US OPEN

August 30, 2000

Venus Williams

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Venus, please.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I feel very well. I felt my forehand down the line right now isn't where I want it to be. I feel like I'm rushing a little bit, not enough top spin. But other than that, I feel confident. Especially in the big points. I feel like it's gonna go my way. I think also today I had a few service games when I was down 30-love and I was able to serve myself out of it or hit myself out of it, whichever way. So that was a good point.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I haven't even thought about that. I think what's helped me the most is getting out there and practicing.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think definitely when you play someone who has less power you feel like they aren't going to overpower you. You don't feel like they're going to hit winners or serve me off the court. So in a way you feel you have as much time as you need to set your point up or to take your time.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I don't feel very -- TV is distracting. (Laughter.) I don't feel too much pressure. I think I have as much pressure as I put against myself, or as many mistakes usually depends on how the outcome of the match is.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, the first match I didn't play very well. In this match I played much better, especially as far as serving better. I think I returned a little better, too. I think the most thing I'm proud of is just the 30-All points or the 30-40 points, things like that. I think that would be the high point.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think the best preparation is starting before the tournament and even like in these rounds just concentrating on every point, even if you have 5-Love, 40-Love, just to really be closing it out and playing point-for-point and focusing to get yourself ready for the Finals and things like that, the later rounds.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Doesn't make any difference. But usually I do like to play the higher-ranked player.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I just think that now I'm willing to go for it, I'm willing to do the right things at the right moment. Maybe that's what it is. Because it takes a lot of guts, like not to be afraid. And in the end, you're afraid, match is over. All you can say is, "Hey, I have a lot of fear." It holds you back. Just doing the right things at the right time.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. This is a very, very complicated question. (Laughter.) I think that Serena plays very well under pressure. I think we both play well coming from behind as well as playing in front. And I think those two matches where I played against her we played with each other every day, I know her game, she knows my game. I just think maybe at the Lipton Final I had a little more top spin than what she did. That's why I won that match, I was running every ball down. As far as Wimbledon, I guess I was able to hold serve a little bit more. At Wimbledon it was a game of serves, basically. Whoever was holding serve more was winning the match. So a couple breaks here and there made the decision.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, we like that. We feel badly if there's no one there and we're playing on a small court. If we're playing in a tournament and the tournament puts us on a small court, to us that means they don't want us to come back.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah, I would love to play Serena in the Finals. I would pick her to play. Of course whatever I pick doesn't make a difference because that's decided between all the players. But sure, I'd play her.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I was just playing tennis. To be honest, I don't know what I was thinking about. I never thought of things like if it's deuce at 4-All, maybe you should get your first serve in. I was young. I didn't know anything that you learn over time as far as playing matches. So I was just playing tennis and basically playing pretty good, I guess.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know if I could fit him in my schedule right now. (Laughter.) I'm actually booked until April but... Other than that, hey, if he thinks that's the way to think. But I don't care who I'm going to play, I'm going to give myself the advantage because in my mind I can't go out there thinking I'm going to lose, if you do that, you're already a set down.

VENUS WILLIAMS: If you're playing a college player, they just aren't as smart. They don't understand what it is to be at 30-All, 40-All in a big situation. They don't understand these things. So, therefore -- I played a lot of guys that were a lot stronger than me and I was smarter. Also, I think maybe off the serve. For instance, if I'm playing a guy off the serve, they may be stronger. But from off the ground, a lot of times I can play very well. But this is not important. I have a career and it's very successful.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I don't think it's fair to put a 20-year-old against a 40-something person. So I'll let that pass.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah, sure, it's been done. Navratilova went a year and lost only one match. When Monica was out in the early '90s, she had all types of winning streaks. And Steffi won four Grand Slams in one year plus the Olympics. So, sure, it's been done.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't really watch golf. It goes a little too slow. But that guy, he seems to be a real winner, to say the least.

VENUS WILLIAMS: That seems so far away right now. Days are passing pretty slow. By the time this Open is over, I'll have time to think about it. Right now, flying to Australia seems like a long way. When I get there, I think my chances are pretty good, to be honest.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think for a tennis player it isn't as exciting as for a track-and-field person. The Grand Slams for us is where it's at. Tennis hasn't yet been high-profile at the Olympics. Plus, for one of us players it's going to be very mental for us to go from here straight to the Olympics. The US team has to leave the 12th and that's going to be tough for us. Basically we're going to say, "Hey, ready to play again." I think it's going to be a lot of fun but it will be a long run.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't believe we're staying in the Village. Not really. Just gonna play tennis and rest some, hopefully go to the beach.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think it's a nice thing. I've been playing pretty well. How many wins is this now?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Twenty-one, yeah, it's nice. It's been a long time since I've experienced a loss. So it's a good feeling. What was the question? (Laughing.)

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I definitely think when the players walk out on the court with me they feel a little bit intimidated possibly. I don't think they feel they can run through me, or more or less even win the match. I think they're gonna come out and give a good effort, but I don't really think they feel in their hearts that they can win.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Now that I've improved my second serve, right up there with a lot of the guys, I believe. But I'm a lady. I don't want to play with men's Tours. The lady's Tour is where it's good to be at right now. I want to be right here.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I would say I'm the best. Serena has a very good serve, too. As far as placement, her serve would be better than mine. As far as serving off the tees, I don't always have the best place in my serve. I think my serve's the best. I'm sure if you asked her, she'd say her serve was the best.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think I know where it's going.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes, it's genetics. Serena's not going to the gym. She's always been like that, even when she was little. When she was little, she was small and short, but she was muscular and cut. According to the teachers, she would be showing her muscles, threatening people. But she's always been like that.

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