AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2008

Venus Williams

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You were a little slow to start today.
VENUS WILLIAMS: What happened? I've already played two matches now. I have to
figure it out.

Q. You were down Love-3 in the first set.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I wasn't down Love-3. Didn't I hold serve the first game? Are
you talking about the doubles? I don't know. I can't remember. Are you sure?
Did I serve first? No. Next question.

Q. It seems like you're playing well enough, winning and getting out of tight
spots.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, the last couple rounds I've definitely played some
players who had some interesting strategies as far as going for broke and
just, you know, every ball as hard as they can a hundred percent.
So it's just definitely different to play that kind of match opposed to
someone who is playing, I mean, more normal tennis. So I felt good about the
match.
You know, she made a lot of good shots there, but just tried to keep a steady
level of play.

Q. Thinking about all the years coming to this tournament, what do you recall
about your first trip here?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, man, what do I recall? When was that? I don't recall too
much today, do I (laughter)?
It was just great times. Everything was exciting. You know, I would call
home. I would tell my dad, You know, I'm in such and such a round. He would
be so excited. I think I won the mixed that year. I brought him home the
plate. He was so happy. He just took the plate in his hands and stared at it.
It was all new and exciting. More than anything I had fun. I enjoyed myself.

Q. This year you could meet your sister in the final. She's won many times.
How could you beat her this year?
VENUS WILLIAMS: She's obviously an incredible player. With the occasion, her
game goes up to another level. At this point it's not really on my mind.
Of course, I'd love for there to be Williamses in the final. But, you know,
we have a couple more matches that we have to play very well.

Q. Ana said before she felt it was time to take a bit of revenge possibly
after the last two encounters you have had in Grand Slams. What are your
thoughts?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think she's a great player. I know she'll do her best
tomorrow.

Q. She also said it will be a mental battle for her. Do you feel like you're
such a big-match player, you go into a contest like that with a real edge?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I do consider myself a big-match player. I do enjoy
those times. I enjoy the battle. I enjoy the challenge. And that's about it.
I'll be supporting Serena and going for my own win.

Q. Serena said the other day here she always roots for the younger sibling,
so she roots for Eli Manning. Does that mean you root for Peyton Manning?
VENUS WILLIAMS: What's going on with that?

Q. The Giants won today.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Really? I don't know anything outside of tennis. So if I
start talking about football I'm gonna really have my foot in my mouth. I
barely know anything or anyone in football or any other sport.

Q. You don't know Peyton Manning is Eli's older brother?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I do know him, yes. That's where it stops (laughter).

Q. Does it strike you funny that she roots automatically for the younger
sibling?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Not really. Why not?

Q. Do you find the wide slice here is more effective on the new surface than
in previous years?
VENUS WILLIAMS: For me, my slider's always pretty dangerous, so I don't know.
For me, as far as me hitting it, I feel like any on surface it's pretty
effective.
As far as other players, you know, a lot of players are a little more petite.

Q. You don't notice a difference this year versus previous years?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think the ball stops a little bit. It's unpredictable.

Q. It stops a little bit?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. You just have to keep your feet moving. That's the name
of the game.

Q. On the slice serve.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Slice serve, no.

Q. Do you prefer playing with the roof open or closed?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Uhm, it's the same, I guess. When it's closed, obviously you
don't have to deal with sun or wind, which is nice. But it doesn't matter to
me.

Q. Last year you won Wimbledon. You were outside of the top 15 at this time.
Last year Serena won here. She was not even seeded. Do you think rankings do
not count for you; you can beat anyone when you want?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Personally, of course, I love being a top-ranked player.
Being a floater is kind of fun, too. I enjoy that. I enjoy kind of the early
matchups. It's pretty exciting for me. There's something about it for me that
I love.
I think Serena feels the same exact way. But, of course, I do enjoy being
higher ranked. That's obviously where I feel like I belong, in the top 10.

Q. Were you surprised last year when Serena won here? She was not even seeded.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I totally believe in her and I know her heart. She has
a never-say-die spirit. She's an unbelievable competitor, besides a great
tennis player. So, no, I wasn't surprised at all.

Q. Did you watch the Hewitt match?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I didn't actually. Which one?

Q. The one that went on after yours.
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, I actually didn't. I was recovering from my match.

Q. Any empathy for he and Marcos to play at such a late hour?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Like I said the other day, everyone was dealing with the
circumstances, every single player, with the rain, and with the day session
going late. Everyone was dealing with it.
It's not ideal circumstances, but everyone dealt with it the best they could.

Q. There's a story in one of the local papers this morning saying that when
you were approached about changing the match, you said that if that happened
you would see that as being racist. Did you say that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Was I quoted as saying that in the paper?

Q. No. It said you were believed to say that.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Okay, so, you know, any credible writer I don't think would
come in here and ask me something like that. That's crazy, first of all.
Second of all, you know, I am pleased that the matches went on as scheduled.
But, you know, all this hearsay, I don't deal with that.

Q. I'm offering you the chance to say no. Did you say it or not?
VENUS WILLIAMS: No.

Q. Being asked to consider putting your match on another court or postponing
it in favor of the men's match, do you see that as a racist issue or sexist?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Just as I said the other day, I explained what the situation
was. That transcript is available. But at this point, you know, I'm in the
quarterfinals. I want to focus more or less on that. That was days ago.

Q. You had a wrap on your upper leg. Anything serious?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's a little something-something. But I'm hoping I won't
have to have it tomorrow. So we'll see.

Q. Given four or five years ago, if you had been given the option to go to
another court, would the Venus of four or five years ago have done that, or
is it a mark of standing up for yourself?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think, you know, it wasn't just me also. It was Sania Mirza
also. Both of us wanted to play our match as scheduled, which is a normal
thing to want. So I think the tournament did a good job of recognizing the
schedule.
And, like I said, everyone was dealing with the circumstances, all of the
players, not just one. So we all did the best that we could.