US OPEN

September 4, 2004

Venus Williams

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Not necessarily about over the injuries, but, I mean, I'm just now starting to get healthy. But it's more about, you know, the decisions that I've made this year. A lot of times I played injured and played when I wasn't prepared to play, so I put myself in situations where I was in a comprising position, where I wasn't in a position to play well, win matches or be very forceful. And that hurt my game a lot. It put me back. And I really truly believe that I could be a lot further now if I would have just stayed home, gotten better, no matter how long it took, then came out when I was ready. So today was really the first day that I started to feel like a lot more like I did before all the injuries and what have you. Even the first two rounds, I hadn't felt like that. So it was good. This was a very good match for me. I'm glad that she came out and played me so hard; I needed that.

VENUS WILLIAMS: You know I had to play the Olympics, come on, whether I was well or not... But definitely the French. I mean, two weeks before the event, I had terrible, terrible ankle sprain. I really wasn't prepared. I was not fit. It's a terrible thing. I mean, I'm, you know, former No. 1, Grand Slam champion, I'm Venus Williams. People come out there and they start to think they can win because I'm not on top. I mean, they know that I'm not on top. If I'm playing my best, if I'm playing well, normally I'm going to be in the winner's circle. So I need to give myself the opportunity to prepare and, you know, starting to feel good.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Because it's the Olympics, yes.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Absolutely not. I mean, Mary Pierce is a great player, but I just feel like normally I'd win that match. It's just the injuries have really, really -- they just hurt my results. Of course I had to play the Olympics, yeah.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, my wrist is feeling fine. It's just about just the whole combination of playing well, mentally being there, having your game there. And, yeah, okay, I'm still missing a few shots, but even when I'm at my best, I miss a few shots and I go for broke. And it's starting to get back there. Today was good. I mean, she played unbelievable. She really did. And, you know, I felt even in that second set, it just probably should have been more like 6-0, because I gave away some games. But that was okay because I was starting to flow... flowing.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Uh-hmm.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes, that was a very good preparation for me today. I'm looking forward to the match. I feel like I'm returning a lot better. Even in that second-round match when the girl hit 115, I was returning better when the ball was faster. So I just feel like I'm returning a lot better than what I was in the summer. My game's better. I'm moving better. I'm not rushing as much. I'm starting to play well.

VENUS WILLIAMS: There will always be opinions. That's all I have to say.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was not prepared at events, basically is what I'm trying to say. I was not prepared, but I came anyway. And I was better off to skip those events. The truth of the matter is that in the past year, both myself and Serena, we have not been healthy. When you look at the players playing, they're trying to play like us, they're trying to do what we do. You know, they're trying to see what we do and what we'll come up with next. If we're healthy, and we're going toe-to-toe, it's going to be a good match no matter who we're playing.

VENUS WILLIAMS: (Laughing). I got to practice tomorrow. I think I've got a book signing. But I think I'm going to go to Serena's match, too. It won't be a night match again. I think she's going to come to that. She's really a great person. She's nice.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Obviously, it's a big match. But in the grand scheme of things, it is a match, and it's a match that, you know, I'll need to win to get to the quarterfinals. That's how I see it. I feel like I'm on the move. I feel like I'm starting to be more prepared for my matches.