AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2004

Venus Williams

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

THE MODERATOR: Venus, tell us about your match.

VENUS WILLIAMS: I was real excited out there today. I really just wanted to
focus on just hitting through the ball and going for my shots and when I was
on the run just hitting them, hitting my returns. Really just doing all the
things I always practice on. So I was pretty satisfied with the match and I
played against a good player also.

Q. What were your feelings just stepping on the court for the first time?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Well, I guess it's a little bit sentimental, but at the time
I was really very focused in on really my performance. Afterwards, it was
really just a breath of fresh air, just like, "Oh, yes, I'm back now. I'm
doing good." I guess the only way to understand how it feels is to actually
have been in the position I was in.

Q. More butterflies than usual?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No, not really. Not really. I was pretty clear on what I
wanted to do and I was pretty clear also on the kind of player that she was.
And was really just a matter of me going out there and executing.

Q. Were you surprised that they bumped you up in the seeding?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh...

Q. Were you expecting that or...?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm really grateful, I suppose, to the seeding. But other
than that, I really didn't pay so much attention. I think the seeding's
pretty consistent with the WTA rules.

Q. Can you take us through what happened at 3-1 in that first set.

VENUS WILLIAMS: As far as...?

Q. You seem to hurt the ankle a little bit.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was going for the swing volley, and I twisted my
right ankle, so I'll just monitor it and see how it goes. But I'm not
anticipating that it will be so bad.

Q. Did it need any treatment after the match?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Just ice so far, but it hasn't been so long after. So I'm
gonna reevaluate after this conference.

Q. Can you give us a little idea of how your recovery went, like when you
first started to go on the court and how long you were on the court and all
that kind of stuff.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. It just varied. Some days I hit an hour. I tried to
start out with half an hour, an hour, then go from there to, you know,
hopefully two hours, three hours, sometimes an afternoon session. I tried to
get the most out of my practice when I was there since maybe I couldn't have
stayed on the court as long as I would have liked. Basically, I kept building
it up. Even still now I have some shorter days and some longer days just to
not really just rocket into it but kind of ease myself into it and do the
smart thing. In the past I have kind of rushed too much, and that doesn't
work.

Q. When did you first go back on court after Wimbledon, the first time?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I went back on court... I guess I went out to LA, when Serena
had the procedure. I tried to hit then, but it wasn't working. I was trying
to play the US Open. After that, I took a few weeks off. After the US Open, I
tried to go back out again and tried to get ready for my next tournaments in
the fall, but that didn't happen. So, basically, I really started going out
full-time in December.

Q. Do you think your career and your life has developed the way you thought
when you started as a professional in '97?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, definitely. I've reached a lot of my goals. I think
when I get to the point where I have no more goals to reach, then I wouldn't
have any reason to play. But I don't think I'll ever get there. And I think
that I'm always expecting to get more out of myself, so obviously, I'd like
to get better and stronger and more consistent. But it gives me a lot to look
forward to.

Q. Each year we seem to talk about the more aggressive approach, but was it
my imagination you seemed to come to the net more a bit today? Are you trying
to do that here?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I think my game lends itself for me to move in because my
shots penetrate and I have the opportunity to move in and follow up after
them, and my volleys aren't, like, that bad. So today I did hit a lot of
penetrating shots and I tried to move in. Really it's just all about playing
the ball. If the ball is deep you move back, if it's short you move in.
That's really what I'm trying to do, is play with the ball.

Q. What's it like being here without Serena?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Not the same. Not the same. I'm alone in the room. You know,
phone's not ringing, because her phone's always ringing non-stop (smiling). I
guess that's a difference. But I miss her. No doubles.

Q. Did you feel trepidation going back on court today, first time in many
months?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I suppose maybe in a way, but I think that more than anything
I just wanted to play consistently because I feel I can hit lots of great
shots. But it's not about one or two great shots; it's about playing
consistently and playing the point correctly. I think I did okay at that
today.

Q. I saw a picture of your nephew, the little guy on the front page. How old
is he?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Five.

Q. Is he having a good time here?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, he thinks he's a star (smiling). "I'm a star. See my
picture in the paper?" Showed everyone his picture. I'm like, "Oh, God, we're
not showing any more pictures." I said, "What did you do to become a star?" I
asked him. "I'm a star." But it's hard when you're young. You don't
understand.

Q. Who were your heroes growing up? What did you learn from them? What can
youngsters learn from watching your game?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I guess my first hero maybe was Sabatini, and then after that
it was Becker. I used to serve like him at 10 years old. Then it was Monica
Seles. That's where I got my grunt from. I was grunting like her. It's
amazing, 10 and 11, I'm watching on TV. 10 years later I'm playing against
her.

Q. Did you try to learn anything from their games?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know if I tried to learn anything, I just tried to be
like them. So maybe in essence I did learn something from them.

Q. What can young tennis players watching you on TV learn from your game?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Hopefully good technique. I mean, sometimes I'm off on my
technique, but that's what's most important is the technique. Hopefully to
have fun, too. I have fun when I'm out there.

Q. Has there been anything strange about being back, all the hoards of
players in the beginning of a Grand Slam tournament? You've been off in your
own quiet life.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Exactly, exactly. Definitely, I'm having to deal with a lot
more people. I think I've gotten really comfortable with not having to have
as much people in my private space. I suppose I was an old pro at it. Now I'm
just picking it back up. But other than that, I'm just rolling with it.

Q. Has it been fun to catch up with some people you haven't seen for a while?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, yeah. Everyone's been real nice, asking people what
they did over the holiday. Things change when you're gone for six months. So
just catching up.

Q. When you lost your serve at the end, how do you look at Justine at the No.
1 in the world now and top favorite for this tournament?

VENUS WILLIAMS: She definitely deserves where she is. You don't get to No. 1
unless you deserve to be there. I've been at the top before, and it must be
really immensely satisfying for her.

Q. You said you'd stop playing when you achieved your goals. What are they
specifically?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, first one would be to win every match. Then the second
would be to win every point. I obviously, realistically, I don't think
there's ever a point in any competitor or any athlete's life where they stop
having goals. It gets to the point probably where you can't reach them
anymore. But I feel like definitely I'm still on the rise - always on the
rise.

Q. Just going back to what you were saying about your nephew being on the
front page of the paper, do you believe you have to earn the right to be a
star?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, sure. I guess so. I don't know, some people want to grow
up and become a star and be world-famous. Other people want to be good at
what they do. And I think I'm one of those people that just I want to be good
at what I do. The other stuff came second. I was just raised to be a tennis
player. That's what I am.

Q. For the benefit of our lady readers, can you just describe the fashion
today, the dress, the earrings, the engagement ring (laughter).

VENUS WILLIAMS: No engagement ring. Actually, my finger, I hit it, and it's
been swollen for weeks now. I can't get the ring off so... Bad luck. But,
yeah, the outfit was -- I suppose it's a halter, a Reebok in conjunction with
Diane Von Furstenburg, who's completely a legend in fashion design. It's a
lot of fun to wear. It's a lot of fun to wear.

Q. Same earrings you wore on court?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, earrings, I got these in Hong Kong. I guess
accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. I'm just your regular girl, I really
am.

Q. Are they diamond encrusted?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah. I have to be careful. When I get home, Serena's going
to want them. I'll have to hide them. I like long and dangly, really big
hoops, and one day the diamond studs. Obviously, I have to win a big event
before I can reward myself. Maybe Serena will get them for me.

Q. The clasp in your hair?

VENUS WILLIAMS: In the hair? Oh, yeah, just light blue. Like I said, I just
-- I like to have the complete outfit. I just believe that if you look good,
you play better. I'm serious. Have you ever gone anywhere, you're not looking
your best, you feel a little, you know, a little self-conscious. When I walk
out on that court, my game's ready and outfit's ready, too (laughing). Okay,
I'm totally off the subject (laughter). Thank you all.