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ROLAND GARROS

June 2, 2017

Venus Williams

Paris, France

V. WILLIAMS/E. Mertens

6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I have a question about your style and your influence on current street wear that's going to happen. You have been known to cause quite a stir with some of your attire in the past, particularly in 2010, and it's had an immediate impact on sales. Can you tell us, what is your thought process that goes into the attire that you're going to be wearing for a major slam?
VENUS WILLIAMS: For the slams I think I design more or less for the city. I'm always thinking, this has a Paris feel or this has a New York feel or this feels more like Australia. Wimbledon is always white.

So I'm definitely deeply influenced by the culture of where I'm playing.

Q. How are you feeling at the French Open? This is your 20th time here. How much of that feels like all positive experience that builds on itself and how much is too much? Sam Stosur was in here earlier and said sometimes young kids don't know what they don't know, and they go out there and be braver and unburdened by things. But you obviously have so much experience. What are the pros and cons of that experience?
VENUS WILLIAMS: For me, experience is only a plus. I feel like push comes to shove, 4-All, I'm going to have the experience of what it's like to be in that situation. For a young player, maybe this is their first third round but I have played a number of them. It's going to feel less climactic to me. It's going to be, Hey, I want to win this title. It's not like, Oh, my god, third round is amazing. That gives me an advantage. I see it as an advantage for sure.

Q. Another very solid performance today. How important is it going into the second week to be rested but also to be maybe tested to a certain degree, just going forward to see where you're at on court?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm not looking for any tests. I'm looking to run away with it (smiling).

My goal is to improve every round and today I feel like I improved even more than the last rounds and play the big points well.

I feel confident that the next round is going to be another opportunity to improve and to play better and to play better. That's, like, my focus at the moment.

Q. The weather was a little bit dodgy out there, some rain and everything. This week has been hot and humid. How was that change?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I was definitely ready for it to come down. Massive lightning strike during my warmup. It never came. So that was amazing.

I expected it to be cold when I walked out there so I was ready for it to be freezing and it was still warm. Definitely some unexpected weather. I hope it holds.

Q. You have made some fun comments about being an aunt and so forth, but a little bit more of a serious side, I mean, your family is one of the extraordinary success stories of American families. It's big, blended, many different chapters and real hardships. Some real bonds. Talk about the dynamic feature and culture of your extended family and what it's meant to you as a tennis player.
VENUS WILLIAMS: What? What's the question? Extended family?

Q. Well, I meant your dad, your mom, half-sisters or stepsisters. Just that's all.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, I can't say I understand the question. Sorry.

Anybody who has been in my family has been so supportive. I love them. That just sums it up. With all my heart is with them and theirs is with me.

Q. It's been a big factor in your tennis that's helped you sustain your career?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I absolutely think so. It helped to start my career, for sure. Then once you start, hopefully it's a strong finish. So far, it's strong.

Q. How would you describe your relationship with this tournament? It's a long-term relationship, 20 years at this point. You haven't lifted the trophy here yet, but do you feel like it's still one you have hopes for? Has it been frustrating or overall if you had to sort of describe how you feel about the French Open compared to other events maybe?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I have played well here a number of times. Sometimes it didn't work out. I think sometimes clay can be tricky. Sometimes a player catches fire and you don't have a good day. I think this year I'm playing really well strategically, and I'm enjoying it. So it feels like a good thing.

Q. Your next opponent, you played her last year here the same round and it didn't go well.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.

Q. Can you just break down the matchup with Timea Bacsinszky.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, she's had great results in this tournament two years in a row, and last year she played flawless. She deserved the win.

This year, of course, I have an opportunity to play better and that's what I'm going to try to do.

Q. When you look back on kind of how you have evolved as a competitor specifically at the majors, do you think there are stages, like how you maybe approached slams at the very beginning and then how you approached them more towards the middle of your career, and how you're approaching them now, and how has that evolution kind of been?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. That's a good question. I don't know (smiling). I just try to play, try to win the match. Pretty straightforward. Yeah.

Q. You have enjoyed lots of success over a number of years. What gives you that competitive edge? Why do you still want to compete at the top level? You don't need to.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, because there is really no reason to stop. I've got a lot of fun out here, and I enjoy it. I love it. I'm good at it. So why not?

Q. Timea Bacsinszky, what do you think? What makes her dangerous in her game?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think she does everything well. Hits forehand, backhand well. She can come in. Can play offense and defense. She's obviously a fighter.

All of the things you need to do to be at the top of tennis.

Q. Over the years you have had ups, downs, successes that are unparalleled in many ways. Could you tell us, throughout all of these experiences, what do you think these things have taught you as a person from the philosophical point of view?
VENUS WILLIAMS: What taught me what things?

Q. The experiences, the good with the bad. What do you think you have learned most about yourself as a player and as a person?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think the most what I learned was that you can accomplish more than what you think you can. Sometimes you think that there is a limit, even though I believe there is no limits in life, but mentally sometimes you can subconsciously have one. I have learned that there is so much more you can achieve than you even think. It's still ongoing.

Q. Thinking back to that match against Bacsinszky here last year, what are your memories of that match? If I recall, it was a wet couple of weeks, but what are your memories of that match?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I have to think about it now, because I have kind of let that go. So obviously I will process what I remember of that match, and try to make some differences. I mean, I haven't even really seen her play since that day. I'll have to try to remember how she plays, as well, so there will be definitely some thoughts that go into preparing for this next match.

Q. In terms of keeping your belief and never underestimating yourself, is that aided at this next major by what you were able to do in Australia, reaching the first final in a number of years? Is it tougher ever to get that same confidence and belief up here? This is, like you said, a surface that can be tricky for you.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I mean, I have played well in a lot of tournaments. I just feel like at every tournament I'm coming out to win my match. Just keep it pretty simple, you know.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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