US OPEN

September 6, 2004

Venus Williams

THE MODERATOR: First question for Venus.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Thank you.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, I'm feeling good, thank you. Yes, thank you.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think the thing that hurt me the most today, just in general, would be a little bit of my consistency. I think that my serve wasn't where it normally is. I mean, my second serves were quite fast, normally in the 90s. But my first serve was, uhm, you know, not as normal as it should be. I think that, you know, I've learned a lot from this match, so...

VENUS WILLIAMS: Normally I'm -- I'm really disappointed, you know, all this year's Grand Slams. But I've learned that, you know, I'm in the -- the position that I'm in is not necessarily my fault. I've learned that, you know, I can't be hard on myself. I have to take my time and realize that, you know, it's just a matter of time before I'm playing my best. Even though today wasn't my best tennis, there are less things that I have to think about on the court because for the past few weeks, or since playing the Olympics, I've had more opportunity to practice, so I am not thinking. I guess it's hard to describe exactly. But when you're off, there's so many things that you have to think about because you haven't had enough time that it just comes like that (snapping fingers). But I am encouraged from this match. I think that, you know, next time it will be different.

VENUS WILLIAMS: My hope, more or less, comes from within. Each person has a different set of circumstances that they deal with. You know, just in the past couple weeks, I've just come to realize that my circumstances, maybe it wasn't necessarily because I hadn't worked hard enough. I think there was a part of me that was thinking that I hadn't worked hard enough, you know, that I didn't want it enough. But the fact of the matter wwas that I couldn't practice. There's a part of me now, "You know, don't blame yourself. There are things that happen that are out of your control sometimes." I can't feel that I didn't work hard enough because if I had the opportunity, yes, I would have. So I've gotten wiser - older and wiser, I guess, in that aspect. Yeah, I feel better. I feel okay.

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, not necessarily. I mean, I wanted to win the match. I guess my biggest disappointment is I just was really enjoying playing here and really I felt playing better. I would have loved to have gone on to play the next round because I was enjoying it.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think just in general I missed too much. I think I just missed a few too many. I think I was a player that was going possibly for more. That's how I play. I didn't mind playing her at all. I didn't feel I had a bad draw. I don't necessarily think she probably felt the same way. But even when I'm not playing my best, the score is quite tough for whoever's playing against me. And next time, you know, I'm going to have 10 less errors, I'm going have 20 less errors. I'm going to really, you know, punish the person I'm playing with, my first serve. I know that, you know, now that I stay healthy, I'm going to stay healthy, if I can control it. I'm going to be better. So, yeah, I feel good.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, there are times when it's important to get the ball in play. You have to read your opponent's body language. It's important to get it in play and not maybe go for a winner all the time. I'm not necessarily going for winners, but I'm going for an aggressive shot and to make a play. I'm not very comfortable just like sitting back and hoping the next person will miss. Ultimately, that's not how you win. Ultimately, the people who are winners are the ones that make it happen. My balls will fall in. There are one or two -- a few things that I haven't gotten down just yet. My follow-through on my shots and my serve I would say is a little bit off. Just a few things. I need to play closer to the baseline. Just a few things.

VENUS WILLIAMS: She definitely served well. But I think it was me. I made a lot of errors. I made some errors. Basically that was it.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Who said that?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Uhm, I'm having fun, I guess. It's a lot more fun when you win matches, sure. But I have a lot to think about.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, with my game, I think. Not as much as before, but I still have a lot to think about.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm getting there. I'm getting there. Yeah, it's just for me a matter of being able to stay out on the court and practice and not have these intermittent injuries every few weeks. I've been okay since my last wrist injury, what, in San Diego or LA or wherever that was a few weeks ago. Yeah, basically.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm going to be in a few tournaments. Did I qualify for The Championships? I never keep up with my ranking or points or anything that much.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. I wouldn't worry about it. Nothing I can do because I had a match.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess so.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Possibly the best thing was that she served well. I think she served well.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Right.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Probably played her the most times than anyone else. Yeah, that's true. Anything special? Not that I can think of right now. I mean, it's great to play against a player who challenges you, that's for sure. But I just need to overcome the challenges, yeah.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Like what?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I definitely focus on the tennis. But just like every other person in this world, I'm not just a career person. I'm also a person. And it's very important for me to continue to develop myself as a person on and off the court. If I didn't develop myself and have interests outside the court, I feel I would be stagnant and uninteresting. So obviously tennis is my career, where I put most of my time, but also there are other things that interest me.