US OPEN

September 8, 2000

Venus Williams

MODERATOR: Questions for Venus.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I was really making quite a few errors, especially off her service game, until -- well, all the whole match, actually. My balls, it seemed, kept flying long, so I had to tame my shots. I just kept fighting and kept staying in there. Eventually things worked out.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, really, Serena and I, we have three Grand Slam titles in doubles, and we have two in mixed. Pretty good volleyer. I just never got to the net that often. And when I did, I missed my shots. I think today I missed only one volley, and all my swinging volleys were perfect, mostly winners, I guess, except for maybe one. And I felt that whenever I moved forward, I had a better opportunity, and it was working out.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. It went very fast after that. I just kept slugging, fighting away. Just had to cut back my unforced errors. I think a few times I moved forward at the right times, and I managed to convert.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, actually, yeah, at 5-4, I thought, "Well, I waited till the last minute to break, this is the last opportunity." I was thinking that.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, it's a great time. I think the only time that I don't have a good time is when I'm making those errors. But as long as I keep myself under control, it's pretty successful, actually.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Just the fact that I really was not playing well today and I was down 5-3. It really just seemed like all of a sudden the match was over. That was pretty unbelievable.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah. I've got a pretty big heart these days. I really didn't want to lose. I felt that I should have an opportunity. This is my opportunity, I should take it, and that it wasn't over, even though it was 5-3. It was only one break. There weren't too many breaks of serve in this match. But I felt like, "This is my opportunity, I deserve to be in the finals, and I just need to go ahead and get it done."

VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess so. I've been around a little bit. I know a few more things, and I'm just trying my best to take my opportunities. Because when you don't, they're gone, and the next person goes on.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, the only thing I felt about Serena's loss, I felt she -- she didn't play well actually in any way, shape or form. And I felt bad that like she had to learn a lesson like that. I feel that like it should have been me, that I should have lost like that, so she could have taken the example from me and not have to suffer in such a manner. Usually that's how it goes. So I felt really bad about that. I felt like I wish I could have taken the loss for her.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think Lindsay played well, but I think most of all, Serena played badly. She wouldn't make any shots. She was hitting across the ball." Serena, what are you doing today?"

VENUS WILLIAMS: In Florida.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Her and her dog have left.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yesterday.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Sometimes. He was in and out. I didn't see him at all times.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Which one? The one I made or the one I missed?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah (laughter). That was some shot, huh? In the heat of the moment. I have a pretty good dropshot these days actually, so it worked out.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, because I don't rely on my parents. Usually I have it all figured out, what I'm going to do. And, sure, sometimes if you're playing bad, they'll say, "Come on, let's go, get it done, you can do it," things like that. That's okay. But as far as strategy, I've got it all figured out. I don't really need too much to look at the box.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I didn't hear you.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, like today, I wasn't playing well, so I kept looking to them to say, "Come on, you can do it," things like that. But like in my other matches, usually I don't look at the box too much. But today I really felt like I needed more motivation because I just kept making these unforced errors. I felt that, sure, she was going to beat me, that would be fine, but just to make it so easy for her was unacceptable.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, boy, '97, I was just a yearling. I have no regrets in '97 because I just -- I didn't know what I was doing basically.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah, definitely much better. My serve is better. Maybe my thought process also is much better, to say the most important thing as far as the difference. You know, Martina, she played well. She took advantage of me because I didn't know what was going on.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I'm still No. 3. But in my heart, I don't feel like I'm walking out there and playing against a player that is better than me. If I felt that way, I don't feel I'd be able to succeed.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I just think that I'll play my game, do my best, and usually that doesn't go wrong. Today I didn't play so well. But I did do my best. Well, maybe I didn't, but I tried hard.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I felt like -- I wasn't even grunting. I usually grunt. Even in practice I'm grunting. I was like missing too many shots into the rallies. I felt like I wasn't giving it my all. My feet weren't moving, I didn't want to move to shots. That was not me.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think it's going to happen again tomorrow. I think maybe I just didn't want to hit a lot of shots today. But I think also there were a lot less shots than, for example, Wimbledon, or even last year in the semifinals, because I came to the net a lot more, I took a lot more balls out of the air.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Against other players I believe she's dictating the points more, hitting them on the run, they're hitting them back to her.

VENUS WILLIAMS: It means the next person is on the defense and you're choosing what happens in the point. I think that her game is not made for that as far as when she's playing against someone like me or Serena or Lindsay. She's playing against other players, yeah. But I guess she would have to practice more of a power game. Maybe that's just not her. Everybody has to use what they have. I think she uses that well.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I stopped. I didn't like losing that way. It was just too much. I felt if I lost one more match like that I'd have to retire, really.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Whatever you think. I love my name. What do you mean? I'm not a tiger. If I was a girl, my name was Tiger, I think it would be strange.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I hope so. At Wimbledon, it was a nice match. I guess it wasn't one of our best matches. I think two weeks later at Stanford, it was a little bit more maybe competitive, although it was an easier score line. But I think tomorrow I'll play well. This is the final of a Grand Slam. Everything's at stake. I'm not going to give anything away, the best I can.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I felt if I started grunting, I think my effort level would be a lot higher.

VENUS WILLIAMS: We hope to. I love playing doubles. I like having a Grand Slam in doubles. It's nice to see them add up.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. That's the plan. I haven't seen anything in the papers that says she wasn't.

VENUS WILLIAMS: These days it's like WWF Wrestling.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't agree because for me it's no excuse to say, "I was tired, that's why I lost." If you're an athlete, you have to get out there and you have to be ready. Whether or not I'm tired has nothing to do with whether I win or lose. I don't have time to be tired during the match. After the match, sure, I can go lay down and sleep. Tomorrow, will be no excuse. I'm not going to be tired. In my mind, I'm fresh, I haven't even played a match.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm not tired. I'm young. I shouldn't be tired.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I'm just taking a day at a time.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, we've played the most, for sure, a lot of three-set matches.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know.

VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, tag team. What do they call it?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Tag team.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. Because like, once again, I've been put in the middle of something. I really don't have any concern or thought about it. Everyone these days is out for themselves, no matter what it is. So as far as alliance, I'm not even involved.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm tired of giving opportunities away. It all started at Wimbledon where I just stopped giving things away. Today it was the same way. I didn't play my best, but at the right times I think I moved forward, took some chances and did my best. Anything can happen, and today I was winning.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think maybe I had more time to think about the game, just to simplify it in my mind. But who's to say what would have happened.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. Yeah, I was ready to play. I missed the countries, like visiting different places.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess school wasn't that important.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I guess maybe I'm known as much as a school girl as a tennis player, get away from school. But I don't know. Right now, I guess the tennis dresses are what needs to be done. Later on hopefully maybe there will be other outfits.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I want to play more.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I do.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm going to go back, because I have to. I can't not go back because I started and I have to get finished. After this term, I'll be halfway done. Two more terms, it will be finished and I can play in the fall again. I could pick one or two destinations that I want to go to and play. But I think I have a good start now. Next year I won't have points coming off, just start strong then, and just get my degree.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I saw a picture in the paper, but it wasn't a very good one.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I know how it feels to be close to losing (laughter). That's a foreign feeling right now, and not a very accepted one for me. If it can continue this way forever, that would be unbelievable. Sure, I like this.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Let's hope for the best, expect the worst. I think it's a good chance.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I did that at Wimbledon. That's nice to beat the top seeds. Helps my ranking. I won a Grand Slam in great fashion. Sure, it would be nice.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't hold any grudges. I'm just competing out here, and that's all.