COMPAQ GRAND SLAM CUP

October 1, 1999

Venus Williams

WTA: Questions for Venus.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, because I've been practicing to work on most things, coming in, playing aggressive, do the best of your ability to move in. It was a good thing. I started losing serve. When you start losing serve, the opportunities are less and less, and my opportunities faded.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I definitely let her back in the game, I would have to say so. I made a lot of unforced errors. I didn't hold serve at all. She had two easy breaks I think at 40-Love. That way, it's pretty easy to get back in the match. Still went to 7-6. Third set, still kind of shaky. I was down. I didn't want to lose. I wanted to come out the victor for once.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Nothing. I thought I was going to close it out. It didn't turn out that way. I really thought I was just going to hold and break, just win the match.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Things change. She could come out with a 200 kilometer serve. I don't think that's going to happen. You might see me coming in in the future.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I don't believe in revenge. A loss is still a loss. No matter what happened, I still lost at the US Open. I didn't play worth anything. That's why here I made sure I played better, win, lose or draw.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, no, no. Did you see me play?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I was playing some of my worst tennis, definitely. It was pretty sad for me because I wouldn't go out there and play good. I just made a lot of bad decisions. I just had the wrong idea.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I was playing good for a little while. Still at the end I was playing well because I was moving forward and taking the opportunities, coming in and making my shots. For me, that's a good thing. It's not all about just now, it's also about the future.

VENUS WILLIAMS: As always, I see it going my way, but it doesn't always happen.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I myself would love to be No. 1. I know Serena wants to be No. 1. Most likely Lindsay wants to be No. 1. We're all trying our best. Right now she's at the top, and she deserves to be there. One day I'll deserve that spot, too.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, definitely not. That's a long way away. I can still do a lot of damage this year.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm playing Zurich, Philadelphia and the Chase.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think she'll be able to do well. She has a pretty good record against Lindsay. They play good matches always. But Serena most of the time, three out of four times, has come out the winner. Yeah, I think Serena's chances are very good.

VENUS WILLIAMS: When you're playing the first matches, you know what time you're going to play. Either way, I've played all factors at all times. I'm ready to play anytime. To me, it's nice when you're the first match.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Someone took us to the Oktoberfest. We got to see a lot.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Some things I won't specify. People were dancing, having a jolly time - sometimes too jolly. I don't think they knew what they were doing at times. We weren't so close to the middle of the house; the outside where people really weren't dancing.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I'm here to play a tournament. I can't have beers.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I've never had a beer.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Actually, I shouldn't have any beer, as a US citizen, until I'm 21. Shouldn't be having beers.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Naturally I'd love Serena to get to the final. If for some odd reason it doesn't happen, I'll be ready to play Lindsay. I played her 11 times in my career. I think I know what I'm doing against her.

VENUS WILLIAMS: It would be great if there were points here. Still everybody plays real hard. In that sense, there isn't a difference. If there are points, it would just be a plus.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Last year I played Sanchez the first round, Tauziat and Patty. This year I played Schett, who is actually playing some of the best tennis of her life. She actually deserves to be in the Top 10. I played Martina. This year I've played some tougher players, but still I've won.