WIMBLEDON

July 2, 2001

Venus Williams

MODERATOR: First question for Venus, please.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think my groundstrokes were a lot better today. My movement was very good. But my serve was a little bit down , really just my first serve percentage, whereas in the rest of my matches I've been serving quite well. Pretty confident I can bring it up.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I mean, I'm going to be hoping Serena wins all the way. She's my sister. I want the best for her. You know, I think in the previous matches she's played against Jennifer, they've been very close. But I don't think Serena's performed nearly as well as what she can do. I think she's just been given a lot of effort in those matches, and I think that's why they've been close. I think Serena picked up the level of her game today. She's just going to have to go out there and compete. She has a choice to compete well and compete badly. She has to make that choice.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I just feel no difference. Each person is a competitor once they walk on the court, and possibly trying to beat me, so that's how I see it.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I just think that I'm going to have to stay calm and not get rushed at all, just stick to my guns.

VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, it's just playing a different player. Everyone's different. You keep that in mind when you play them, what their strong points are and what their weaknesses are. So that's how I approach every match, a different match against a different player.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I did. But, you know, nothing about the ball dress yet. Mostly the tennis ball.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, he did. I was playing okay in the first week, but not nearly up to my potential. I was really making quite a few errors at random, basically two or three a match. Even though the scores were easy, I was making the games a lot harder. Whereas today, the score was easy and I won quite easy. So that was nice.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I don't really know her. She's a little bit older than what I am. She's probably more serious about life than what I would be at this point. And as far as a mental advantage, I think that everyone walks on the court to play me, they have to be ready to play well. And I think she knows she has to play well against both of us. Really, I don't think it's a problem for her, and it shouldn't be a problem for anyone because if you come out and play a top player, you do have to play well to beat them. I think she keeps that in mind, not only when she's playing me, but any top player - in fact, these days, any player.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, it would be a dream come true just never to have to lose here, yeah. Never have to walk home a loser. That would be great. But you win some, you lose some. He's lost a few here before he got his wonderful record. And I've had my losses, actually, since '97. So maybe I'm done paying all my dues.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I didn't feel like I had to grow up. Just saying I'm starting to grow up. I think that I'm not going to lose as many things. I'm going to hang on to the things, especially the things that I like. So I've made that pact with myself. I'm going to keep my little things.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Just little things like hairpins that I really like. I won't just throw them around. I'll put them in one place all the time. Because I really like them. If I let Serena borrow them, I'll make them give them back. A little hair band my mom gave me, I've had it for six months now. I really like it. Maybe she didn't give it to me, but it's mine now. Just things that I'd like to keep. No need to keep wasting money by going out and buying more. I'm trying to be more parsimonious.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I guess so, we'll talk about the match. Maybe, I guess. Sure, it's a good idea.

VENUS WILLIAMS: "Play your game." That's all she has to do really. She has a great game. If she gets out there and plays, it's going to be rough for anyone, as long as she competes well. If Jennifer beats her, and Serena has played well, then kudos for Jennifer.

VENUS WILLIAMS: It's just basically Serena and I, we love doubles, and we hate to lose in the doubles. We don't like to lose in the doubles, especially before we lose in the singles. No losses for us, especially before singles. Yeah, I don't know. Maybe if I was playing Navratilova in singles, I'd feel a little differently. It's just another match for me.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I can't exactly say that she has a better partner. De Swardt was a good player. She had a big serve. I think that helped her out a lot. Haven't played Sanchez in doubles in a little while, but I know she's a good doubles player. I don't know, we'll see.