US OPEN

September 5, 2001

Venus Williams

MODERATOR: Questions for Venus.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I'm hoping to be in the final (smiling). 8:00 sharp at the dance, so... Yeah, I still have the semifinals first.

VENUS WILLIAMS: My unforced errors count was just really high. I wasn't stringing together the points the way I'd like to exactly. I did a few good points, and then I missed a few easy shots, too. But, in general, a win is a win, and I'm happy to have won.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I've seen her play quite a few times so I knew what to expect. You know, I was disappointed that I lost serve in one game, but I was able to hang on the rest of them. I think I only lost serve once. That was a nice stat for me.

VENUS WILLIAMS: It was a little bit windy with the toss. I feel that I'm accustomed to the wind at this point. Have to get my first serve percentage up. Really I'd like to have a few more aces. Some service winners would be nice too.

VENUS WILLIAMS: It was definitely much better. I think she was returning my serve well. You know, I hit a fast one, she would get it right back, so that was nice for her, I guess. For me, I would be a lot happier if it was a service winner. You know, I think I served better. I was in the 50s, so that's definitely bringing it up from the other day.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think she's a very strong player. I could see exactly why she got to the French Open final. She's very fast. She has a lot of power. I guess she just has to use it to her advantage every time that she plays.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, it wasn't today. Today wasn't her day. There will be other days, just like there were for me. Sometimes it wasn't my day. But there will be other opportunities.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I just think it's experience. Really, I was just doing exactly what my dad told me to do, so that helped out a lot, when I was listening. When I wasn't, it was tougher.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'll keep that for myself. But everything that he told me always works out.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I wasn't trying to defend Wimbledon; I was trying to win Wimbledon. For me, it's a totally different thing. I'm not trying to defend here; I'm trying to win. So it's a great big difference. I don't have any pressure to defend because I'm here to try to take the title home.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I don't really remember what I said. I talk a lot sometimes. I guess I did tell her that champions will hit over the net and not into the net. If you hit in the net, there's just no chance at all. The opportunity is finished. If you get it over, it might drop in.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, you know, I guess just one more match to go for each of us. But we're against some pretty good players, No. 1 and -- Capriati has to play yet. If I play Mauresmo, you know, she's not a joke either. I guess I have to wait and see who I play.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, she played very good. She was trying to force me, you know, to play. But I was pretty confident, especially in my return game. Really just haven't been broken before in an opening game. That's happened before. Wasn't anything for me to get nervous or shaky about.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I suppose getting to that prime time final. A lot of people have been vying to get there. It hasn't been an easy road. I guess whoever comes out and plays superior. I believe it will be a good match, a tough match.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I guess I have to win the next round first. But if I'm there, I'm going to take the full opportunity to try to make it happen, take another title home.

VENUS WILLIAMS: She's a very strong player. She does everything well. In my opinion, you just have to come out there and play good tennis, be ready to compete on that day.

VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, I think she plays very well. She hits the ball quite hard. Nowadays, I don't really try to hit every ball hard anymore. When I have to, sure, I like to force it if I have the opportunity. I think maybe I don't have as much pace on every shot as she does.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I believe I had a few free points on the serve because of that. Maybe she was expecting a hard one, and I would hit it just at a medium pace. She was thrown off. I threw up some high ones. But I feel I'm able to mix it up. Maybe that was to my advantage today.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. But I get letters from him when I win sometimes.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.

VENUS WILLIAMS: "Congratulations." Things like that.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I didn't know that.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, when I first started, I was a beginner, everything was exciting. Things are still exciting - even more exciting now because I'm winning. But back then, I played a few good matches. Burn-out. Fall to the wayside. It was very exciting because I was doing things for the first time, stepping up to the occasion. But nowadays, I expect to do these things. I expect myself to hit those shots. If I don't, then that's a surprise. So maybe that's why I'm more calm now. If I win a big point, I've expected to do this. That's what I expect of myself. So that's the difference, I think.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, the first times I didn't win. But now what's fun is that I'm actually able to take titles home.

VENUS WILLIAMS: It is?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, that's nice (smiling).

VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess they come because they've heard a lot and they want to see what's going on. Thank you. You guys wrote it. You know, I think it's nice. I think it's very exciting that people are coming out from all walks of life to come see us. It's not only us, it's other players, too, in my opinion. I think it's especially exciting, especially here at The Open, the place to be during these two weeks.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I thought it was cool. That's why I kept playing. So, you know, I thought it was always nice.

VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, I just think in general the fans have always loved her from the very beginning, you know, when she hit her first ball. I remember. I was like a baby, but I was following it, too when she hit her first ball. Everyone has been watching her and following her story. They feel like they watched her grow up. Maybe that's what it is. So she has a lot of fans and a strong fan base. They really come out and root for her and want her to win.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know what's going on. Whoever said I had a cold?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Really?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, I think I tested myself enough. Today I had quite a few unforced errors. So, I think that I'm ready to play, ready to compete. If I'm not, I've just wasted 12 years of my life practicing. Here's my chance.