Venus WilliamsLONDON, ENGLAND S. WILLIAMS/V. Williams THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. How would you sum up your game today? Good? Bad? VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, it was just really a lot of, you know, just about the breaks, about holding serve. I think we both were hitting really well off the ground. I think she was able to capitalize on some short balls. She's been playing so well. Q. Do you ever look forward to playing Serena in any tournament? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think we've always dreamed, growing up, of playing at the highest level, playing each other. We've had the opportunity to play in a lot of big finals. Playing before the later rounds is definitely not ideal. But, I mean, you have to play whoever you play that is in your draw. Q. Does that make you think when you're contemplating your life and the hand you've been dealt, that if it wasn't for this woman called Serena Williams, there may have been many more finals and Grand Slams to your name? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I think we've met in a lot of finals. I don't know how many at the moment. Six, seven or eight or something. I didn't win them. I don't necessarily look back. Like I said the other day when I was in here, I look forward. Q. So looking forward, your sister was interviewed when she walked off the court and she said she thought about the fact that there may not be that many more opportunities on the grandest of stages to have matchups with you. What are your thoughts of playing against and with Serena? VENUS WILLIAMS: We've played a lot of years and we've tried to be entertaining. At some point we won't be playing forever, but clearly we're playing at a very high level now. So when that moment is over, it will be over. It's not now. Q. You and Serena have had an incredible run. Has there been one time when you've ever been upset with Serena or annoyed with her? Can you share something on the human side, please? VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I mean, we do live together. Q. Do you fight? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, no, we don't fight. I think if we had a disagreement, we just don't say anything and it moves on. But it's pretty rare. But, you know, I have more than one sister, and none of us fight. Q. Aside from fighting, does she not do the dishes? Does she leave music on loud? Something somewhere? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think she definitely uses the whole house, so... Q. You were talking about whether or not you looked forward to playing Serena. You said as you grew up, you always dreamed about playing on the biggest stages. You certainly had a lot of matches on the biggest stages. How does the reality you've experienced compare with the dream? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think, you know, especially when we play in the final, for sure it's like one of us is going to win. It's definitely a climax. So that's always been exciting and it's always been intense, because you know the person across the net is so good and is the person you respect the most. And you know chances are, they're one of the best that ever played. So, you know, you go into the match with full concentration. Q. When you were playing on Compton municipal courts, did you ever fall out? Were you not tempted today, especially on the ace, to challenge? VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, in the beginning when we were young, I won all the matches, so... I was much bigger than her. I guess I still am. So I think I practiced a little bit more because I was older, too. I'd play her a set, then I'd play my dad a set, then we'd just go back and forth. But we didn't argue, no. Q. You weren't tempted to challenge on that ace? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I mean, I challenge when I want to, I guess. Q. What words did you exchange at the end? VENUS WILLIAMS: Sisterly words. Q. It's 10 years now since that remarkable final you had against Lindsay Davenport in 2005. Could you share what your memories are of that match looking back to it? VENUS WILLIAMS: I remember Serena won the Australian Open that year, against all the odds. It was so inspirational for me. I remember when I walked out before the match, her advice to me was, If you take the opportunities, more will come. Didn't seem like I had many. But finally I was leading in the match at the very last game. It seems like her words echoed in my head. But I took the opportunity. So it was a wonderful time I think for me, for also Lindsay, to be a part of history. Q. I was wondering where you stood on the particular issue that has come up in the last couple days. Fans of Nick Kyrgios‑‑ VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't have any issues. I don't know anything about issues. Q. Fans of him have taken to putting chocolate on their face. Do you think that's an appropriate thing for fans to do? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't have any thoughts on it. No thoughts at all. Thank you. Q. You said she was playing really well, Serena today. Do you think she's playing well enough now to win this tournament? Is she looking in good shape to win now? VENUS WILLIAMS: Absolutely. Her serve is consistent. She's taking her opportunities today. Minimal errors. It's going to be tough for anyone to defeat her. Maybe she didn't have her best day on the last round, she found a way to win against an inspired opponent. That's what it takes to win in these championships, even when you're not at the level you want to be at. Q. Do you head into a match against her trying to think of her as any other opponent, or is that just impossible? Has that changed for you over all these years of playing each other? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I definitely don't try to think of her as anyone other than Serena. When we're off the court, she's Serena my sister. When we're on the court, she's Serena my opponent. I know that I have a match ahead of me. Q. Has that changed at all over the years, the way you view a matchup against her? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, not necessarily. No. Q. What do you hope your matches with Serena will be remembered for, and what do you hope your respective careers will be remembered for? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't give much thought to that. When I wake up in the morning, I'm not like, Shoot, I wonder what people will remember me by. I think it's just, for me, my lifetime goes to represent myself and my family and God the best way I can. And then if I can look in the mirror at myself in the morning and wake up with no regrets, this is enough. For me it's about keeping life simple. Q. What do you think Serena has shown with the way she's conducted herself and the way she's performed? VENUS WILLIAMS: She's a champion. What else could you say about that? The ultimate. Q. In addition to being a champion, you've shared so many years with her. On court or off court, is there a moment that you can point to that you were particularly proud of your sister? VENUS WILLIAMS: So many moments. There were moments, too, where it's not in the final. Those are some of the most important moments. I definitely was really proud of her at the Olympics in 2012. That final was just an awesome display of tennis from both opponents. But just to be able to play so cleanly against someone playing so well was just fantastic. So many moments. Q. When you were kids, did you think that Serena would get 20 slams? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think we thought about any limits. When you're a kid, you don't think about limits. You dream. That's how it's happening for her now. Dreams are coming true. Q. I wonder if you spoke to your dad and your mom before this game? What did they say to you? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know if my dad watched the match. My mom said she's not coming. I don't know if she watched it either. But I'm sure she'll be at the next one. Q. So no advice from them before this game? VENUS WILLIAMS: No. No advice. Q. You're now 35. You must treasure these moments. Do you have in your head how long you might come back here at Wimbledon? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, not really. I guess I'll not come back when I don't want to be here is pretty much what it will be. When you see people like Kimiko Date playing so well at her age. You see so many kids on tour now. It's because everyone is extending their careers, so... Q. Do you think you'll be back next year? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think so. Q. Serena, does she return your serve better than any other opponent? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think she has a great return game. She breaks a lot. I feel quite confident on my serve, especially this week. And, you know, obviously I think it wasn't necessarily the serve, but maybe more off the ground where maybe I hit short or made an error. But, yeah, I think she returns serve really well her whole career, especially when the moments count. Q. You've played Steffi, Martina. Do you think your sister is the greatest player of all time? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think she's done, so we'll see what more she does. I don't think she would call herself the greatest player of all time because she respects everyone else and the accomplishments they've made. But the level she's playing at is unprecedented. I can say that with confidence. So make what you will of it. Then when it's a wrap, it will be easier to make labels and not offend anybody. Q. You were saying that Kimiko Date was still playing in her 40s. Can you actually think about doing that? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I don't think so. I don't know. I think that I'll be doing other things. Who knows, maybe I'll have kids. We'll see. Q. You've played against Serena before when she was going for a Serena Slam 13 years ago, now she's going for it again. Does it feel at all different facing her when she has some history on the line? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I definitely think so, in particular because I'm her sister. I don't think another opponent would really care, especially, in particular, in such an early round. It's definitely anticlimactic if this isn't a semifinal or a final, it's different. Especially when she's going for something this historic, which is achievable for her. Q. Do you have any more plans to go to any country in Africa? I know you visited Nigeria. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I just don't get a lot of free time. When I do, I don't want to travel. Q. Nothing this year? VENUS WILLIAMS: Nothing this year planned. Q. There was a lot of talk in the buildup to this match about your and Serena's legacies. How does it feel about two other Americans into the quarterfinals. VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know if I know the results or know what's happening. But it's good to see American tennis continuing onward, forward. Q. Are you and Serena going to play doubles at all the rest of this year? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, hopefully. But it's challenging when you play well in the singles, or have hopes to play well in the singles. But we want to, by all means. Q. You've obviously had illnesses, and fought back. Where do you think you are now physically compared to, say, a year or two or three years ago? Looks like you're having a bit of a renaissance, is that fair? VENUS WILLIAMS: Renaissance? Q. Yes. You're top 16 again. Top 10 isn't out of the question. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I started feeling better about a year ago and I think the results show. When you go through something like that, it's not easy. So I look forward to continuing to play well, continuing to improve my results and my ranking. I think I'm playing really well, I really do. I'm happy with my level. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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