AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2003

Venus Williams

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Venus, please.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Definitely ready to get out there. So I tried to get ready quick, so make it quick.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, just try to come to the net when I can. If I have a short ball, I move in. If I have to move back, I move back. I just really try to play the ball and whatever it takes to win the point.

VENUS WILLIAMS: For sure four in a row is real nice. I guess it's (inaudible) this point take the title home. So at least I am always in the position to be the victor. Hopefully this time it will be different than the last three.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I really just think I have to keep focusing, I have to keep playing like I am, keep my errors down and keep coming in, keep holding serve.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Really I try not to think too much about my matches. I really just prepare when I'm on the practice court and after that I let go and watch TV, laugh, read books and stuff like that then go play the match I think. Once you start thinking too much, it can get to you. So I think on the court, off the court I resume with my life.

VENUS WILLIAMS: 215?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I've never seen the 215. It must not have went in (laughter). No, I didn't see that one. If it was, it was nice. Hopefully the next one will be in.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think I'm doing good. I think the only time I am making errors is when I'm just rushing myself. It's my nature to play an aggressive game, that's how I was taught to play the game, because really the people that are winning are playing aggressive and making something happen on the court. At times I'm always so ready to move forward and play a forceful shot that I do rush. So whenever I do slow down, I'm able to play well and consistently. You know, that's really my main goal, is to stay within myself and not get ahead of myself.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Really? To me, it feels the same.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm really going to make sure I work on my serve a lot when I get home. A lot of times I do everything else and at the end of practice it's time to serve and I'm tired so I won't hit a lot of serves. So I think maybe I'll change it around and start hitting the serves first, so that way I'll have put all my energy into that. Because it's a really important part of the game, the serve and return. It's where you start the point.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Really? Good. Probably one game with three double-faults, too.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, good.

VENUS WILLIAMS: More than anything, I wanted to win the match today. Whatever her performance, her level of play, is really up to her. Obviously, I mean, she's proved she's a great player, semifinals, finals at Wimbledon, you know, great results everywhere. She definitely has the potential to be a Grand Slam champion. But more than anything, I was just out there trying to win my match.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Today.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, on the court I'm a competitor. No matter who it is, I hate to lose. The same with her - maybe her even more. Off the court, we're sisters again. If she were to twist her ankle on the court, of course I'd be concerned but I would still have to go out and hit the next shot, you know. That's the way it is.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Uh-hmm.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I was always really high on myself and, you know, I was sure I could win, I was better and all that kind of thing. So after I hit with him, I went to practice at the regular parks where I usually hit at, and I was telling my dad, "Daddy, I'd win the match. I'd hit my backhand like this, my forehand like that, I'd come to the net." I was telling him all these things. He said, "Venus, I don't know if you can win." Finally, he saw I could do it, he should encourage me. That's a funny story. Looking back, I realize I would have lost. But at that time I really thought I could do it. That's funny.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I've always wanted to win the titles, especially if it's a Grand Slam. I'm just as hungry, I'm just as motivated.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No difference. I think there's times maybe I'm more confident than at another time, but I always feel confident, even if I'm not playing well. I feel confident as a competitor that I'm going to go out there and really compete, and even if I do lose, my opponent's really, really, really going to have to play.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I try when I have some short balls. But a lot of times the girls are playing the balls deep, especially as the tournament goes on. So when I have a chance, I'll try.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think the key is first, you know, our religious beliefs. Really believe in God and we realize that, sure, this is a game, but there's so much more things important in life. All I have is my family and my best friends are my sisters, my mom and my dad. Other than that, I don't really have any people that are around me. That's the first thing. So if I lose them, I don't have anything. Second is it's how we were taught to really be a family and stick together. We weren't allowed to fight or do those kinds of things. It was just out of the question. So we all just banded together and hold each other up.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Not yet, because they don't really have any coaches. When I was younger, my mom and dad, they were teaching us. So no one else out there, I guess, has the skill to teach tennis the way they did - or no one in my family at least yet.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think we ever talk about tactics. We mostly talk about anything that I may be doing wrong or some things that I can improve on. Of course, if someone has an awesome shot on a certain side, of course you do realize those kind of things. More than anything my tactic, what to focus on in my own game. If I do talk to my mom, most likely my dad, we'll just talk about quick preparation, staying low, hitting up on my serve, those kinds of things.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Sure. I don't have a phone this time, but I'll use Serena's.