ROLAND GARROS

May 27, 2018

Venus Williams

Paris, France

W. QIANG/V. Williams

6-4, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. She's played you very, very tough both times before. Why is she a hard
matchup for you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think she just played well. I mean, all the times we've
played, she's played great. I think her game just got better and better
during the match.

Q. Were you surprised by how well she played today and how she was really
focused and determined to play this match compared to last year you were able
to fight back when trailing in both sets?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Honestly, everybody plays me well. So that doesn't surprise
me at all.

Q. I wondered how much you've missed playing doubles. Obviously, coming back
with Serena here for the first time in a couple of years.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, we haven't played in forever. So I'm hoping that we'll
get out there and kind of just start where we left off.

Q. I'm sure some of it's bad luck. It's the first time you've lost first
round two Slams in a row. Is it frustrating for you to have this happen, and
then how do you look to recover for Wimbledon?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I mean, nobody plans on this.

Q. I would like to ask you a question which doesn't relate to this match.
But, obviously, the number 11 is very important in this tournament with Rafa
trying to achieve something that's never been done. 11 has been really
important in your life. Could you just take a moment and say a few things
about that?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I've got to say that's not been on my mind, so I'm not sure
that I have much to say about it.

Q. Well, why did you name you're very successful company, Venus, EleVen?
VENUS WILLIAMS: It's better than a 10.

Q. And also if I could follow up, just a little while ago there was an
incredible event in Britain with the royal wedding with a wonderful minister,
wonderful choir and Serena there. What were your thoughts about seeing your
sister there and the Royal wedding and just the whole presence of
African-American culture in the heart of Britain?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Honestly, I was at practice, so I didn't see the wedding. I
did see her Instagram, though. That's kind of as much as I was exposed to it.

Q. And any reaction to the Instagram?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Oh, I thought she looked great.

Q. How motivated are you to bounce back in time for the grass court season?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I mean, I have now, like, five weeks, so I'm going to
have to wait. There's nothing more I can do.

Q. The more you have or the more a player has won, the more they achieve and
the longer their career is, is there a sense that it is harder or more
difficult on days when things are maybe not going so well to really double
down and try and fight your way back into it?
VENUS WILLIAMS: There really are no perfect days in tennis, so you have to be
ready to play no matter what.

Q. During a match, when things at least on the scoreboard are not going your
way, how much do you try to come up with adjustments, tactical adjustments,
and today specifically were there things you thought you could try to do
differently to make things better for you?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think differently is win the point.

Q. Different ways of going about trying to --
VENUS WILLIAMS: There's so many different ways, but at this point I need to
look forward.

Q. Have you still got things that you want to achieve and that you want to
prove to yourself playing tennis or does that not matter?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I just want to be my best. That's all.

Q. I'm just making sure you have no physical health problems or anything like
that; right?
A. Are you concerned?

Q. Just a little, yeah.
VENUS WILLIAMS: That's so sweet of you. Thank you.

Q. You said what you wanted to do was be your best. Could you put into words
what Venus Williams is at her best?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I like to think that I win all my matches if I'm playing
well. I think anyone thinks like that probably.

Q. I saw your video about Rome. If you could choose what do you miss most
about Rome, about Italy, what do you like most of Rome, of Italian people?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I think it's just a beautiful place and beautiful people and
weather and food. There's everything to miss there.

Q. I just want to ask you now, obviously, out of Roland Garros in the first
round, what's your plans in terms of the grass court season? Any plans to
play any warmup events in Britain?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Not really.

Q. You just want to go straight in there and do what you need to do?
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'll try.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports