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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPENAugust 18, 2015Venus WilliamsCINCINNATI, OHIO THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. How are you feeling? Why did you decide you wouldn't be able to play tonight? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's pretty rare that I withdraw or retire, so I just wasn't able to get out there tonight. Every match you have to be at your best, you know, to win. Just couldn't be at my best today. Q. When did you know that it wasn't going to be a good one today? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, just after warmup kind of get the feel for how the tone of the match might go or how much you can give or can't give. Q. Were you finding that a little bit yesterday in your match? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I wasn't feeling my best yesterday, so it was a great fight against a really inspired player. Q. What happens now? You go and rest a little bit and then hit NewYork? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm definitely going to rest. I definitely want to go home to Florida, but it's just something I got to do and get ready for the Open. I definitely would have liked to have more matches, but I have to use my experience now. Q. Do you feel much more experienced at this point, and especially with the Open coming up, in balancing rest and needing to practice and all that? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. I think I should try to know the balance by now. Hopefully. Q. US Open wildcards were announced today, and I know you have been close with Vicky Duval who asked for one and didn't get one into the main draw. Just wondering what your reaction was to that? It surprised a lot of people. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, just hearing about it now, so I'm not sure. I know that it won't be a stopping point for her. It won't hold her back. Q. What were your interactions with her? What were some of the biggest things you took away from her spirit, I guess, during this whole fight? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think just the positivity that she radiates at all times. She's inspiration, and her illness isn't the first thing or trial she's gone through in her life. She's always done everything with grace, and I appreciate that. Q. Are you surprised they wouldn't give her a wildcard in terms of what she's overcome? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. She really seems like the most likely candidate. Q. When you warm up, what's the threshold, I really can't go out there and compete 100%? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think the threshold is when you just don't feel confident going into a match and you don't feel any confidence. You have to feel confident going into the match. You have to feel like you can play the point. Q. Is this Sjögren's related, or... VENUS WILLIAMS: It's viral, according to the doctors. Q. Earlier in the year you mentioned that you have one of your Wimbledon titles in your bedroom. Which title was that? Why is that significant to you? You said there are two titles you hold that's in your bedroom. One was very special to you. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was 2005, I think, because doesn't matter who you are or what you do, everyone is willing to write you off. No one thought I could win that year. I was 24 years old, and in sports people always think you're done. You're never done until you say you're done. So I won that title that year, and it meant everything to me and I believed in myself. That's one of the ones I keep in my bedroom because it represents believing in yourself, trusting your instincts, and betting on yourself. Q. You still have a picture of your backhand you played when Lindsay had match point against you? VENUS WILLIAMS: I forgot about that. That was a desperate shot. (Laughter.) I don't have that picture. I should get one. Q. When you go into a Grand Slam with little match play, do you train any differently? Beef it up? VENUS WILLIAMS: I didn't have that much match play going into Wimbledon but I felt good. So if I feel good, then I'm confident. It's easy to be confident when you know you can do whatever it takes to win the point. Q. Focus on Serena's singles, I guess it's unlikely you will play doubles this year? VENUS WILLIAMS: We haven't played much doubles, but our goal is definitely to play doubles soon. It's just not easy. If we could, we'd play every tournament. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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