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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 12, 2019

Venus Williams

Cincinnati, Ohio

V. WILLIAMS/L. Davis

7-5, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Third game of the second set you saved four breakpoints. Can you take us through that game?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, that was a really long game. She played some great points. Seemed like every time I got down, then I played an even better point.

I was just trying to find the rhythm. She has a surprisingly powerful game. You look at her and you don't think she's gonna hit that hard, but she really knows how to control the point. Has an impressive game.

Q. You haven't been able to get back-to-back matches in tournaments in the last couple months. You have spent a ton of time on the practice courts in Toronto and then here. Have you been able to do anything different than normal in that time? How important was that to you, being able to bring such a crisp game to the court today?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I didn't really think about that. Just trying to win today and try to win tomorrow and the day after (smiling).

At the end of the day, you have to work hard and someone has to win and someone has to lose. I try to be the one that wins. When it doesn't, you just work, just go and work at it.

Q. You have been playing a lot of doubles lately with lots of different partners, which we all love to see, but is this maybe in preparation for Tokyo?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'd love to start playing some more doubles. I guess I have to figure that out. Ultimately I'd like to play doubles with my long, long-time life partner. Hopefully that's what will go down.

Q. A lot of times in press you'll talk in terms of things being very simple, just keeping the ball over the net, and winning as many points as you can to win the match. Was there a time maybe when you were younger when things maybe weren't so simple and you had to come to that conclusion to make things easier for yourself on court?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think when I was much younger I didn't think so much. I just hit hard and I didn't know what I was doing (smiling).

So I think there is beauty to that but also, like, a lot of inexperience to it. So I think the more experienced you are, the more you can overthink because you understand different strategies. But at the end of the day, yeah, it is that simple. You've got to put it in. Sometimes it seems simplistic but the hardest thing to do in the world.

Q. Do you still maybe find some times on the court where you do have those moments, playing with reckless abandon?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that's my default, so I try not to default to that. Trying to play measured and smart. But in the end I probably do want to hit just every ball as hard as I can. It feels good but not always the best idea.

Q. In that same vein, can you describe what it's like to hit two big serves down the T to close out a game like you did in the second set?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was going for these big serves but not all of them were landing. So when those landed, I was, like, Okay, this is what I was going for.

It's a great way to solidify a break. She was playing tough on my serve.

Q. You recently put up content on YouTube. Can you take us through how all that came together?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, well, I try to learn something from everything I do, so I think that's kind of the constant motif is what I have learned.

I also have fun no matter what. I think that's also a motif, as well. There we go.

Q. How often have you played girls who, when they were young, got your autograph and they tell you that story?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It seems like more often than not these days (smiling). It's a good thing, though, right?

Q. I know you mentioned a lot that you love your job and that's why you're out here competing. When there are times that you struggle to find that joy, do you have some strategies to kind of snatch it back and get back in the mood?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that when you lose it's not fun, but I don't think -- it's not a moment that's not joyful. It's just -- I can't think of anyone, I hope, that enjoys losing, so I think it's just a moment of trying to find clarity when things get quite muddled.

Q. You got to practice with Caty McNally yesterday. Is that fun for you to talk to younger players and encourage them?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, she's American, so that's even more of a plus. Just being able to see her play and develop, I think she is gonna have a bright future.

She seems, like, very balanced, so that helps you to be able to just focus on tennis when the rest of your life is in order. She's got a lot to look forward to.

Q. Being an inspiration to an endless amount of people when you set foot on the court, what is something that inspires you to continue to work hard and to do your best and not give up on the match?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think my opponents inspire me. I mean, they're good. Each and every single person is just at such a high level that there is no givens.

Everyone is playing incredible. That's inspiring in itself to see everyone else playing play well, and that means, okay, I have to continue to work and continue to get better.

Q. Specifically Kiki Bertens, who you'll play next, what makes her in your opinion tough to beat?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think she does everything well. She competes well, and she's really matured and coming into herself the last few years. That takes a lot of courage to figure those things out, especially kind of more later in your career. It just shows her strength of character, really.

You know, I'll definitely see where I can take advantage, but more than anything, if I can play decent, then I have a good chance.

Q. In your estimation, do you think that the tour is that much more competitive now than it was when you started or even the middle of your career?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah. Definitely. Just looking to do so year after year. It's a great thing.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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