AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2003

Venus Williams

MODERATOR: Questions for Venus, please.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I did get here a little early. I arrived on Wednesday. I practiced hard. I really didn't want to lose. Maybe that's the recipe.

VENUS WILLIAMS: You think it was good? I think I had a lot of errors. I think also that Daniela didn't play her best. I think she wanted to play better, for sure. But I think in general, maybe it was my better match of this tournament. But, of course, I'm my best critic, I'm always looking for the things that I can do better after each match, unless it was perfect. So that's probably why I see it like that.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I didn't even know I served it. I was getting ready for the next serve, then I saw it. I guess the times that I serve the hardest is when I'm not trying. I haven't even tried to break my record. Back when I was serving really big, I had the 205, I was always trying to serve really hard. So this tournament I did decide that I'm going to start trying to do that again. Nowadays, I just go for placement and, of course, power. I mean, when I hit it, it just kind of comes that fast. Now I'm going to start trying to see if I can serve it even bigger than the record.

VENUS WILLIAMS: From last year?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, well, I guess a lesson I could have taken is that she was a very good player. But I played her a handful of times. I think this match was just really different from the last one, for sure.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I hated that one loss. I always remember the losses more than the wins. So I guess I'll keep that in mind when I play the next one. I always remember the scores, you know, the pain. But I think she's playing really well. I didn't see any of the last match. But I was on the doubles court, and they show the scores of the matches on the changeovers. The crowd would go, "Ooh," gasp, because it was 6-6, 7-6. It looked really exciting.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Hmm, yes, I have. Those aren't easy, especially if you lose it.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I just think in the middle of a point when the crowd starts to be a bit noisy, it's best just to focus on your shot and not to worry if the ball was really in or out. Obviously, I can't call the lines for me or against me. I'd like to think they were in, but I suppose maybe some of them were in or out. I don't know.

VENUS WILLIAMS: They don't seem to show it on TV, so I guess I won't be able to.

VENUS WILLIAMS: If they show the match, if I have time. In general, I like to watch women's tennis a lot, everyone at home, no matter what player it is.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I try to. (Inaudible) learn anything.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I assume it's Serena, right (smiling)? Long way from that still. I mean, the semifinals is a very important point in a Grand Slam, for sure. Whoever I do play, it will be very important for me to focus on that match and just to keep improving. The thing I was happy with today was most of my errors that I was making were long, out, not in the net. When it's in the net, it bothers me. I don't like that.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Eat, stretch, tape, play.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Zurich, long time ago, '98. Back then I was really always trying like to serve faster. After that, I just tapered off. I was always going for placement. Forgot to serve faster.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. But then in the States, the clock is different. I guess it's about 123, something like that.

VENUS WILLIAMS: As I was last year? Sure, always. But I think the players who are winning the Grand Slams are the ones who play the points at the right time, who are the bravest, who aren't afraid to make a mistake. That's what I have to be.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Serena.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. Sorry. I'm playing favorites.

VENUS WILLIAMS: He's really consistent. He doesn't miss a lot. Especially if I have to play before a match -- not play, but practice, warm up before a match, then I have to have anything perfect. I don't want anything missing. I want the ball coming exactly how I want it to come. He's quite good at that. He's motivated. He's on time when I'm late. It's great.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't feel like it, so I didn't. I didn't bring a lot of good ones. I can't seem to find them anymore.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't quite understand the question.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I think that had nothing to do with it. She just was too good. Everyone tried to take her down; no one could do it.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I've seen her play a few matches here, plus I've played her, so I knew what to expect. I just didn't want to go out there rushing my shots. Sometimes I can do that, start to make errors. But I don't think she did anything that I didn't expect, no.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I just took that one from Serena, I think. She hits that a lot. I think at that point I just wasn't thinking about it too much. I just hit the shot instead of trying to analyze it so much beforehand. That works a lot better. It was nice.

VENUS WILLIAMS: If I'm not playing so well, I do a lot. When I'm playing very well, I just play tennis.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No relief?

VENUS WILLIAMS: As far as?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Relief? I'm trying to understand the question. I never felt a relief.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I never really think of it that way. More than anything, I'm just trying to survive myself. Honestly, if I don't make it there, then what's the point? I'm just really trying to get there myself. Once I do get there, obviously I look at it that way. Hopefully I'll be in the final.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. In fact, I don't think about it. I have to focus on the tennis. Fortunately I don't have to, and everything's going on at home. I'll have to read my e-mail and see if anything bad happened, but I don't think so.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Design? I think it's kind of an art form.