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HUAJIN SECURITIES WTA ELITE TROPHY ZHUHAI

November 3, 2015

Venus Williams

Zhuhai, China

V. WILLIAMS/M. Keys
3‑6, 7‑6, 6‑1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Congratulations. Seemed that the second set tiebreak was the momentum changer of the match. You mentioned something about experience yesterday. How your experience helped you through such critical moments?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, there was a lot of momentum changes with holding and breaking serve for both of us. Really hard‑fought game to go to 6‑All.
Today I don't think it was as much about experience maybe than just playing, trying to play a strategic match.
Really she went for every shot and didn't make a lot of mistakes. I felt like I had to just find a little something extra and really compete today.
It was about competing.

Q. Last week when you were talking to a bunch of kids you said that you had spent time in Singapore jogging around to see the sites. Curious, that's not something you do if you're feeling sluggish or injured or anything like that. How are you feeling as you come into this tournament?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was really trying to keep my fitness up, so doing some jogging on the court‑‑ shoot; you don't jog on the court‑‑ off the court around the city and just in general trying to get ready for this week, because I want to play well.
I mean, to extend the season and to play in the last tournament, you want to make it worth your while. So doing the best I can.

Q. You've played round robin events before. This one is slightly different with more groups, smaller groups. Does it feel any different at all?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It does because there is less of a chance ‑‑ I'm not exactly sure how it works. I think less room for error. You have to be able to win your match, hopefully both, because only one person from the group goes forward instead of two groups and two people going forward.
So today it was a critical match. I think definitely one of the toughest matchups in the groups, so it was definitely going to be for both of us to try to have a chance to move forward, to try to play well in the first match.
Of course the next one, too, but it was definitely interesting because you just start at a sprint.

Q. Not only you were practicing and jogging in Singapore, you also stay in the same time zone here, similar culture, food, and maybe weather. Do you take it as an advantage compared to other players here?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. Hopefully it was an advantage. That helps. Any advantage helps because the level is so high that any advantage you can get...
But really it's just about playing well, playing well every point and wining that last point, because it's not over until the last point is over.

Q. You played Madison in this year's Australian Open; you lost this match. Is there a difference between this match? Did you read her game better today?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was definitely a different match. Tried to learn from the match. Not every match is going to be the same.
What can you do? You lose some and win some. I try to win more than I lose. Yeah, what can I say? (Smiling.)

Q. You really had a great chance from here to end up the year within the top 10. Does that still matter a lot for you at this time of your career?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, definitely. One of the reasons that I'm here is so that way I can go to the top 10 and have a great start for next year.
I don't count points. I just try to win. If you win, your ranking goes up. It's about the good performance, and then you get the rewards after.

Q. In your social media you post a picture of draw ceremony and said the tournament did a beautiful job. How did you enjoy the party last night?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Another beautiful job. Nice surprise with the violinist. Just the enthusiasm for the tournament that you can see in the whole city and from the preparation and how everything is set up.
So it makes the players feel very welcome and appreciated.
Also the audience today was amazing. You could tell they wanted good tennis. It felt really good.

Q. I saw Serena post on Instagram and say she really miss you at her home. You share a really close relationship. You and her relationship more sister than the competitor now in this state?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, usually we're never away from each other this long. Usually we're at the same tournaments together. If we aren't, we see each other very often. I guess this is pretty new.
So, I haven't been on Instagram a lot lately. It's not so easy here to get on Instagram, so I don't know how you're getting on.
The other day I managed to post a few pictures in one day. I was like, Oh, one day I'm on Instagram. Get it in. I will have to go check that out. Of course I miss her and I'm going to be happy to see her soon.
Not too soon. Of course I want to be here playing the tournament.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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