STATE FARM EVERT CUP

March 11, 1998

Venus Williams

Q. Venus, how much of your matches at this point is a competition with yourself, more than the other person?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I'm really getting so much better these days. I really know what to do with the ball, what to do with certain shots, what to expect from the opponent. I feel very comfortable on the court all the time. At this time last year my forehand wasn't so good, but now I'll hit when I get ready. So everything is coming into place.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that's about right. All of us have really been working hard to make women's tennis better. Hingis has won the Australian Open, Davenport has won a tournament in Tokyo, she got to the semifinals against me last week. I'm doing some things myself. I have three titles this year. That's pretty good.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that everyone is happy to see her back. She seems to be healthy. I really haven't seen any of her matches, but she seems to be playing well. I guess we all shouldn't put a timetable on her, expect her to do things. We just should be happy that she's back and healthy. Hope she doesn't leave again.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Becoming?

VENUS WILLIAMS: To become?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I am coming.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess she'll have to get to me or I have to get to her first. I think she has the Slam titles, 21 or so. I think that puts her on the board for people. You can measure yourself against that. But as for me, I just think it's most important to play the match, like any more match. I don't think it's important you go out there saying this person has so many Slam titles, they were this, they were that. You don't need to make them that big in your head. You should worry about you. I've never been that type of person. I think you should ask someone else.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Last year I was at every match. I would be sitting and watching. I really can't do that this year because if someone asks you for an autograph, they'll get angry if you say no. It's just sometimes you need a chance to sit down by yourself. I can't sit down and watch matches anymore. If I get to, I watch it on TV. Serena, she usually watches from upstairs. I haven't had a chance to. She didn't have to play singles this time because she was hurt. I'd have to be more rested, reclining, concentrating. Maybe if I would have done that more last year, I could have done better.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Definitely, I think so. I don't always get the opportunity to watch it live. Women's tennis, of course I'm on this tour, so I get to watch it all. It's nice to take the opportunity to watch the men's. I wouldn't say it's more exciting.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Haas? I couldn't get there because I was practicing. I was the next match. It was third match and I was fourth match. I think Serena might have been there for two games.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I always felt -- I didn't think that I was behind schedule. Actually, I played nine tournaments on the Tour, three of the Slams. I hadn't played that many tournaments. I was just getting around the block. I was almost around. If I could just pass the finish line.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Every year usually I play a tournament in LA. We see a lot of people that we used to know when we were there, visit a lot of places we used to practice. Still practice there sometimes. So it was good.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes, it's different now. I'm older. Things are a lot smaller than they used to be.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes. Then sometimes you look at people, they're doing the same things. You went on. Sometimes you can see things in the larger picture. I look at next year, I don't want to look at ten years right now.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I said that about this time last year. Everyone seemed to be a little upset over that. Venus isn't giving respect to the higher-ranked players, she should give more respect. I was not disrespecting them. I did not name any names. I simply told the truth. I myself am getting there. Serena, she's getting there. I think no one can dispute that now.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I definitely think so. It was about time for me to put a mark on the calendar, on the board, because there had been too many times that I suffered the ignominy of defeat. It's terrible. There's only so many times I can lose to one person.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes, it was. All the other times I played her, I felt I had to do too much, hit winners and things like that. She's the type of player that waits for you to miss, places the ball, just waits for you to get that error. In that match, I decided not to miss anymore. She just kept waiting for me to miss, but I wouldn't do it. I wasn't planning to -- I've definitely gotten better since then.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Essentially. It was a weird match.

VENUS WILLIAMS: That's the ultimate goal. Sometimes you don't want to get too far ahead of yourself. But if you ever get down, say, "Wait a minute, you're supposed to win this tournament, supposed to come back and win the game and the match."

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I didn't I wasn't going to play LA. It's just not on my schedule now. It could be. I don't look so far ahead. Three months in advance usually, not much further than that.