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DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPSFebruary 20, 2014Venus WilliamsDUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES V. WILLIAMS/F. Pennetta THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You had to fight very hard to close that match out, didn't you? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, you know, I ended up having some breakpoints, and then she just keeps fighting. She stays relevant. That's what she does really well. She stays in the point. I have to give her credit for that. You know, I think I could have maybe made a couple more shots, but it's not always easy against someone who competes as well as her. Obviously she's been playing well. Q. How do you feel about your own performance? VENUS WILLIAMS: I felt good. You know, it was an adjustment playing someone like her. Her game is different than Ivanovic, so it was definitely an adjustment. I have to be more patient; the points are going to be longer. We have to be a little bit more measured. I think in the beginning of the match I wasn't really on that mode, but as the match went on, then I started to kind of self‑correct a little bit. Q. It felt warmer today. Did that have any impact on the match at all? VENUS WILLIAMS: No. I love heat. Q. Did the ball move faster? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know, because I'm not one of those sensitive players. I just know I felt warmer and I like that (smiling). Q. Did you get over the late night, no problem? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was definitely a quick turnaround, and all those matches that quick is not ideal, but I kind of just kept my legs going and kept running and kept fighting. Q. I don't recall myself ever seeing you use that coaching rule, but what is your take on visiting coaches on the court? VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, I like the coaching rule. I just don't use it that much. I think I used it in Auckland and I think in Tokyo and Beijing, but I think I probably like to wait until the very last second. Q. What's the advantage of it? What do you think it does? VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, I think, you know, it helps you to maybe get a little more pumped up, maybe there's something you aren't seeing, all of that stuff. Q. When you and your sister broke through‑ I asked her this question the other day, and I want your take on it ‑ women's tennis was perceived as being a youngsters game: there was you two, there was Martina, there was Anna. Now you have the top two in the world are both 32 years of age, you're around there, and why have things changed? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think people are playing smarter schedules. People aren't playing so many matches and just extending themselves to the point where mentally and physically, and I think mostly mentally, you just fail. You can't keep that up. It's impossible. The season being a little bit shorter helps, but mostly people are making better decisions. I think just this generation playing longer helps other people think too they can play longer, play well and play longer. Q. Serena mentioned technology, as well, better racquets, better shoes, that sort of thing. VENUS WILLIAMS: I never played with the old‑style racquet so I can't compare them. Q. You use the same racquet as you always have? VENUS WILLIAMS: No, but when I started playing as a youngster, the big Profiles and Thundersticks came out, so they were big racquets. That's what I have always known, so I don't know about the old racquets. I can't compare it. Q. Thundersticks? VENUS WILLIAMS: The Thundersticks. I played with the big Wilson Profile, a massive racquet, and I was 10 years old (smiling). Yeah. Q. You've got two designer companies, clothes and interior design. Which do you prefer? What kind of design do you prefer? VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. Whatever I'm doing at that moment. It's similar to tennis. You get victories and you get losses, and you have to adjust (smiling). But I do love both. It's definitely a creative outlet for me. It's hard to pick, and I'm glad I can do both. Q. You're obviously very hands on with the clothing. Are you as much hands on with the interior designing? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes, yeah. I actually went to school for interiors before I dropped out and went to business school. I hate writing papers, so it's been really challenging. I can't wait to get to design school. I'm going to go back because I like that so much more (smiling). I like colors and patterns. Q. Did you get your Associate's degree? VENUS WILLIAMS: In? Q. At Ft. Lauderdale Art. VENUS WILLIAMS: For interior design? Q. I don't know which one it was. I remember seeing a picture of you. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I went to fashion, and then I was going for a Bachelor's in interiors and I kind of stopped halfway through. Q. Was that at the same place or someplace else? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. But I learned a lot. Q. So your Associate's is in fashion? VENUS WILLIAMS: Fashion. Q. Most people would be happy doing one kind of fashion, one kind of design. Why did you feel you needed to do a second one? VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, with interiors it's a lot more than fabric. At V*Starr we do mostly commercial design, so you're doing a lot with architects and engineers and you have to be on your game. There is a lot of details. So I have to know what I'm doing, too, and I don't know as much as my team. That's why I have them. I like to think I'm pretty good, as well. Q. Have you seen your taste change as you have gotten older to what you liked when you first started? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I get more and more modern as I get older. Q. More modern? Sleeker lines? VENUS WILLIAMS: Sleeker, yeah. Q. I was going to ask you about that. You're from Florida. You expect lots of sunshine, bright colors, and yet your interior designs are Louis XVI, French. VENUS WILLIAMS: Are they? Q. They're very European, old‑style European. VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, you mean on the website? I think that's a lot of our older stuff, like we never really updated our website. I guess we need to. It's a process. Q. Back to the tennis, obviously you're in the semis now. I mean, how good does that feel to be in the semis? And do you have a preference, Wozniacki or Cirstea? At the moment it's looking like Wozniacki. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, obviously I have been working hard to get to this spot and everyone else has, too. For me, I don't really care who I play. I just want to be in the next round myself. Whoever I have to beat or win against, I have to work hard at it and hopefully do one step at a time. Q. Your victory brings the prospect of an all‑Williams final. Is that an additional motivation to meet your sister on Saturday? VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that would be fantastic, you know, but we both have to get there. I would like both of us to get there, so we'll see. Q. Do you remember the last time you played her in a final? VENUS WILLIAMS: No. Actually, I don't. Q. Do you remember the last time you played? VENUS WILLIAMS: Charleston. Yeah, last year. In the semis. Q. Doha Championships in '09. VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, she got me, I think (laughter). Q. That's why you don't remember, is it? VENUS WILLIAMS: It's been a while. I have kind of been a little absent. I haven't been able to hold up to my side of the bargain. Hopefully that will change. Q. You just used the term "working hard." Every tennis player talks about working hard in the offseason and whatever. With what you've got, does that compromise the ability to work out due to physical hard work or are you okay doing all of that? VENUS WILLIAMS: I do the best I can every single day, no matter how I feel, pretty much the best way to put it. Q. Serena said after the diagnosis she tried to be the big sister but she couldn't do it. Could you talk about the benefits of having her around during a tournament week and also the support she's shown you over the past years? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, Serena has been extremely supportive. My whole family has. My whole family has changed their lifestyle for me. I think as a family we've gotten healthier. That's been amazing, and she was extremely supportive and just always been in my corner. No matter how tough things get for me, she's always been there. So it makes me feel better, makes me keep going. Q. How would you get healthier? VENUS WILLIAMS: How? I pray and try a million different things all the time. That's pretty much what I do. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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