WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 22, 2020

Venus Williams

Press Conference

D. YASTREMSKA/V. Williams

5-7, 6-2, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did you feel about how you played today? What do you think made the difference in the end?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was a good match. You know, first round is always, you know, the challenge, trying to get your rhythm. She played well. Just was a little better in the end on the points. So, yeah.

Q. I know you already played in Kentucky, but I guess it's different in Grandstand. It's a bigger stadium. How did it feel with no fans in such a big stadium?

VENUS WILLIAMS: It's a beautiful stadium. I have never actually been in there before today. It was a great experience.

Q. I wanted to ask just about the break, many months off from the tour. Can you just reflect on what you have learned from this time off? Was it a time to just reflect and learn some things?

VENUS WILLIAMS: (Smiling.) I didn't really think about reflecting and learning things during the time off. Things happen in life. You can't control them. You can't control COVID, and you spend every day to the fullest. That's all.

Q. Can you just talk real quick about your Wonder Woman collection? What's the reaction been like? How excited are you about it?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. So Wonder Woman collection is just really celebrating real-life heroes and the strength of women and character, values, all the things Wonder Woman stands for, and the reaction has been unbelievable.

Just selling out of things very quickly. It's been a really big day. That's a wonderful kind of collaboration between EleVen and what we stand for, which is really wellness and excellence and giving it your all and living your life to an 11 and past a 10.