	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WIMBLEDON

July 15, 2017

Venus Williams

Wimbledon, London, England

G. MUGURUZA/V. Williams

7-5, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Seemed like it was a very tight match until those set points went at 5-4 in the first set. That seemed to be a bit of a turning point. Is that how it felt for you, as well?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, definitely would have loved to have converted some of those points. But she competed really well. So credit to her. She just dug in there and managed to play better.

Q. You've never been one to make excuses. I remember here you said if you're hurt, you don't play, and if you play, you're not hurt. Everybody in the media area was wondering whether your Sjogren's came into effect at the end, or if just the matches day after day and your age caught up with you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: She played really well. I mean, she played top tennis, so I have to give her credit for just playing a better match.

I've had a great two weeks. I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer.

Q. If you look back, is there anything you could have done better?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, there's always something to learn from matches that you win and the ones that you don't win. So there's definitely something for me to learn from this.

But at the same time looking back, it's always about looking forward, too.

Q. How do you look forward to the US Open then?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, definitely that I'm in good form. I've been in a position a lot of times this year to contend for big titles. That's the kind of position I want to keep putting myself in. It's just about getting over the line. I believe I can do that.

Q. Will you congratulate yourself for getting to the finals, at least?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Like I said, this is where you want to be. I like to win. I don't want to just get to a final. It's just about playing a little better.

Q. How would you describe the experience that you've had at this Wimbledon, not just today, but all the way through reaching the final?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, every tournament is different. Every tournament's different. This is most certainly a very different tournament.

It took a lot of effort and what have you to get right here today. So this is where I want to be every single major.

Q. Did it energize you perhaps and give you that taste of being in the finals again?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Of course, it was a good experience. Yeah, what else can I say? It was a great experience.

Q. Have you spoken to Serena yet?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Not quite yet, but I definitely will.

Q. If you could have done anything differently out there today, what would that be?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Definitely I haven't fully processed it yet, so I don't know that I have an answer for that yet.

Q. You said on the court that you obviously miss Serena, but you were trying to do what she does and everything. What was it that you were really trying to do that you didn't replicate that you would have liked to?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Pretty much just win the match, yeah.

Q. You started coming to net a little bit midway through the second set. How tough does she make it to get to the net?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, definitely she hit some great passing shots that definitely opened the gap up a lot more and gave her some more opportunities. Just credit to her for forcing the issue there.

Q. At this age, 37, you're not supposed to be doing what you're doing right now. Can you talk about what you think you have in yourself ability-wise and also emotionally that allows you to play so well?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I believe that those are not my thoughts or words, that I'm not supposed to be doing this.

I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing right now.

Q. I meant historically. I didn't mean it personally. Talk about what you have inside you that allows you to have that ability to do it.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think some good tennis.

Q. As a proud champion, you inflicted a few 6-Love sets on people. How much does a 6-Love set hurt someone like you? How much is that going to fire you up, that's not going to be a memory of Wimbledon people are going to take away, you're going to come back next year and do even better?
VENUS WILLIAMS: What's the question?

Q. How much does a 6-Love set fire you up?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I haven't thought about the score. I don't think you think about the score at that time. You're just playing.

So, yeah, it's not an ideal scoreline.

Q. With Roger playing in the finals tomorrow, can you tell us what you think about his rejuvenation and return.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I've always been a Federer fan. I think if you're not, it's kind of uncool. So wish him the best of luck.

Q. How are you looking forward to becoming an aunt again, Auntie Venus?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Very much so. Very much so. Tremendously.

Q. Really?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.

Q. How would you explain the big difference between the first set and second set play that you produced? Obviously the momentum shift. But was there some fatigue in there as well?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, there's errors, and you can't make them. You can't make them. I went for some big shots and they didn't land. Probably have to make less errors.

Q. Were you feeling tired, as well?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think she played amazing. She played amazing.

Q. When you first walked on court, you didn't seem too enamored by the quality of the baseline turf. You had the umpire check the slipperiness of it.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, and they said the court was ready to go, so we started play.

Q. Did you agree with that assessment?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.

Q. Presumably you're coming back next year, right?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Presumably, yes.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297