WIMBLEDON

July 6, 2000

Venus Williams

MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everyone. Venus for you.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was very difficult because the pressure was always on. You know, we're both shot makers. It was a tough match. It was a very powerful match.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Maybe I knew her game more.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think in general, Serena is a little more emotional than what I am. I don't know. It's different if we were playing in the final, but it was just the semifinals, yet it's such a big deal. But if it was in the final, it would have been a lot more joyous moment.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, not that I'm aware of.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Swing volley.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I love that shot. It's one of my favourites.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I practise it a little bit at the end of practise. Actually, most of the practise in that shot came when we were like 9, 10, 11, 12, before we went pro. It's always been in our repertoire. It's always been a shot we hit. I love that shot. It's one of my best shots.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm always the big sister. I always take care of Serena, no matter what. I always make the decisions. I'm always a role model for Serena. Sometimes, I wouldn't say it switches, but sometimes, you know, I do what she does, she does what I do. But still I am the big sister, so I'm always worried about her.

VENUS WILLIAMS: "Let's go, Serena."

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, yeah. I didn't want you guys to harass her or anything.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I don't think there was any reaction. I didn't even get to play the point. You know, it ended so abruptly.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, and the umpire , he said "match" right away. It was kind of hard to believe the match was over already.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's really bitter, but someone had to move on. It was either going to be me or Serena. In this instance, it was me. I really think she showed me how to play today actually. I was just doing what she was doing.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah, yeah. You know, she's a younger sister. You know, that's the way it is when you're younger. You always get your way. You know, anyone who's had a younger sibling knows that. When they don't get their way, mom and dad step in, "Give her the ice cream." As far as the older sister, you know, or the older brother, you know, you roll with the punches. If you win or you lose, you don't get the ice cream, it's okay.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I know Serena lost. She's a real competitor, probably even more than what I am as far as when it comes to losing. She hates to lose. So that really hurts her deep.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I said, "Let's get out of here."

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, no. Last two matches I played, I've been pretty focused, not giving up too many points. Playing Serena and playing Hingis are two totally different things. Serena and I are usually going to play on that line and go for it. Hingis is going to camp out far behind the baseline against someone like me or Serena and just run down a lot of balls.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think she just put out her best game today, just like she played the other girls. Today I was able to pick up the level of my serving, and then I had some pretty tough holds of serve in the second set, too, where I went for it because my mom said, "You have opportunities, you just have to go for them." I knew Serena would take the opportunity if I didn't, so. . .

VENUS WILLIAMS: There was no one there.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I would have been much more happy. But it was like when we beat Martina Navratilova the other day. It's tough to see her go, but we had no other choice except to win the match. The same thing today. It's tough to see one of us go, but there was no other choice, unless we both said, "Hey, we're not going to play. See you later."

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I don't think so, no.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. I believe the first final was played by the sisters.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I feel regular.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I didn't feel tight. I don't think she felt tight either. I think we both went for it. The first set, first game, I had like a 97 mile-an-hour second serve. I don't think that's too tight.

VENUS WILLIAMS: It wasn't fun because it was a semifinal. If it had been a final, it would have been all great fun, you know.

VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, I haven't seen him until after the match, when I went in the locker room.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I didn't see him.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I didn't ask him. He didn't say anything.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think that as a big sister, I was always able to get things first. Got my car first, you know, went to school first, things like that, driver's license first. So, you know, for like the little sister - especially because there were four ahead of her - it's like always playing catch-up maybe.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.

VENUS WILLIAMS: None at all. None at all. None at all.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. She's had some injuries, just like I have, so we're kind of in the same boat. Definitely we are both going to want to raise the level of our games. I feel like I've raised the level of my game already, especially in this match, and in the last match also. When the final comes, it's a grand occasion, I think we're both going to go at it.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. I mean, that was my third Grand Slam. I wasn't even full-time on the tour. I didn't understand any strategy as far as let's say you're down breakpoint, maybe you should get your first serve in. Things like that never came to my mind. It was totally different circumstances, yeah. It's extremely different from now.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Could I forget?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I didn't really forget that was her over there. You know, I know more what she's going to do maybe than other opponents. She knows more what I'm going to do. Especially since we play doubles together, we tell each other what we're going to do. But if she does something, she served the T, hits that serve, I know she's going there, not so much I can do about it.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I felt like Serena was even a favourite going into the match. She's playing more clean tennis than what I was. Probably also people thought she would win because she's won a Grand Slam before. But, yeah, I felt she was the favourite going into the match, too.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No.

VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, it's my life. The whole time I've had a great time, I've had a great life. I haven't had a lot of problems. Sure, you know, maybe living in Compton isn't like the most desired place to live, not in the Top 100. But I had a great time. I still miss the ice cream trucks.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, they had the best ice cream trucks. Spent all my allowance on the ice cream trucks.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think it will become less spectacular. Most of all, Serena and I have to promise ourselves to start playing solid tennis every time so that we can be 1 and 2, then meet in the finals. It will be a natural thing.