WORLD TEAMTENNIS MEDIA CONFERENCE

July 16, 2007

Venus Williams

ROSIE CREWS: Hi this is Rosie Crews with World TeamTennis. I want to welcome
Venus Williams. Venus, I know you've been busy so thank you so much for
taking the time. We look forward to having you back for your fourth year of
World TeamTennis, your second year with the Freedoms. She'll start tomorrow
night in Mamaroneck, Wednesday night in Boston, Friday in Philadelphia and
Sunday in Newport Beach.
We'll go to questions for Venus.

Q. After that Wimbledon win, I'm sure this must be crazy. How are you taking
it coming from No. 31, the lowest seed?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's exciting. I always believed I could do it. To do it is
definitely really, really hard work. I feel really, really excited, obviously
really blessed.

Q. What keeps you coming back to World TeamTennis to play?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I enjoy it, have fun. I love playing on the team with the
people I play on the team with. I love playing with Lisa Raymond. We just
played in Fed Cup this weekend. In general, I just have a great time. It's a
great way to play tennis and really enjoy the moment.

Q. You and your sister have raised women's tennis to a different level. How
can the sport overall get more African Americans involved?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm not sure. I'm not sure what the answer would be to that
question.

Q. Do you think maybe to add it more in urban communities? Here in
Pennsylvania, they opened the Arthur Ashe Center where tennis is really big.
Do you think maybe adding it more in urban communities?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think that could be an idea, for sure.

Q. The last time you won Wimbledon, I think your first stop for World
TeamTennis was Mamaroneck. This time you win Wimbledon, you're coming to
Mamaroneck. Is this going to be a regular stop for you now?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think it's a great idea. Becoming a little bit of a
tradition for me. But I had a great time there last year. Last year I was a
little bit off. I think I was just coming off Wimbledon, on a whirlwind. I
hadn't had a chance to practice. I remember it was a little bit tough. But
this time I've been well-practiced. I just came off Fed Cup, so I'm hoping to
have a great showing.

Q. You sign up for TeamTennis, then you win Wimbledon. Any thought about
maybe you need a break before the US Open Series, all of the other
competitive events coming up in the summer?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I have a week off after TeamTennis. That will be
enough. I really enjoy playing. With the way the tour works, I'm only able to
play certain weeks. So it's really important for me to get a chance to play
when I have a chance to.

Q. Are you playing New Haven this year?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I'm not.

Q. I was talking to Arantxa Sanchez yesterday. She was telling me in '94, the
WTT really helped her gear up for the US Open. Have you found that to be the
case?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I hope it helps me gear up. I think that playing the
singles, the doubles and the mixed is huge for me because I get to see the
ball so many times. Previously, my other previous years, I played well at the
Open after playing TeamTennis.

Q. A lot of players don't like to play WTT because they'd rather play
tournaments and get the points. What do you think could be done to get more
stars like yourself out for WTT?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I think the players play as they can. At this time of
year it's tough. Three Grand Slams have been finished and sometimes your body
is a little bit tired.
After I played TeamTennis in '05, I knew for sure I wanted to play as much as
possible because I had so much fun. Before that I don't think I played since
2000. Every year it's been a priority for me, every year I get in the draft.

Q. Do you see any difference between the Philadelphia audience and the
Delaware audience that you played to when you came back after that big win
over Lindsay Davenport? Do you see anything different with where you're
playing?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I think the thing about TeamTennis is that all the fans
are really into their teams, really into the experience. It's somewhat hard
to separate. Of course, I'm playing at home, Philadelphia, so that's a huge
difference. Everyone's so enthusiastic.
I think with Billie Jean for tennis, it was important to see all the fans be
able to participate, and that's what really happened. So it's amazing.

Q. Getting the equal pay at Wimbledon was a huge milestone for you. You
recognized it when you won the event. Where do you take it from here?
VENUS WILLIAMS: From here I'm just working with UNESCO. We announced a
partnership last year with the WTA Tour. I'm the ambassador for that
partnership for helping women around the world in sports and sciences and
that kind of thing. I think it's going to be exciting for me to work with
that. And obviously to continue to make the women's tour a better place for
women. That's what's up next for me obviously off the court.

Q. What experience do you have in Philadelphia and what memories kind of
stick out in your mind of the city?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think just the venue. I really enjoyed the venue. It was
very pretty. I actually had an afternoon to kind of sit down and enjoy the
summer, which is rare. I enjoyed that a lot. Just playing at home was
fantastic. Home team.

Q. Your experience with Lisa Raymond, what is it about the two of you that
bond so well?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Lisa is a great person, she really is. She's fun. She's
enthusiastic. She has a great personality, a lot of energy. I really enjoy
knowing her and being on the Fed Cup with her and obviously being on
TeamTennis with her.

Q. Is that one of the draws to come to TeamTennis and the Philadelphia team
in particular?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Exactly. I always request to play with Lisa. I love playing
with Rennae Stubbs actually. I always request to play with Rennae. She's not
here this year, she had to play Fed Cup.

Q. You've been a busy girl lately.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I have.

Q. You filed an entry at what one might say the 11th hour for the Acura
Classic. Did you do that because you're aware that Serena is not going to be
able to play at La Costa?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I've been planning on playing the Acura Classic for a while
now. I pretty much leave it up to my agents to enter me into tournaments at
the right time. I'm not sure when they entered me, but I've been planning on
playing.

Q. What is your thinking about Serena's status at the moment? Is that thumb
injury continuing to bother her?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I try not to speak about her injuries. I usually let
her speak about it. She's really eager to play. She's eager to obviously
continue her success.

Q. In looking back at your history at La Costa, the thing one is struck by is
in two of the three times you won there, you beat Monica Seles in the final.
That was at a time when Monica wasn't losing very often to anybody. Is that
something you value particularly? I know it doesn't compare to winning
Wimbledon as often as you have.
VENUS WILLIAMS: For sure, I loved playing her. We had some epic matches,
that's for sure. I always knew every time I played her I had to bring my best
out on the court. Over the last five years, I just haven't been lucky with
injuries. I haven't had a chance to play, so this is my chance now - my last
chance.

Q. Could you talk a little about your relationship with Billie Jean King and
why you felt compelled to acknowledge her after your Wimbledon win. Does it
make it more special to be playing for the team that Billie Jean owns?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I thought it was important because obviously equal
prize money has been a huge issue for the last few years, and Billie Jean
King has long been fighting for it also, actively fighting for it alongside
all the other WTA Tour players the last couple years.
I wanted to acknowledge what she's done for tennis, for women's tennis, and
single-handedly starting the tour, being such a visionary. People should know
and recognize that and appreciate that. There's Venus and Serena because of
Billie.

Q. You mentioned playing with Lisa Raymond. What does playing doubles do for
your singles game and will you play doubles with Serena at the Open this year?
VENUS WILLIAMS: We haven't thought about playing doubles at the Open. We were
in Wimbledon, playing quite well. Obviously injury stopped our run, our brief
run.
Playing with Lisa I think is really a huge asset for me because I'm not on
the doubles court a lot. So being on the court with her helps me to kind of
fast track it, you know. I do learn a lot from her. I ask her questions. We
both play well together so it's great.

Q. What about Lindsay coming back and playing WTT, what are your thoughts
about that? Have you spoken to her since the baby?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I haven't. I think it's amazing that she's getting so fit
so quickly. I'm looking forward to obviously seeing her. It will be great.

Q. With the way you're playing right now, would you consider yourself a
favorite for the Acura Classic?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, thank you very much. I have a huge goal this summer. I
really would like to win every match I play. I have to work very hard to do
it. If the players see me as a favorite, and the fans, it puts me in a great
position. That makes me feel good.

Q. What would it mean to win the very last one for you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think three times in a row. I won three times in a row,
then I couldn't come back. It's been challenging. I love playing in
California in the summer because I'm from there. This will be great to come
back, to show my stuff one more time.

Q. Are you kind of sad it's the last Acura tournament? What does that really
say about women's tennis that San Diego is not going to be having a
tournament after this year?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's going to be strange. All the players love San Diego. It
always gets voted favorite tournament. I know a lot of players will be sad
because not only did we come and play great tennis, but we also get to relax,
which is rare.
I think it's sad for the players and the fans.

Q. Are you playing Carson?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I am planning on playing just Toronto and San Diego. I
think that will be a great preparation for me going into the Open.
ROSIE CREWS: Venus, thank you so much.

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