NASDAQ-100 OPEN

March 20, 2003

Venus Williams

THE MODERATOR: I just wanted to thank you guys all for coming and let you know we're here today to launch the "Doublemint Feel the Green Auction" for charity. It's for the Tom Joyner Foundation. One hundred percent of the proceeds will benefit the Tom Joyner Foundation, which is a charity which provides scholarships for historically black universities and colleges.The program will launch on Monday on Doublemint.com. There's a lot of really fun stuff that's going to be up for auction on Doublemint.com that Venus will tell you a little bit about, including a private tennis lesson with Serena, some outfits that are going to be worn here at the NASDAQ-100 Open, as well as the French and Wimbledon. I will pass it over to Venus. Before, I just wanted to note, unfortunately, Serena wasn't able to join today. But we're really, really excited about this program. Venus will tell you a little bit more about it.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Okay. I guess it's my turn to speak. I'm really excited to be partnering with Doublemint. We've done some really, really good programs. They're actually, with Wrigley's, sorry. I've got the Doublemint T-shirt on. I think it's really been a lot of fun. I've been able to feel proud and good about myself because of the programs that they do have. Serena and I feel really good to be able to launch these kinds of initiatives and to be able to bring attention to these kinds of things. It makes a lot of sense to give back and makes us feel good. So what's going to happen is there are going to be a few outfits that we wear at the NASDAQ and some tennis balls and tennis racquets and huge tennis racquets, also a tennis lesson with Serena, and it's going to benefit the Tom Joyner Foundation. That benefits historically black colleges. I guess you know how I feel about education. It's almost number one in my life. Other than that, I'm ready for any questions you may have.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess she's a better teacher (laughter).

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, Tom Joyner, I'm not sure if you guys all know who Tom Joyner is, but he does a really popular morning show here. It's called the "Tom Joyner Morning Show." He's also African American. His foundation benefits a lot of great things. In this case, it's going to go 100 percent of the proceeds directly to scholarships for historically black colleges. I covered the whole...?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think basically Wrigley comes up with the best ideas.

VENUS WILLIAMS: When they make sense, it makes sense. Here I am. I think that for me, education is really important. A lot of times colleges, especially historically black ones, aren't always getting the funding that some of the other colleges do. So it's very important to me.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I hope so.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think so. Like I said, she's a good teacher.

VENUS WILLIAMS: She's patient. She understands the techniques.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, I don't know if they'll exactly want to play a match against her. But they may want some pointers. I guess it's up to how much nerve they have, because even the top players don't want to face Serena Williams (smiling).

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't have that many left. I tried to save them, but I think they got, like, caught in the move when I moved out. But, you know, that is a good idea. Next time we should auction the beads, those are like...

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, you know, that's a good way of putting it.

VENUS WILLIAMS: It's about chewing gum and then a little more. What, did you just get here?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Okay. I'll go through it again just for you, Bud.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Don't worry. Okay. It's the initiative that Wrigley's is launching with Serena and I, with our help. We are going to auction off items starting on Monday, all the way through April 25th. The items will include tennis balls, racquets and tennis bags, tennis dresses. I suppose the climax is a lesson with Serena, a tennis lesson. Someone can bid and get that one also. The bidding is at Wrigley.com.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Wrigley, Doublemint, they link. The funding, 100 percent of the proceeds go to the Tom Joyner Foundation, and the Tom Joyner Foundation, unless you heard that part...?

VENUS WILLIAMS: And you know Tom Joyner?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I hope there's a transcript. Tom Joyner is a very popular radio show host. He has his own morning show, and it's syndicated all over the United States. It's my mom's favorite, actually. His foundation is really, really a positive foundation. In this case the proceeds are going to go towards scholarships for historically black colleges.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, both my sisters went to Howard, so I guess I'm kind of particular to that one, yeah.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't think that's a provision, exactly. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure how the colleges will award the people who deserve it, but it's going to a good cause.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. What do you think?

VENUS WILLIAMS: We'll start the bidding high. I guess start -- hopefully, they'll go beyond their wildest expectations.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess if someone steps on it then twists their ankle, that deserves at least a warning (smiling).

VENUS WILLIAMS: Only if it's not Wrigley's (smiling).

VENUS WILLIAMS: Just, to be honest, I mean, I feel like I've kind of known him for a few years because I was always listening to the show. But I met him... Actually, I'm not exactly sure if I did meet him.

VENUS WILLIAMS: It was the Orange Bowl. Was that 2000? Yeah, it was the Orange Bowl, but I met everyone from the show that time. But I haven't exactly -- I haven't been able to sit down and chat and that kind of thing. But he's a really, really positive person. That's how I envision him.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm really, really particular towards, I suppose, children and really, I think, anyone who's a good cause. All kinds of requests, of course, for shoes and racquets and that kind of thing. If they're really doing the job, then that's what counts. But my favorite is definitely my mom's foundation, the OWL Foundation. She's my mom, so I lean toward that (smiling).

VENUS WILLIAMS: They don't exactly come to me. They're through managers. Racquets. You wouldn't believe the things people ask for.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm not even going to get into it in this press conference (laughing). It's what people, lots of people really -- especially good charities, they need help. So, you know, I suppose it's a little bit of my responsibility to be able to help where I can.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, when I have time, I try. Exactly like now, this is one of the best ways.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah. All the way. There she is (pointing to her picture.) She's not too talkative (laughing). Earphones...

VENUS WILLIAMS: Maybe we aren't on the same wavelength. Well, "Feel the Green" is part of this campaign, also the ad campaign. But I don't know about a racquet.

VENUS WILLIAMS: There are some designed racquets for auction?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I thought she was talking about the big ones?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm currently not entered. I loved it last year; I really did. Really, I never experienced another crowd like Amelia, at Amelia Island. I really haven't. I just really couldn't believe how wonderful the people were there and just how supportive and how much they wanted me to be able to succeed in my matches. So that was real, real nice.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I mean, I really want to, but I had some things going on in my life off the court so I couldn't exactly sign up.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I practice in the morning, go in the office in the afternoon. Then I get off work, put in my time card. But, no, it's a lot of fun. It's something I wanted to do, so... I like to think that once I put my mind to it, it will really go well.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm not the only person at the design office. I don't take care of everything.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Currently, just two. But as I say, it's hard to find good help. I've learned...

VENUS WILLIAMS: I have a few clients. My toughest client is Serena. She pressures me (laughing).

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Uh-hmm.

VENUS WILLIAMS: She has two.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I would never charge her. I would charge the rest (laughing). I wouldn't even do that. She kept saying, "I want to pay, I want to pay." But, no, I wouldn't.

VENUS WILLIAMS: To be honest, it doesn't take long at all because something like a home is very important, it's where you live and where you go back to every day. So you have to have a certain amount of confidence in whoever you hire that they are going to do a good job. So when people do choose V Starr, then they have a certain amount of confidence that the job can be done.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, I'm not pushy at all - only on the court, only on the tennis court.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm working on it, Bud. It's just not easy.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah... One day. One day.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, for sure. But as the years go by, it looks harder and harder. But I will. It would definitely, I guess, be one of my proudest moments. I don't know, there's a lot of great colleges. I suppose I won't be a candidate for one of the Wrigley's scholarships, but (laughing)... Who knows?

VENUS WILLIAMS: That's a good question. I don't even know. "How has the impact of the sister's relationship impacted tennis?" I hope in a good way. I think in a good way, yes.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Who (smiling)? What's the point of being afraid if there's nothing to fear? What did that mean (laughing)? I don't know what I just said. It's kind of like a Chinese philosopher, you know.

VENUS WILLIAMS: She just wasn't able to make it.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't even know. I like to think if you're good, people want you there, no matter who you are. If you're bad, you're not necessarily the attraction. But I don't know what his platform is, so I can't really comment on it.