	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 10, 2017

Venus Williams

Wimbledon, London, England

V. WILLIAMS/A. Konjuh

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What do you think about the fact that world No. 1 Angelique Kerber was put on not a show court and you were? Do you think that was the right decision?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I really wasn't aware of what court she played on.

Q. She was on Court 2.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, I've been in that position before. Similar.

Q. How happy are you with how you were able to get through that today?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, she hits the ball hard. All of my opponents have served amazing, hit really hard. So I think it was great preparation for me to be able to, you know, kind of get used to that sort of pace.

Q. At the beginning of the tournament many people were saying how wide open the women's field is. At this point in the tournament, how do you assess the chances for you and the rest of the women in the field?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, when I come to these tournaments, my focus is just me, not necessarily the other 127 women. So that is all I can control, is my performance. That's still my focus at the moment.

Q. Jelena Ostapenko just won the French Open. She's next. You guys haven't played. Have you watched her? What do you think?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Haven't seen her play a lot. I didn't watch any of the French when I was finished with it. I know she had an amazing moment there. She's riding on that momentum. Confidence I'm sure. It's just been such an amazing result for her.

You know, so I'm definitely really happy for her.

Q. What does it take to remain nimble at this age? No offense, of course.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I just keep stretching. I have no secrets. I'm just doing what I always have done.

Q. Is it more of a part of your routine than it was, say, 10 years ago?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think I stretch a little harder now. But only because I enjoy it, yeah.

Q. How well are you playing, in your highly educated opinion?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think I'm playing pretty solid. For me it's about getting through the round. You're not going to play perfect every round. I would like to play, you know, in straight sets every round. That would be great. If not, all that matters is you win.

Q. How do you compare the enjoyment of advancing here now than with years ago when you were a new player and it was all new?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, winning never gets old at any stage in your career, ever, ever.

Q. How about the road to get there?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Always different. Different conditions, different players, different circumstances. It's never the same. It's never the same equation.

Q. You are the oldest quarterfinalist since Martina Navratilova achieved that. Can you talk to us about how you're maintaining this form. Also 17 years ago since you won your first Wimbledon title. Can you compare your strengths then to now?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that the game has changed a lot in terms of the depth and the power since the first time I won. I would say that's the biggest difference in the game.

And of course, I've matured, learned a lot about the game since that time. It's really a big difference.

Q. On Ostapenko. When someone new breaks onto the tour, think of them as a potential rival for a while to come, do you ever do homework, have your coach scout somebody? How do you prepare for a new face that breaks on as suddenly as she has?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think my coach will probably look at the matches more than I will. I think I'll see what happens when I get out there. I mean, I'm sure she hits well off all sides. I have to see what the nuances are once the game starts, because you can't necessarily plan for those.

Q. Svetlana was talking about her dog, how so many players have dogs that give them comfort. Take a moment and talk about the joys of having a dog as a tennis player. Does that help you in all the ins-and-outs?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I travel with my dog, but never here. Actually have a yard here, so he would have loved that. We'll be reunited hopefully not too soon, but soon.

Q. What is the name of your dog?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Very low profile. His name is Harold.

Q. Do you have any communication with him, Svetlana Skypes.
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's too upsetting for him. He hears me, but he doesn't understand where I am. So I don't Skype.

Q. Tomorrow you're going to play your hundredth match here in Wimbledon. Are these kind of numbers and records important to you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know yet. Have to ask me when I'm retired, what it feels like.

But for now, it's all about focusing on the best performance possible tomorrow.

Q. You have fought a lot of fights at Wimbledon. How important is the scheduling issue? Do you feel like the club has made efforts on it over the years to balance it out with the women and the men?
VENUS WILLIAMS: This day is always a tough day. The scheduling has stayed the same on this day since I've been around. I don't remember the earlier days, though, to be honest.

But, you know, I'm sure that the women, we would want more matches on Centre or Court No. 1 over the whole fortnight.

Q. Could one be starting a little bit earlier and having more matches, two men and two women on Centre and Court 1?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It would be something worth considering, you know.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297